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Birth - 15 Months

A mother and daughter playing togetherIf you have questions or concerns about your child’s growth or development, use this information to talk with your child’s caregiver, pediatrician, or a teacher at your child’s school.

Infant development is amazing! At the end of 12 months, your baby can be three times his birth weight and twice his birth length. Babies follow a similar path of development, yet each is unique. Here is what you can expect to see during the first 15 months of life:

Babies first gain control over their heads and then their bodies in the early months of life.

  • 1–4 Months: Holds her head up and steady when you hold her on your shoulder
  • 5–8 Months: Uses his arms to pull his body along on the floor

Rolling over, sitting, crawling, walking, and moving with a purpose can happen over the course of the first 12–15 months.

  • 5–8 Months: Rolls from her back onto her stomach
  • 6–8 Months: Sits up with minimal support
  • 8–12 Months: Crawls, easily switching from crawling to sitting and back again
  • 10–15 Months: Pulls to stand at the edge of a low table and may “cruise” around the edge

Babies are like sponges, soaking up all of the talk around them. Thus, talking, singing, reading, and interacting with your baby become critical to the development of language. Television and videos are not a substitute for face-to-face interaction with a loving caregiver.

  • 1–4 Months: Pays attention to what is happening around him by looking around the room when held on someone’s shoulder
  • 3–5 Months: Makes babbling or cooing sounds or waves her arms or legs when someone speaks to her or smiles at her
  • 6–8 Months: Looks toward the sound of a familiar voice calling from another room
  • 8–15 Months: Follows a direction, such as, “Please give me the cup.”

Babies coo and babble, but the main way they communicate is by crying. Babies’ cries can change when they are hungry, tired, wet, frightened, or overwhelmed. Responding to crying and holding your baby often develops a sense of trust.

  • 1–4 Months: Fusses or cries to gain attention of familiar adults
  • 1–4 Months: Snuggles and relaxes when rocked
  • 4–8 Months: Understands emotions from your tone of voice
  • 8–13 Months: Reaches to a familiar adult to be picked up when a stranger says hello
  • 8–15 Months: Looks for his caregiver’s reaction before deciding if he should act hurt after falling down
  • 8–36 Months: Actively clings, cries or tries to follow when her parent starts to leave

A little girl guides a younger sibling through a play tunnelActivities

  • Play with simple toys: Your baby can drop, roll, and chew soft and colorful toys, such as stacking cubes, rattles and soft blocks.
  • Hold a brightly colored object, such as a plastic cup or rubber ducky, above the baby’s face when he is lying on his back. Move it around slowly, so that he can follow it with his eyes. Move it to the side to encourage him to roll over and reach it. When he reaches it, praise him and let him have the cup.
  • Play “peek-a- boo” with objects. Cover a ball with a blanket and encourage baby to scoot or crawl to uncover it, by saying, “What’s under the blanket? It’s the red ball!” or, “Where did your teddy bear go? Here it is!” Let baby have a turn hiding under the blanket and being “found.”
  • Use toys at bath time that float or sink. Splash and play with these water toys and always keep one hand on your baby during bath time. Kitchen items, such as funnels, measuring cups and spoons, and plastic containers, are all great bath toys!
  • Babies love to look at themselves in the mirror: Provide child-safe mirrors for the car, stroller, changing area or in the play space.
  • Point and say, “Here is your nose, there is your mouth, I see your eyes…”
  • Make use of “tummy time:” When your baby is on her belly, hold the mirror in front of her and talk about what she sees. This will encourage her to lift her head in order to see herself. head in order to see herself.
  • Repeat lullabies, finger plays and games like pat-a-cake and peeka-boo to help build language skills. Your baby loves the sound of your voice!
  • Read to your baby: Look at chunky board books with colorful pictures. Let baby hold the book and turn the pages. This builds a solid foundation for learning to read.
  • While reading, point out objects, shapes, and colors and ask your baby what he thinks is happening in the book. Give him time to think about what he sees and to respond with his own sounds. You can borrow board books from your Boston Public Library neighborhood branch!

Parenting Tips

  • Have a daily routine: Provide a predictable schedule for your baby, with regular meal bath, nap and bedtimes. This gives your baby a sense of security and safety.
  • During routines, talk about what you are doing: “When your bath is over, we’ll put on your pajamas and then read a book before bed.” “Let’s make sure you are buckled in safely before we start the car.”
  • Respond to your baby’s cries: Immediately tuning in to your baby’s needs develops attachment and trust. You cannot spoil your baby by responding right away.
  • Make sleep–time safe: Avoid toys, blankets, and pillows in your baby’s sleeping area and always put your baby to sleep on her back.

Baby wants to move:

Help her get ready for walking, but don’t rush her. Keep safe objects within her reach to use for pulling up. Put a toy on a sturdy chair or the couch so she will want to pull herself up to reach it. Later, give her a push and pull toy or even a cardboard box to push in front of her to help her practice walking.