Your baby is now a bouncy 11-month-old cherub, and you're pretty excited about his first birthday! However, just because his first year is a milestone, it doesn't mean that there's nothing to look forward to at the 11 month old mark.
Here are some of the important things that you should know about your 11 month old baby's development:
11 Month Old Baby Development: Is He On Track?
Physical Development
By this time, your baby should already be moving around the house, albeit, still holding on to you or the furniture to keep him steady while he explores the world around him.
This is the time when you need to be really careful and keep a close eye on your little one, since he’ll try to check out everything that he can see, and he might even start climbing over his crib!
It's important to keep your home safe, as your 11-month-old will open drawers, doors and cabinets, etc. Anything that he can see is something new and interesting for him, so keep any dangerous chemicals, as well as any sharp or dangerous objects well away. Make sure to cover electrical sockets!
Your baby will be more independent, so this is a good time to let him explore things on his own, but make sure to teach him the proper boundaries, and which places are off-limits to him.
Cognitive Development
At this age, your little one will start to have his own personality. He knows what he likes, and dislikes, and he can also experience a whole range of emotions that he didn't experience before.
He might start throwing tantrums if you take away his favourite toy, or if he doesn't particularly like the food that you're giving him. He’ll learn to use crying as a way to get what he wants, so it's important to know how to discipline and handle your little one during this stage.
Speech and Language Development
Chances are, you've already discovered the “big word” that your kid learns at this stage. That word – of course – is “no.” You'll start hearing it a lot, especially since at this time, your 11-month-old may become picky when it comes to food. He’ll also have tantrums if he still wants to play and it's already nap time.
Your baby will be able to say a few very simple words, so it's good to start reading to him in order to get his brain ready for learning more words. You can start teaching him different words for objects, and how to use them. Your baby’s memory will also start to improve at this stage, so he'll understand more words as the months go by.
Social and Emotional Development
At 11 months, your baby will start to become aware of what's happening in his surroundings. He’ll be observing what the people around him are doing, and sometimes even try to imitate them. He’ll also start to play with other kids around his age, but some kids still prefer to play alone instead of with other children.
Discipline is important during this time, as your baby will now be able to understand simple instructions and commands. Now is a great time to start teaching your baby various social skills, as well as setting some simple rules for him to follow.
Health and Nutrition
Your baby should now be able to drink on his own, or with a little assistance. When it comes to food, this is when he starts to become more picky about what he wants to eat, so it's important to be patient, and try out different types of food for your baby.
Of course, providing your baby proper nutrition is very important, so make sure to feed him healthy fruits and vegetables. Avoid too much sweets, as he might develop a sweet tooth at a young age. Breastfeeding is still highly recommended at this age if possible.
Tips for Parents
Help boost your baby’s development at this stage by exposing him to new things. You can let him touch different textures, objects, and teach him the basic shapes of things so that he can understand these concepts.
Reading is also recommended at this stage since your baby will now be able to relate words with various experiences. Make sure to teach new words and reinforce those words by using them often.
Your baby will be prone to tantrums and misbehavior at this age, so be firm when saying no, and reinforce your authority as a parent. Of course, you don't need to harshly discipline your baby. A simple no and a stern voice will usually suffice.
Independence is developed at this stage, so embrace your baby’s newfound independence by encouraging him to walk around and explore the world around him. Of course, you should always supervise your baby to make sure that he’s safe and out of harm's way.
While you might be tempted to give your baby shoes since he’ll start to walk at this stage, it's still best for him to walk barefoot so that he can get used to walking by himself. Shoes or sandals might make it difficult for your baby to find his balance.
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Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore