12 Months

Summary

By 12 months of age, infants can stand well and begin to walk. They also begin holding objects with a 2-finger pincer grasp, which requires fine muscle coordination of the index finger and thumb. Socially, 12 month old infants can communicate with nonverbal gestures, like by pointing at objects, as well as begin to say simple words. At 12 months old, infants develop separation anxiety when their caregivers leave. 12 months old is the age at which infants can be introduced to cow’s milk and honey. At 12 months, infants should weigh around triple their birth weight.

Key Points

• 12 Months
  • Gross Motor
    • Starts walking
      • May be unsteady until around 15 months
    • Crawls up stairs
    • Throws ball
  • Fine Motor
    • 2-finger pincer grasp
    • Hits two objects together
  • Language
    • Says simple words
      • Vocabulary of 3-5 words
      • Frequent first words include “mama”, “dada”, “baba”, “no”, “hi”, etc.
    • Points
      • May also start using other non-verbal gestures such as shaking head side to side to say “no”, waving bye-bye, etc.
  • Social/Cognitive
    • Separation anxiety
  • Nutrition
    • Can be introduced to cow’s milk and honey
  • Body Development
    • Triple birth weight