12–24 months · Walking and words
Two explosions at once: walking, and vocabulary. By two, most children have fifty words or more and are putting two together.
Body and movement
- Walks alone (most by 15 months, nearly all by 18)
- Walks up steps holding a hand (about 18–24 months)
- Runs, stiffly at first (about 18 months)
- Scribbles with a crayon held in the fist
- Stacks three or four blocks (about 18 months)
- Kicks a ball forwards (about 24 months)
Communication
- Uses several single words (about 15 months)
- Follows a one-step instruction without a gesture
- Points to a named body part (about 18 months)
- Around 50 words by 24 months
- Puts two words together: 'more milk' (about 24 months)
- Names familiar things in a picture book
Thinking and looking
- Uses an object for its purpose — a spoon, a comb
- Pretends: feeds a doll, puts a phone to the ear
- Finds a thing hidden under two covers
- Sorts by shape into a simple posting toy
- Copies what adults do around the house
Feeling and belonging
- Shows things to adults to share interest
- Plays alongside other children rather than with them
- Has strong feelings and few words for them — tantrums are typical
- Shows affection to familiar people
- Begins to say 'no' and to want to do things alone
👀 Worth asking a doctor about
- Not walking by 18 months
- Fewer than six words by 18 months
- No two-word phrases by 24 months
- Does not copy others or pretend by 24 months
- Does not share interest by pointing or showing
- Any loss of words or skills once gained
These are reasons to ask, not verdicts. Early help works; waiting rarely does.
🤝 What helps at this age
- Expand what the child says: 'ball' → 'yes, a big red ball'
- Offer real choices between two things, to build words and will
- Name feelings out loud: 'you are very cross that it stopped'
- Allow long, uninterrupted, unstructured play
