CHILD DEVELOPMENT One Year

Social and Emotional Milestones

Typical of one year olds:

• Is shy or nervous with strangers 
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• Cries when mom or dad leaves 
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• Has favorite things and people   
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• Shows fear in some situations 
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• Hands you a book when he wants to hear a story
• Repeats sounds or actions to get attention 
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• Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
• Plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake” 

Communication Milestones 

Language/Communication

By one year:

• Responds to simple spoken requests 
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• Uses simple gestures, like shaking head “no” or waving “bye-bye” 
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• Makes sounds with changes in tone (sounds more like speech) 
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• Says “mama” and “dada” and exclamations like “uh-oh!” 
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• Tries to say words you say 
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Physical Milestones 

Gross motor/Fine motor

By one year:

• Gets to a sitting position without help
• Pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”) 
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• May take a few steps without holding on 
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• May stand alone

Cognitive Milestones

Learning, thinking, problem-solving

By one year:

• Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing 
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• Finds hidden things easily
• Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named 
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• Copies gestures
• Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair 
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• Bangs two things together 
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• Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container 
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• Lets things go without help 
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• Pokes with index (pointer) finger
• Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”