Around 9 to 12 months

Vision and Fine Movements

• Can follow with eyes a rapidly moving toy.
• Can hold a crayon and make a mark on paper.
• Using index finger and thumb (pincer grip), can pick up small items.
• Uses both hands easily, but may show preference for one.
• Points to objects and things of interest.
• Deliberately drops and throws toys, watching where they drop.

Large Movements

• Sits well without support.
• Can move from a lying to a sitting position.
• Crawls on hands and knees, or shuffles on bottom.
• Walks forwards or sideways, either holding onto furniture or with one or both hands held.
• May stand alone or walk alone.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Imitates adult actions such as drinking from a cup, talking on the telephone.
• Offers toys or objects to another but expects them to be returned.
• May become attached to a favourite toy or blanket. Likes to be in constant sight and hearing of a familiar adult.
• Shows emotions such as anger, fear, affection, happiness.

Listening, Speaking and Understanding

• Knows and responds to own name.
• Responds to simple requests such as 'Give it to Mummy'.
• 'Talks' (babbles) constantly in conversational pattern.
• Can say several words.
• Shows sense of spatial relationships: puts objects in cup and takes them out when asked.
• Begins to understand causality, for example, hands toy to adult to be rewound.
• Responds to music with body motion.

Seek advice if a child

• Does not blink when fast-moving objects approach the eye.
• Does not imitate simple sounds and follow simple requests.
• Does not when playing, pick up or explore objects.
• Does not move about, for example, creep, crawl, roll, rock, pull self up and step sideways.
• Does not interact playfully with care-giver, brothers or sisters.

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