Your little one is now 18 months old! How time flies! So what can you expect at this age? This guide shows what to expect from your 18 months old baby.

Weight and height
The average weight of an 18-month-old boy is 24.1 pounds and 23.4 pounds for a girl. Also, the average height of an 18-month-old boy is 32.4 inches and 31.8 inches for a girl.

Movement skills
At this age, your 18-month-old can:
• Walk by himself
• Run or walk up steps
• Pull toys while he’s walking
• Bend to pick up something
At this age, your toddler may try to climb out of his crib. So attach a bell on his crib to know when he’s climbing out. Also, make sure that his bedroom is free of objects he stumbles upon. If he’s climbing out of his crib often, you should consider moving him into a bed.

Hand and finger development
At this age, your 18-month-old can:
• Hold a spoon and eat with it
• Drink from a cup
• Stack two blocks or other objects
• Hold chalk or crayon
• Help undress himself
As this age, your child can now manipulate an item between his index finger and the thumb. This includes placing a peg in a hole or turning a handle

Language skills
At this age, your 18-month-old can:
• Say many single words
• Reply to questions
• Say the word “no” when he doesn’t want or like something
• Babble and sing along to a song
• Repeat some words heard in a conversation
• Understand the idea of “on” and “in.”
Keep on talking and reading to him as this can help him develop his verbal skills.

Social and emotional skills
At this age, your 18-month-old can:
• Have temper outbursts
• Hand items to others as play
• Get scared around strangers
• Cling to mother in new situations
• Show love to those he knows well
At this age, your child will start to test boundaries. He may say “no” to a situation or begin to throw an outburst to get what he wants. You may wonder why your little one acts in such a manner. Don’t worry, he’s still your baby. But he’s learning to do things his way.

Thinking and learning development
At this age, your 18-month-old can:
• Tell the functions of things like brush, chair, or spoon
• Scribble on his own
• Sit or stand when you tell him to
• Point to show you an object or person
• Play pretend games

Immunizations
At 18 months old, your baby should receive the following immunizations:
• 2nd dose – Hepatitis A
• 3rd dose – Hepatitis B and inactivated poliovirus
• 4th dose – Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis,
• Annual vaccination 1 or 2 doses – Influenza (IIV)

At 18 months old, your child will enjoy playing with bubbles or reciting nursery poems with actions. Kids at this age are fun to play with. Reading books, singing, and dancing together helps them learn quickly. Also, it’s the best bonding time for you and him.

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