Development at 14 Months
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Activity 1
Age Appropriate Gross Motor Development
Walks Sideways Without Support
I am learning how to walk sideways! When I am in the standing position, encourage me to take a few side steps and observe if I am able to do so. You may need to demonstrate walking sideways to me so that I will be able to imitate you. Observe also if I am able to walk sideways to both my left and right sides. I usually develop this ability between 14 and 15 months.
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Steps
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Get your child to the standing position.
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Ask him to watch you as you take a few side steps.
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Encourage him to imitate you and observe if he is able to do so.
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Observe also if he is able to walk to both his left and right sides.
Feedback
Your child is developing good lower limb coordination and motor planning abilities at this stage. Once your child has developed the basic milestones of sitting, standing and walking, what comes after for physical development is a range of basic movement skills to get him ready for learning of more complex movement skills in the future! Do take a look at suggested activities for more ideas on this gross motor skill.
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Encourage your child to try out different ways of walking e.g. forwards, backwards, sideways for creativity and fun!
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Use music to create a little dance for more fun!
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Use toys to encourage your child to take steps sideways while holding onto furniture such as the low coffee table or sofa.
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Hold your child's hands and place his feet on your feet. Play some kid's tune and dance around the house taking lots of little side steps.
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Stand facing your child and hold his hands. Ask him to imitate your movements and take side steps to the right and to the left. Encourage him to move like you. Develop this into a simple dance with music for more fun!
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Create an obstacle course in your living room. Make a narrow path for your child using furniture or large pillows. Ensure the narrow path only allows him to walk through sideways to retrieve a toy.
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Activity 2
Age Appropriate Cognitive Development
Understands Concept Of Colors
When I was younger, I respond better to toys and objects with sharp contrasting colors like red, black and white. Now at 12 to 18 months, I will notice other different shades of colors. Besides red, black and white, I will notice colors like yellow and blue. Introduce these different colors to me in natural situations and I will show you what my favorite color is by my preferred choices.
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Steps
Feedback
Your child has developed an awareness of colors by showing us his preference for a certain color! He is developing an understanding of colors very nicely for his age through the exposure of colorful toys and objects around his environment. This awareness of colors usually starts developing at 12 to 18 months of age. Continue to expose him to other bright colors and note whether his preference for colors has changed.
Do not be anxious about getting him to match colors as this skill will develop much later between 26 to 33 months. Meanwhile, take a look at some fun suggested activities below to further encourage his awareness of colors.
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Use vibrant and contrasting colors to attract your child's attention. E.g. red, black, white, bright blue and bright yellow.
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Incorporate your child's awareness of colors by giving him opportunities to choose his favorite color in everyday life. For example, in your shopping trips for t-shirts, socks, bag, etc, let him choose the object by reaching out for it. Note what kind of colors he likes.
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Make colored boxes to collect similar colored items around the house. Then incidentally (naturally) introduce the color to your child.
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Buy/make a picture book that emphasizes one color only. E.g. a blue book with a blue ball, a blue shirt, a blue hat, a blue balloon etc. Make the reading fun and he will pick up on the color incidentally (naturally).
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Introduce 1 concept at a time to your child. Since it is colors we are looking at, do not confuse the color concept by bringing in other concepts like size and shapes. E.g. there are 3 concepts in a “Big round blue” ball. Instead of giving him a small red ball and a big blue ball to choose from, give him a same sized red and blue ball and watch out for his choices.
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Describe the properties of colors besides naming objects in everyday language. E.g. instead of saying ‘cup’ say ‘blue cup’.
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