It’s normal for 14-month-olds to be assertive and even aggressive. When you can, accommodate your child’s desires to do things for himself. But if your little one hits or bites, give a firm “no” and remove your child from the situation. Play is your child’s greatest learning tool, but don’t be concerned if your toddler isn’t interested in playing with others. At this age, he sees other kids as objects, not friends. Playing side-by-side – and showing little interest in the nearest child, except when grabbing a toy away – is more common now.
Physical Development: Walking, or not
If your child has been walking for several weeks or even months, her confidence and steadiness have probably grown with each day. See how she’s able to start and stop smoothly, or can stoop down to pick up a toy without falling over?
If your child has yet to walk, rest assured that it’s just a matter of time. Before you know it, you’ll be chasing her all over the place. Just remember that a child who walks as early as 9 months or as late as 15 months is completely normal.
You can’t do anything to rush this milestone, but if your baby seems frustrated by her inability to get around on her own, try these activities:
- Give her a stable push toy, such as a small wagon with a bar across the back, to help her walk
- Space furniture out so she can cruise from one place to another
- Stack pillows on the floor for her to crawl over.
Fun Ways to Develop Physical Skills
Here are some enjoyable activities to help your toddler expend energy while developing physical skills:
- Moving Objects: Toddlers love moving objects around, whether it’s pushing boxes or laundry baskets. They’re constantly testing their physical abilities, trying to kneel, scoot, or climb. Supervise closely as they explore to ensure safety.
- Playing Ball: Sit on the floor with your toddler and roll a ball back and forth. This activity helps develop coordination and motor skills. Don’t worry if they can’t catch or roll perfectly yet; it’s all part of the learning process.
- Bridge Walking: If your toddler is walking confidently and starting to climb, set up a bridge using small boxes or a sturdy board. Hold their hand as they walk across, helping them improve balance and coordination. Adding pillows on the sides makes falling part of the fun.
- Practice Falling: Create a “pillow jump” with a pile of soft pillows for your toddler to toddle up to and fall into. Show them how to do it safely, and they’ll soon find it amusing. As they gain confidence, they may start running and jumping into the pile.
These activities not only help develop physical skills but also provide opportunities for laughter, exploration, and learning.
Learning Words: Encouraging Language Development
At 14 months, your toddler understands far more words than she can speak. While her spoken vocabulary might consist of just a few words like “Mama” and “Dada,” she’s absorbing new words every day.
- Opportunities to Practice: As your toddler learns new words, she’ll eagerly look for chances to use them. If she learns a word like “dog,” she’ll seek out dogs in books, outside, or in videos just to repeat the word.
- Repetitive Songs and Rhymes: Rhymes, jingles, and repetitive songs are excellent tools for language development. Encourage your toddler’s participation by singing songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Gradually, she’ll join in with one word at a time until she’s singing along with you.
- Non-verbal Communication: Even if your toddler isn’t speaking many words yet, she’s likely using gestures and actions to communicate. Pay attention to her attempts to indicate her needs, whether it’s bringing you her jacket to go outside or pointing to something she wants.
- Varied Communication Techniques: When talking to your toddler, vary your tone, facial expressions, and hand gestures to help her understand the meaning of your words. Maintain eye contact to encourage active listening. Be patient and attentive when she tries to use words, even if she’s just babbling.
- Word Repetition and Imitation: Your toddler will often repeat words she hears, even if she doesn’t fully understand their meaning yet. Be mindful of the language you use around her, as she’s constantly absorbing and imitating what she hears.
By providing ample opportunities for verbal and non-verbal communication, you’re helping your toddler build a strong foundation for language development.
Toddler Behavior and Safety Tips
Newfound Stubbornness:
At 14 months, your toddler is asserting newfound independence and may be quite stubborn about what she wants to do, eat, or wear. Here’s how you can navigate this stage:
- Offer Choices: Empower your toddler and reduce power struggles by offering two acceptable choices. For example, let her choose between two snacks or two outfits. This gives her a sense of control while ensuring both options are suitable for you.
- Encourage Independence: Support your toddler’s desire to do things for herself, even if she’s not entirely capable yet. Adapt tasks to make them more manageable, such as pouring milk into a smaller pitcher before letting her pour it into her cup.
Coping with Aggressive Behavior:
Toddlers may exhibit aggressive behaviors like hitting or biting, often out of frustration rather than malice. Here’s how you can address these behaviors:
- Set Firm Limits: Clearly communicate that hitting or biting is not acceptable behavior. Use a firm tone and remove your child from situations where she may harm others.
- Supervise Playdates: Monitor playdates closely and be prepared to intervene if necessary. Toddlers may not understand the consequences of their actions, so your guidance is crucial.
Creating a Toddler-Friendly Environment:
Make your home safe and inviting for your curious toddler by following these tips:
- Childproofing: Remove potential hazards like sharp corners, breakable items, and water hazards. Lock away gardening tools and ensure there are no accessible water containers that pose a drowning risk.
- Designate Play Areas: Set up a designated play area in your home or yard filled with pillows and toys. This provides a safe space for exploration and play.
- Water Play: Use water play as a fun and engaging activity to distract your toddler while you attend to tasks. Set up a plastic bowl with soapy water and let her “wash” plastic cups and plates under supervision.
By understanding and addressing your toddler’s behaviors while creating a safe environment for exploration, you can navigate this stage with patience and confidence.
Helping Your Toddler Navigate Fears
Overcoming Bath Time Anxiety:
If your toddler suddenly finds the bathtub frightening, try these strategies to ease his anxiety:
- Sponge Baths: Switch to sponge baths for a few days to make bath time less intimidating. Allow your child to sit in a dry tub and use a washcloth for cleaning.
