Ages 12‑18 Months

Social and Emotional Development

• Provide many chances for happy moments, such as family meals and bedtime routines.
• Offer simple choices you are comfortable with: "Do you want to put your coat or your shoes on first?"
• Provide regular chances for your toddler to play beside children the same age.
• Talk about emotions and read stories and look at pictures that focus on emotions.

What Your Toddler Is Likely to Do

• Love being the centre of attention.
• Begin to show a sense of humour.
• Play best by him‑ or herself.
• Be unlikely to share toys.
• Copy adult activities, such as driving a car, reading, or cooking.
• Separate her‑ or himself from you for brief periods of time.
• Change his or her food likes and dislikes often.
• Enjoy familiar places.
• Boldly explore and try new things.
• Take risks, if a trusted adult is present.
• Identify him or herself in a mirror or photo.
• Hug and kiss parents and other very familiar people and pets.
• Enjoy being the centre of attention.

Other Things Your Toddler May Do

• Strongly resist the limits you set.
• Co‑operate, or not.
• Want to do things on her or his own.
• Fight with other children while learning to share.
• Show jealousy when attention is given to other family members.
• Get frustrated easily.
• Display a sense of owning toys and people.
• Enjoy older children but not play with them.
• Have a security toy or blanket.

How You Can Help Social and Emotional Development

• Create and stick to regular routines.
• Offer choices you are comfortable with: “Do you want to put your coat or your shoes on first?”
• Have happy goodbye routines when you and family members leave each other.
• Give your toddler chances to help with chores. Your toddler could put clothes in the laundry basket, pick up toys, or put away clean clothes.
• Provide regular chances for your toddler to play beside children the same age.
• Don’t force your toddler to play with other children.
• Play with your toddler and teach sharing.
• Use “yes” and “no” to clearly set reasonable limits. Briefly explain your reasons and be consistent.
• Model good manners: use “please” and “thank you.”
• Continue to breastfeed.
• Comfort your toddler, especially when she or he is upset, sick, or hurt.
• Set reasonable limits and consequences.
• Provide many chances for happy moments, such as family meals and bedtime routines.
• Give your toddler many chances to feel successful.
• Provide chances for your toddler to play on his or her own.
• Talk about emotions: “You seem to be really happy!”
• Read stories and look at pictures that focus on emotions.
• Talk about changes in routines.