The Power of Parenting

Tuesday, 02 June 2020

Intellectual Development: 13 to 18 Months

Intellectual Development means being able to think creatively and abstractly, to pay attention, solve problems and develop keen judgement along with a lifelong readiness to learn.

Typical Skills
Language
  • Points to show you something
  • Understands far more words than can speak, e.g., can point to at least 3 different body parts when asked, “Where’s your mouth?”
  • Uses “no” correctly, often with a shake of the head
  • Uses 5 or more words to express needs, desires or expressions such as “all gone”
  • Tries to sing songs
Thinking Skills
  • Realizes things exist when they are out of sight
  • Shows understanding of some colours and shapes, e.g., matches circles and squares on a form board
  • Identifies pictures when requested, e.g., “Show me” or “Where’s the ___?”
  • Gains new understanding of the world around him while exploring the environment by looking for something to fit in holes; mix, fill, pile and dump sand at the sand table; stack, knock over or restack a set of boxes, blocks.
  • Shows increased memory skills, e.g., uses her own plastic screwdriver the same way she saw an adult turn the tool; tries to insert a key into the lock of a door; shows recognition of sounds such as footsteps or water running in the bathtub
    Emerging Skills
    Language
    • Names pictures in a book
    • Imitates animal sounds
    • Uses own name to refer to self
    • Follows simple directions without gestures, e.g., “Come, show me, go get, etc.”
    Thinking Skills
    • Groups similar things, such as socks, shoes
    • Engages in imaginative play during daily routines such as feeding, putting to bed or bathing dolls
    • Uses playdough and paints

      Comfort
      If you do this:

      • Read board books and look at pictures with your child
      • Use your child’s relaxed bath time to name parts of her body
      • Enjoy one-on-one time with you listening to simple stories and pointing to pictures
      • Learn to point to different parts of the body by name
      Play
      If you do this:

      • When dressing your child, hold up his socks and say, “Socks go on your feet. Show me your feet.” Repeat using other clothes and body parts
      • Watch your child’s cues to learn the things he likes to play with
      • Practice matching words to the different parts of his body as well as developing a positive sense of self and body image
      • Take the lead in playing or doing things she enjoys
      Teach
      If you do this:

      • Count things together in books and find the same objects in your home
      • Offer a toy with wheels that can be pulled by a string; encourage her to watch what happens when she pulls the string
      • Match real objects with those that she sees as two-dimensional in print
      • Begin to understand cause and effect