Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
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At sixteen months

 

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Health professionals talk about a child’s age in terms of months, for example the 13th month or the 16th month. The way to make sense of this is to begin counting from the beginning of the previous month. For example, the 13th month begins when a child is 12 months old and ends when she is 13 months old. Or the 16th month begins when a child is 15 months old and ends when she is 16 months old.

 

The 16th month

By the end of this month, your toddler:

 … should be able to:

  • imitate activities
  • scribble

… will probably be able to:

  • use three words
  • dump an object in imitation

… may possibly be able to:

  • use six words
  • run

… may even be able to:

  • kick a ball forward
  • brush teeth, with help
Children grow and develop at different rates. The information above is offered as a guide. There is no need to expect your child's development to fit with all the above descriptions. If you are in any way worried about your child's development, it's best to speak with your doctor or child health nurse.