- Introduce Fun Elements: Make bath time more enjoyable by introducing new water toys, bath books, or colorful bubbles. Join your child in the tub and splash together to create a positive experience.
Addressing Stranger Anxiety:
It’s common for toddlers to be wary of unfamiliar people, but you can help ease their anxiety with these tips:
- Provide Comfort: If your child seems nervous around strangers, hold him close to provide comfort and reassurance. Your presence will help him feel safe in unfamiliar environments.
- Avoid Force: Respect your child’s feelings and avoid forcing him to interact with strangers, even if it may inconvenience others. Let him gradually warm up to new people at his own pace.
By understanding and respecting your toddler’s fears, you can help him feel secure and confident as he navigates new experiences and interactions with others.
Nurturing Healthy Eating Habits
Concerns about Weight:
If you’re worried about your toddler’s weight, whether it’s being underweight or carrying a bit too much, here are some tips to promote healthy habits:
- Monitor Growth: Discuss any concerns with your child’s doctor during regular appointments. The doctor tracks weight and height percentiles to ensure your child is on a healthy trajectory.
- Serve Nutritious Snacks: Offer healthy snacks instead of sugary ones, and encourage eating fruit and drinking water. Limit juice intake to 4 to 6 ounces a day, diluted with water if needed.
- Encourage Active Play: Provide opportunities for active play to help burn off excess energy and promote physical development.
Extended Breastfeeding:
If you’re continuing to breastfeed your toddler, here’s why it’s beneficial and how to handle potential challenges:
- Nutritional Benefits: Breast milk provides valuable nutrients, calories, and immunities, even as your child transitions to solid foods.
- Emotional Support: Nursing fosters a strong bond and provides emotional support, promoting independence and self-confidence.
- Handling Challenges: Be prepared for potential challenges, such as rude comments from onlookers. Have polite responses ready and stay confident in your decision to breastfeed.
Hands-On Mealtime:
At 14 months, mealtime is a messy but essential learning experience. Here’s how to embrace the mess and encourage your toddler’s independence:
- Provide Tools: Offer a spoon with a short, broad handle and a decent-size scoop to let your toddler practice feeding herself at her own pace.
- Mess Management: Spread a splat mat or newspapers under the highchair to contain the mess. Remember, eating is a hands-on learning experience, and it’s okay for things to get messy as your child explores food.
By promoting nutritious eating habits, embracing extended breastfeeding if it works for you, and encouraging hands-on exploration during mealtime, you can support your toddler’s growth and development.
Fostering Social Development Through Play
Understanding Toddler Play:
- Solo Play: At 14 months, toddlers are still primarily focused on themselves and their own exploration. They engage in parallel play, where they play alongside others without direct interaction. Understand that this is normal behavior for their age.
- Object Orientation: Toddlers see their playmates more as objects than as friends. They may interact with other children by grabbing toys or imitating their actions, but true social interaction is limited.
Encouraging Social Development:
- Playground Interaction: Look for opportunities at the playground where your toddler can observe and interact with other children. Encourage social development by pointing out what other children nearby are doing.
- Narrate Play: Describe both your child’s actions and those of nearby children. For example, “You’re scooping up all the sand in your truck. Jimmy is pouring his sand into a cup.” This helps your child become aware of others’ actions and builds their understanding of social interaction.
By providing opportunities for your toddler to observe and engage with other children, you can support their social development during this stage of parallel play.
The Importance of Play in Learning
Just like puppies explore their environment through play, toddlers engage in play to learn about the world around them. Here’s why play is such a crucial learning tool for your 14-month-old:
- Learning Through Exploration: Play allows toddlers to explore shapes, colors, and spaces in their environment. They interact with objects and learn about cause and effect through their actions.
- Social and Emotional Development: Toddlers practice interactive skills with toys and learn about relationships with siblings and peers. They also use play to work out feelings they can’t yet verbalize, such as fear and excitement.
- Language Development: Play provides opportunities for toddlers to learn new words and exercise their imaginations. They begin to understand concepts like “up,” “down,” “swing,” and “mine” through play activities.
Fun with Hide-and-Seek
Hide-and-seek is not only entertaining but also promotes cognitive development and problem-solving skills. Here’s a playful twist on the classic game:
- Toy Hide-and-Seek: Show your toddler a toy and then hide it in your pocket, purse, or backpack. Encourage your child to search for the hidden toy, promoting cognitive awareness and object permanence.
- Pocket Puzzles: Hide small toys in your child’s pockets and encourage them to retrieve them. This activity enhances fine motor skills and provides sensory stimulation.
By incorporating playful activities like hide-and-seek into your child’s routine, you can support their cognitive, social, and emotional development while fostering a love for learning through play.
Managing Colds and Ear Infections in Toddlers
Colds and ear infections are common ailments in toddlers, but there are ways to help your little one feel more comfortable:
- No Over-the-Counter Medicines: Avoid giving your toddler over-the-counter medicines for cold symptoms, as they can have harmful side effects and are often ineffective in young children. Consult your child’s doctor for recommendations before using any medication.
- Humidifiers and Vaporizers: Use a cool-air humidifier, vaporizer, or steamy bathroom to ease congestion and make breathing easier for your toddler.
- Hydration: Offer weak, cooled chamomile tea and other soothing liquids like soup, water, and juice to keep your child hydrated and comfortable.
- Home Remedies: Explore safe home remedies to alleviate your child’s cold symptoms. However, always consult with your child’s doctor before trying any alternative treatments.
Ear infections are also common in toddlers, often following a cold. Keep an eye out for symptoms and contact your child’s doctor if you suspect an ear infection. Remember, most ear infections will clear up on their own without antibiotics, so follow medical guidelines and wait 48 to 72 hours before seeking treatment.
