Development at 12 Months
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Activity 1
Age Appropriate Speech And Language Development
Speaks First Words
Daddy, mummy, I am old enough to start speaking clearly. What I say will depend on what I like! Praise me when I speak clearly, and this will encourage me to try harder. You will hear me say my first true words when I am between 11 and 14 months old.
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Steps
Feedback
Your child has begun to direct his speech to people. Though it may not sound clear, it is a matter of time before it becomes clearer. Encourage him to practice not only with people but also with other things, and even with foods he loves. Label yourself or others whenever you interact with him so that he learns that each name is for a specific person/object. Use the same labels so that your child doesn't become confused! Do take a look at the suggested activities for more ideas.
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Arrange large photos of Daddy and Mummy next to his crib, high chair and changing area. When he starts to make sounds like 'papa', point to the photo of Daddy and say 'Yes, this is papa/daddy'. You may increase the photos when he knows more people. Talk about people he see frequently, e.g. Grandma is coming today!
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Begin to use real words with your child. So that instead of saying 'Look at the doggie or dog-dog!', say 'Look at the dog!' Be aware of duplicating too many words!
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Have conversations with your child by taking turns to speak. Acknowledge your child's speech by saying, 'yes', 'that's right', and so on. You can do this anywhere, anytime such as when doing the laundry, feeding your child, sweeping the floor, dressing your child and more.
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Activity 2
Age Appropriate Social Development
Starts Cooperative Play Using Simple Turn-Taking Skill
 Let's play together. Now that I trust that you will return my toy, I am willing to play give-and-take games with you. We can take turns passing a ball to each other. Pass it back to me quickly so that I don't feel insecure that you will keep it for good. |
Steps
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Sit facing your child, about an arm-length away.
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Tell your child you are going to play ball.
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Roll the ball to him.
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Encourage him to roll it back to you.
Feedback
Your child is learning to give and take in simple social situations such as a ball game. The focus here is to promote social interaction with you or someone else and not on his physical or intellectual strength. Thus choose games and activities that are not demanding on his physical strength (e.g. like stacking a tall tower of blocks) or his intellectual ability (e.g. hitting colored balls on colored holes)
Do provide ample play opportunities with other adults and older children to develop his turn-taking skills and also look at some of our suggested activities to provide play opportunities to develop simple turn-taking skills.
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Play throw and chase a toy. See who catches it first. Throw a toy across the room and enjoy chasing it together. Be sure to let your child win the race and let him pick up the toy! Then let the child throw the toy for his turn and you win the next time. Have fun.
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Play touch the body games with colored textured materials (e.g. flour paste using water) in front of the mirror. Take turns touching his face and body. You show him first by touching one part of him. Then let him touch himself for his turn. This activity is fun as he is now interested in seeing himself in the mirror.
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At the beach, build a sandcastle and take turns to pour small pails of water into the moat.
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Using musical instruments (e.g. guitar, xylophone, drum), take turns to strum or hit on it to make different sounds.
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Buy commercially available toys that see cars rolling down from a height or balls rolling down a pathway. Take turns to start the car/ball rolling down. Have lots of fun seeing the toys rolling down.
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