Here is a brief guide to how your toddler is developing and learning at 12 to 18 months. 

Guess what? You now have a toddler on your hands! If you have never had children before - this is a whole new stage. Your baby will turn into a walking, talking dynamo. Take a good look at safety in the home during this stage because toddlers have the curiosity and new physical abilities that can get them into trouble.

Motor Development

• If he hasn't already mastered walking, this is the time your child will learn to walk alone
• Between 15 - 18 months, your toddler may learn to ride a four-wheel toy 
• Begins to hold 2-3 objects in one hand
• Begins to building towers with 2-3 blocks
• Rolls a ball
• Learns to place a loose fitting lid on a box
• Places a round shape in a foam board puzzle (around 16 months)
• Throws a ball while standing or sitting
• Pulls toys that are on wheels
• Drinks mostly from a cup
• Scribbles, scribbles and scribbles some more!
• At around 18 months of age, he may enjoy using shape sorters and learning about what goes where

Intellectual and Language Development

• Continues to learn that objects are used for a particular purpose. For example, uses a toy phone like a real phone
• Begins to know the names of body parts
• Brings favorite book to parents to read
• By 16 months, she may clearly speak about 6 or 7 words
• Delights in covering face and laughing out loud when playing peek-a-boo
• Points to where eyes and mouth are
• Asks you for something by pointing at it
• Enjoys putting objects in containers and dumping them out--and doing this over and over again
• Towards 18 months, your toddler's language will really take off. She may learn several new words a day; however, they may not be clearly spoken
• "No" becomes a favorite word

Social and Emotional Development

• Your child's personality is really emerging
• Laughs out loud when playing chasing or hiding games
• Learns to follow simple directions such as "come here," "show me," and "look"
• Shows or hands toys to grownups
• Watches other children or grownups and attempts to copy what they're doing
• Towards 18 months, your toddler may become frustrated and begin having tantrums related to this frustration
• Doesn't understand the idea of sharing yet - but continue to role model this
• Will definitely let you know what she does and does not enjoy eating
• Starts cooperating by taking shoes and hats off
• Becomes over tired easily - 50% of 1-2 year old's are fussy at bedtime
• Will look for a grown up when left alone in a room