PHYSICAL
DEVELOPMENT: One to Two Years |
Normal
Characteristics |
Suggested
Behaviors for Effective Parenting |
Begins to walk, creep up and
down stairs, climb on furniture, etc. |
Provide large, safe space
for exercising arms and legs. Teach child how to get down
from furniture, stairs, etc. |
Enjoys pushing and pulling
things. |
Provide push-and-pull toys,
which aid in learning balance. |
Begins to feed self with a
spoon and can hold a cup. |
May be messy, but allow the
child to feed self sometimes. Fix food that can be easily
eaten (use bibs, cloth under high chair). If using chair,
make sure it is completely stable. |
Can stack two or three
blocks. Likes to take things apart. Likes to put things
in and take things out of cupboards, mouth, boxes, etc. |
Provide toys or games that
can be taken apart, stacked, squeezed, pulled, etc. |
Takes off pull-on clothing. |
Let child try to dress and
undress self. |
Still cannot control bowels.
|
Do not try to potty-train. |
INTELLECTUAL
DEVELOPMENT: One to Two Years |
Normal
Characteristics |
Suggested
Behaviors for Effective Parenting |
Learn through senses. |
Provide toys and play games
involving different textures, colors, and shapes-pots,
pans, boxes, balls, etc. |
Is curious, likes to
explore; pokes fingers in holes. |
Be sure the area is safe.
Allow the child to explore. |
Can say the names of some
common objects. |
Talk to the child often. Say
the names of objects seen and used. Talk about activities
as you bathe and dress him/her. |
Use one-word sentences,
"No," "Go," "Down,"
"Bye-bye." Can point to and name common body
parts and familiar objects. Can understand simple
directions. |
Teach names of body parts
and familiar objects. Read or recite nursery rhymes. |
Begins to enjoy simple songs
and rhymes. |
Provide rhythmic songs that
are repetitive and low in key. |
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: One
to Two Years |
Normal
Characteristics |
Suggested
Behaviors for Effective Parenting |
Enjoys interaction with
familiar adults. Imitates and copies behavior. |
Be sure to do
things you want the child to do. |
Begins to be demanding,
assertive, independent. |
Establish clear
boundaries necessary to child's safety. Understand that
boundaries help the child test limits and divide the
world into manageable segments. |
Finds mother still very
important. |
Ensure that a
special person provides most of the care. |
Waves bye-bye. |
Wave back. |
Plays alone but does not
play well with others the same age. |
Make sure an
adult is close by during all the child's activities. |
Is possessive of own things. |
Don't force the
child to share. (He/she can learn this later.) |
EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT: One to Two Years |
Normal
Characteristics |
Suggested
Behaviors for Effective Parenting |
Needs the warmth, security
and attention of a special adult. |
A special,
caring adult should look after the child. |
Is learning trust; needs to
know that someone will provide care and meet needs. |
Respond to the
needs of the child consistently and sensitively. |
Sucks thumb, which peaks at
around 18 months. |
Ignore
thumbsucking; calling attention to it will only make it
worse. |
Has temper tantrums. |
Do not give in
to a child's demands but to do not "punish,"
since the child is expressing self the only way he/she
knows how. Do not be rigid and demand compliance all the
time. |
Is generally in a happy
mood. |
Enjoy and keep
up the good work. |
But may become angry
when others interfere with child's activities. |
Accept the
child's reaction as normal and healthy, not as an affront
to your authority. Modify the environment to reduce the
need to interfere in the child's activities. |
May become frustrated
because of not being able to put wishes into words. |
Be patient in
trying to interpret/understand the child's wishes. |