12 months old:
At 12 months old, a child can pick up small objects with near pincer like grasps between thumb and tip of index finger. They also drop and throw toys forward deliberately to watch them fall to the ground, they will too watch the objects fall to the ground and look in the correct area when they hear toys fall out of sight. 12 month year olds point with their index fingers and watch the movement of people, animals and motor vehicles for long periods, I have noticed that Ben watches the wheels of car for prolonged periods. A child of this age will also recognise familiar faces at a distance. A year old child can use both hands freely and no longer leads with just one hand, even though perhaps showing preference for one. They will hold two toy bricks, one in each hand with a tripod grasp, banging them together to make. 12 month old babies will also show interest in pictures.
15 months old:
posture and large movements.
a child of 15 months may walk alone, usually with uneven steps. Feet will be placed wide apart, arms slightly flexed and held above head or at shoulder level for balance. They can also let themself down from standing to sitting by collapsing backward with a bump, or by falling forward on hands and then back to sitting. They can eventually get to feet alone and will creeps upstairs safely, and can go down the stairs backwards. Kneels unaided or with support.
vision and fine movements.
Over the last few months, the child will have highly improved their fine movements, able to pick up strings or small objects with a precise pincer grasp, using either hand. The 15 months old will manipulate cubes and may build a tower of two cubes after copying someone, that is as far as they can go. At this age, they will grasp crayons with a whole hand or two, using a palmar grasp. At 15 months the child will look with interest at coloured pictures in books and watch small toys being pulled across the floor with much interest, demanding desired objects out of reach, by pointing with index finger, to be handed to them. A child of 15 months will also stand at reachable window and watch the outside happening for several minutes, using the favoured index finger to emphasise interest.
18 months old:
posture and large movements.
At 18 months, a child walks well with feet only slightly apart, starts and stops safely, no longer needing to hold upper arms in extension to balance. They will run safely also, head held erect in midline, eyes fixed on ground one to two metres ahead, but finds difficulty in negotiating obstacles. At 18 months, they will push and pull large toys or boxes along the floor. An 18 month child will choose to carry a large doll or teddy whilst walking, helping balance. They will also back into small chairs or slides in sideways to seat self. At 18 months, a child enjoys exploring, for examply, climbing and walking up and down the stairs.
NOTE: infants who 'bottom shuffle' are usually delayed in walking.
vision and fine movements.
At 18 months old, a childs vision and fine movements if forever improving with them now picking up small objects immediately on sight with delicate grips. An 18 month old can also hold pencils in mid or upper shaft in whole hand, or with crude approximation of thumb and fingers. Doing only scribbles and dots. At this age they can now build towers of three or four cubes after demonstration or sometimes spontaneously. An 18 month old child will enjoy simple picture books often recognising and pointing with index finger on attractive coloured items on the page, turning a few pages at a time. At this age, however, a child is still favouring a hand, either left or right. Also, an 18 month old still recognising familiar people at a distance and points to distant interesting objects when in or outdoors.
2 years old:
posture and large movements.
At 2 years old a child will run safely on whole foot, stopping and starting with ease, avoiding obstacles instantly. They can even squat with complete steadiness to rest or to play with an object on the ground and can rise to feet without hands. At 2, they can push and pull large, wheeled toys easily forwards and usually able to walk backwards pulling the handle. Also, pulling small wheeled toys by cord with obvious appreciation or direction. The child can climb on furniture to look out of window or to open doors and can get down again with ease. They will show increasing understanding of size of self in relation to size and position of objects in the environment, and to enclosed spaces such as a cupboard or cardboard box. A definate improvement. They will walk upstairs and downstairs holding on to the wall or rail, without falling over. They will also walk into large ball when trying to kick it, also able to to sit on a small tricycle, but cannot use pedals yet.
vision and fine movements.
A child of 2 have good manipulative skills; picks up tiny objects accurately and quickly, and places down neatly with increasing skill. Now able to build a tower of atleast 6 or 7 cubes. A 2 year old will now hold pencils well towards the point, using the thumb and first two fingers. Using of course, the preferred hand. A child of 2 will enjoy picture books, recognising fine details in favourite pictures, turning the pages singly. Now, they will recognise familiar adults in photograph after once shown, but not usually themself yet.
