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The Daily Insight

What skills should an 18 month old have?

Author

Caleb Butler

Updated on April 04, 2026

Your child should be able to:

  • Know the uses of ordinary things: a brush, spoon, or chair.
  • Point to a body part.
  • Scribble on their own.
  • Follow a one-step verbal command without any gestures (for instance, they can sit when you tell them to “sit down”)
  • Play pretend, such as feeding a doll.

Do babies talk at 18 months?

The age at which children learn to talk can vary widely. Ideally, by 18 months, your child should know between six and 20 words, and understand many more. If your little one can say fewer than six words, speak to your health visitor or GP for advice.

How many words should an 18 month old?

At this age, most toddlers recognize about 200 words and may use them to make two- or three-word sentences like, “More milk, please” and “No, mine!” Other typical language milestones include: Asking for help using words or actions. At 18 months, say about 20 words (they do not have to be clear).

How much food should an 18 month old eat?

At this age, offer your little one food every 2 to 3 hours since their tummies are still pretty small and they’ll need to eat frequently throughout the day to get the nutrients needed for development. This usually ends up being 3 meals and about 2 to 3 nutritious snacks daily.

How much milk should an 18 month have?

Limit your child’s milk intake to 16 ounces (480 milliliters) a day. Include iron-rich foods in your child’s diet, like meat, poultry, fish, beans, and iron-fortified foods. Continue serving iron-fortified cereal until your child is eating a variety of iron-rich foods (at around 18–24 months old).

What should my Baby be doing at 18 months old?

Walking. Most 18-month-olds aren’t just walking-they’re running. Speech. Most 18-month-olds can say about 10 words, with half being able to say 20 or more. Teething. Potty Training. Tantrums. Separation Anxiety. ADHD. Autism. My 18-month-old has diarrhea. My 18-month-old is constipated.

What does the baby do at 18 months?

Physical development. You may observe a spurt in physical development this month.

  • Language and cognitive development. Many experts say that 18 months is too young to start toilet training; many grandparents say,”We potty trained you at 1!”
  • Behavioral health and development.
  • Social and emotional development.
  • Health.
  • What should a 18 month baby be saying?

    It’s around 18 months old that your child should start putting 2-3 words together to form tiny phrases and sentences, like “More juice!” or “No like!”. She should be saying around 20 words by 18 months and double that number by her second birthday.

    What is the average weight for a 18 month old baby?

    By 12 months old, a baby should weigh 17.6 to 26.6 lbs. Formula-fed babies will have gained, on average, 1 lb. more than their breast-fed peers the first year. An active baby will likely gain at a slower rate than her more laid-back counterpart. By 18 months old, babies should weigh between 20 and 30.6 lbs.