Your toddler

By now, your toddler has all kinds of party tricks. Having mastered the art of walking, he’s happy to try lots of new skills - kicking a ball, dancing, trotting, going round in circles or backwards. And his hands are equally busy exploring, matching shapes, scribbling and throwing things. There’s never a dull moment!

At the same time, your baby’s first words are becoming clearer. You may hear your toddler practising new sounds over and over, when alone in his cot or playing with toys. This leads to a real spurt in language development at about 18 months, though boys often speak later than girls.

At about this time, you may start to hear words being strung together like "bye-bye" or even simple sentences – and just watch his little face light up when you answer back.

Your life

Life can be exhausting with a toddler on the go non-stop – and you may find you’ve barely got a moment to yourself from dawn ‘til long after dark. Add to that your toddler’s colourful emotional life, and you’ve got a lot to deal with. So try making some precious time for yourself every week to relax.

Of course, many of us don’t have Granny living locally, or a hands-on Dad swooping in to take over when the going gets tough. But now that your toddler is old enough to be left with a trusted companion, even hiring a babysitter once a week could give you a much needed break to get away from it all and enjoy some adult company. Just try not to talk about the baby all night…

Things to think about or try

Toddlers may not know many words, but they still love to talk. True, you may not be able to discuss the next election or planting perennials, but the possibilities for conversation are endless. You can talk about anything, however silly. Before long he'll be chatting with you, too. Here are some ways to get your toddler talking:

Read together.

After reading that favourite board book for a hundred times, you shouldn't be too surprised to learn that your child has memorised the story – and it’s a great way to practice his ever-developing verbal skills.

Join in family chats.

Rather than talking over his head, let your toddler join in. Ok you might get a completely unexpected viewpoint, but he probably understands more than you imagine.

Phone home.

Most kids develop a fascination with the phone long before they can talk, so get a toy phone and prepared to be surprised by the accurately mimicked conversations that follow.

Share the day.

For a toddler, every day is an adventure, so ask your child about the day’s events. Who did you play with? Which toy did you like most? If you’ve been out at work all day, talking with your child will tell you a lot about the world from his perspective.