13 Month Baby Milestones: Discovering New Places and Things!

Get ready for another whirlwind month because your child will explore everything and everywhere.

Your child grew and developed rapidly throughout their first year. But from the 13th month onward, it is more about refining the skills they already learned in the previous months.

For instance, if your child has already mastered cruising and assisted walking, they may now try and take their first steps. After saying their first word, they may now learn another.

In short, your budding explorer is more independent, curious, and eager to learn!

What Can I Expect During My Child’s 13th Month?

Your toddler will build more into their movement, communication, and cognitive skills. Their area of exploration will expand, and so will their reach.

Your child will also communicate with you more. They will use both words and gestures to get their point across.

Aside from communicating with you, your toddler will also keep mimicking you. You may see your child copy you when you brush your hair or sweep the floor.

Physical and Movement Milestones

If your child has mastered cruising and assisted walking, they may start walking anytime soon. When this happens, expect a lot of clumsiness! Your toddler will not get the hang of walking immediately, so they will stumble and fall often. Be ready to catch them when they do!

READ ALSO: These Simple Activities Will Help Develop Your Baby’s Sitting And Walking Skills

Most kids can also bend down to pick up toys and other objects at 13 months. They also love dropping these objects into containers. Your child might proudly show you that they can put their ball into the cup repeatedly. It is great fun for them, and this repetitive play is an excellent way to exercise hand-eye coordination.

Some 13-month-old kids can also drink from a cup. This is a good time to introduce cow’s milk to their diet, especially if you are weaning them from formula milk.

Language and Communication Milestones

Your child should be able to say some words by now, which are usually “mama” and “papa” or “dada.” At 13 months, your kid should be able to repeat another word or two.

These words should be simple, like “no,” “yes,” “hi,” or “bye.” Your toddler may also try saying harder but familiar words like “bottle” or “blankie.” Still, it is understandable if they mumble through them.

Sometimes, your child might find it difficult to express what they want in words. You may see them using gestures, such as pointing at objects they want.

Learning and Cognitive Milestones

At 13 months, your child can understand and follow simple instructions. These should be one-step instructions, such as “get the ball” or “come here.”

Of course, that does not mean your precocious toddler will follow them every time! Aside from independence, your child may display new behaviors and moods, such as affection, frustration, and stubbornness.

Your child is also honing their problem-solving skills around this time. You will see this as they try to fit objects and toys into other things, twisting knobs, and turning on switches.

How Can I Help with My Child’s Development?

According to Smart Parenting expert Dr. Joey Cuayo-Estanislao, there is no better way to teach your child than by being with them. Your child already learns so much with you just simply talking and interacting with them.

“Take the opportunity to teach them the right words to call things. Narrate to them the different activities you’re doing throughout the day,” suggests Dr. Cuayo-Estanislao.

For example, during bathtime, you can tell your child, “We’re cleaning our hair! So many bubbles! Wash, wash, wash our hair!”

It would be best if you also read to your not-so-little-one every day. You can encourage interaction by asking simple questions or giving simple instructions. For example, when reading them a book about shapes, you can ask, “can you point to the circle?” or say, “show me the star.”

For playtime, try hide-and-seek. It is a fun game for your child and an excellent way to help them overcome separation anxiety.

Safety is also a priority now that your toddler has become more curious to roam. Revisit your home and all your baby-proofing measures.

Remember that your toddler will be stumbling and crashing into things. You can install rubber mats on the floors and corner guards on all furniture with sharp edges.

Your child’s curiosity about knobs, switches, and holes can also pose dangers. You can install baby gates to protect your explorer from unsafe areas such as the kitchen or stairs. You should also hide, disguise, or install plug covers for wall sockets.

As always, keep small objects out of your child’s reach. If you have pets, do not leave them together unsupervised (no matter how trained!).

Allow them to play and explore inside safe spaces. Encourage their curiosity and praise their little achievements. “They’re like sponges right now,” adds Dr. Cuayo-Estanislao. “[T]ake advantage of their curious minds!”

Read more about your 13 month old here.