Eighteen months is the halfway mark between the first and second year of a child's life. With this milestone comes many new developments and abilities. Gross motor skills, which are large physical movements, and fine motor skills, which are small and more intricate movements, are developing quickly. A child's emotional, language and cognitive abilities are developing as well. Although every child is different, there is a general picture of what to expect at 18 months of age.
Gross Motor Skills
It is possible for an 18-month-old to begin toilet training, which includes independently dressing and controlling her urine and bowels, although many children this age are not quite ready. Her gross motor skills are more developed than her fine motor skills and she may not be able to sit still for long periods of time. She will probably want to explore almost everything, and soon she will be running. At 18 months, she can walk up the stairs while holding onto an adult's hand, kick and roll a ball, push a wagon and pedal a tricycle.
Fine Motor Skills
An 18-month-old's fine motor skills include the ability to solve simple puzzles. In fact, he will likely be very interested in solving problems or puzzles. Instead of just emptying out cupboards, cabinets or bins, he will try to put things back inside to see how they all fit together. He may also be able to play with shape-sorting toys, build blocks, turn pages in a book, scribble with crayons and finger paint. He may also be able to feed himself by using a spoon and drinking from a cup without spilling its contents.
Emotional
At 18 months, a toddler has emotional skills that are growing quickly. She may be more social and curious about her playmates, although she may not be able to play cooperatively just yet. She will also have more confidence and may even be content if left in the care of someone other than her parents. She is also showing more affection at this age and may have become attached to a security object, such as a stuffed animal or blanket.
Language
A child can speak a dozen or more words clearly at 18 months. He will also be able to speak in small sentences of two words, such as, "More milk." Although he will still be doing some babbling at this age, his words will become more clear every day. He is also beginning to use tone, inflection and body language to get his point across. For instance, if he wants to be picked up he may lift up his arms.
Cognitive
At this age, a toddler is quickly becoming able to understand her surroundings and comprehend things. She may be able to play simple memory games, because she understands that things still exist even if she cannot see them. She is learning that every object has a name, and she will point to objects while naming them. She may even be able to point to the correct body parts when asked.
