Introduction

As a parent, you'll probably wonder how your child's development compares to other children. Or you might question what is appropriate for your child's age when shopping for a new toy. While each child is different, use these developmental milestones as a general guideline for each month of your child's first two years.

• Pregnancy-week 40

  It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured-it's normal and temporary.
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  Roly Poly Penguin

  Get loads of giggles with each wiggle! Little ones will adore this playful penguin who talks and sings to them.
  
  
  

• Month 1

  Your baby may gurgle, coo, grunt, and hum to express his feelings. A few babies also begin squealing and laughing. Be sure to coo and gurgle back, and talk to your baby face to face. He'll enjoy holding your gaze now. If you have things to do, your baby will still enjoy hearing your voice from across the room. And don't feel silly about using baby talk - babies are particularly attuned to this high-pitched, drawn-out way of communicating, which can actually teach your baby about the structure and function of language.
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  Soothe & Surprise Nature Light

  Little ones sleep better with the comfort of nature nearby. Soothe & Surprise Nature Light is an innovative crib toy that lulls baby to sleep with relaxing sounds and twinkling lights.
  
  
  

• Month 2

  Your baby's brain is expanding in size and complexity. It will grow about 5 centimeters during the first three months. You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby - talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless. New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding the world around her.
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  Baby Tunes Music Player

  With colorful buttons and playful lights, the Baby Tunes Music Player features five different styles of music to suit various needs.
  
  
  

• Month 3

  He's no Fred Astaire yet, but your little one's movements are getting a bit more coordinated. You'll notice that the jerky arm and leg movements of his newborn days have given way to smoother, more circular motions, especially when he's watching people. Give your baby enough space to stretch and move his arms and legs. Lay a blanket on the floor and let him move as he pleases. These movements can help your baby strengthen and tone his developing muscles. On his tummy, he'll start to push off with his legs - the first step in getting ready to crawl.
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  Happy Lights Bear

  Bear in mind... you'll get lots of learning fun with the Happy Lights Bear. Three colorful light-up buttons, fun melodies and cheerful phrases will engage your little one from play time to nighttime.
  
  
  

• Month 4

  When placed on her stomach, your baby will probably lift her head and shoulders high, using her arms for support. This mini push-up helps strengthen her muscles and gives her a better view of what's going on. She may even amaze you (and herself!) by rolling from her back to her front, or vice versa. You can encourage this rolling skill through play: Wiggle a toy next to the side she customarily rolls to in case she's interested enough to try again. Applaud her efforts and smile. She may need your reassurance, as this new skill can be a little frightening.
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  Winnie the Pooh Pop-Up Honey Pot

  Lights, delights and melodies abound with the magical, musical Winnie the Pooh Pop-Up Honey Pot. Growing fingers will love exploring this easy press-and-play toy.
  
  
  

• Month 5

  Researchers believe that your baby can now understand all the basic sounds that make up his native language. Between this time and 6 months of age, he'll develop the ability to make some of these sounds, which means you may hear the words you've been dreaming about, namely "mama" and "dada." While child development experts say it's too early for your baby to connect those sounds with you, that won't make hearing them any less exciting. You can encourage your baby's attempts at communication by mirroring or imitating his expressions and sounds. He may try to imitate you, too. Say "ba" and he may try to say it back.
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  Bop & Learn Guitar

  Forget the hum strum. Hop to the bop with the Bop & Learn Guitar.
  
  
  

• Month 6

  Your baby's getting better at spotting very small objects and tracking things that are moving. At this point, he may be able to recognize an object after seeing only part of it - like his favorite toy peeking out from under a blanket. This will be the basis of little hide-and-seek games you'll be playing in the coming months. He can also follow an object out of his view. You may also notice that he'll reach for a block (or another object) on a table if you hold him close to it, and once he's got one, he may just go after a second.
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  Move & Crawl Ball

  Chocked full of fun things to press, pull, spin and peel -- the Move & Crawl Ball introduces shapes, numbers, animals, and animal sounds. Busy learners will have a ball with this fun, interactive toy.
  
  
  

• Month 7

  At this age, babies tend to gravitate toward stuffed animals, big and small. One might even become your baby's favorite security object. If so, it'll soon be covered in drool and accompanying you everywhere. Don't worry: A "lovey" like this can be a sign of emerging independence as your little one learns to separate from you and slowly but surely becomes more independent. When adding new members to your plush family, look for soft, well-stitched toys. Other good playthings include balls (nothing small enough to fit in the mouth), nesting cylinders, pop-up toys, and large dolls. One way to tell if your baby has a favorite plaything or two is by trying to take it away. You may now hear a loud protest when you remove anything your baby really wants.
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  Touch & Learn Musical Bee

  Your little bug's bound for loads of learning fun with the Touch & Learn Musical Bee. This sweet crib toy puts some punch into playtime teaching basic numbers, shapes and colors.
  
  
  

• Month 8

  By now, you may have already told your baby that the telephone isn't a toy, or that rattles aren't for throwing, or that her sister's hair isn't for pulling. At this age, your baby may begin testing your authority by refusing to follow your simple directions. She's not really being disobedient or willful - just curious. Keep in mind that she simply can't remember things you tell her for more than a couple of seconds at a time. The best tactic is to use a simple "no" and then distract her.
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  Baby's Learning Laptop

  Your little one will be 'wired for learning' with Baby's Learning Laptop! The colorful keyboard interacts with a bright light-up screen to teach shapes, common objects and feelings.
  
  
  

• Month 9

  Your baby's now exploring objects by shaking them, banging them, dropping them, and throwing them before falling back on the tried-and-true method of gumming them. The idea that you do something with an object is beginning to emerge (using a comb to tidy hair), so an activity center with lots of things your baby can bang, poke, twist, squeeze, shake, drop, and open will fascinate. Your baby will also be mesmerized by toys that have specific functions, such as phones. If she can't hold it up to her ear herself, do it for her and pretend to have a conversation. Over the next few months, she'll start to use objects for their intended purposes - brushing her hair, drinking from a cup, and babbling on her play phone.
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  Dial & Discover Phone

  Who's on the phone? Why, it's baby! The Dial & Discover Phone, with three activity modes and light-up shape buttons, teaches melodies, colors and shapes.
  
  
  

• Month 10

  The torrent of words your baby has been hearing since birth is beginning to work its magic, although his understanding of words far outpaces his ability to use them. His babbling has turned to jabber and is probably starting to sound a little like real words, phrases, and sentences. Your baby thinks he's saying something, so respond as if he really is! Your baby still comprehends more from your tone than from your actual words. He can understand when you're pleased. The more you talk to your baby - either directly or while doing other things, such as preparing dinner, driving, or getting dressed - the more he learns about communication.
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  Touch & Teach Busy Books

  Learning abounds with the Touch & Teach Busy Books. With one touch, baby becomes part of an enchanting story.
  
  
  

• Month 11

  At this age, your baby can sit confidently and may even walk while holding onto furniture, possibly letting go momentarily and standing without support. She'll take steps when held in a walking position and may attempt to scoop up a toy while she's standing, too. Those magical first steps toward independence - and lots more exercise for you! - are just around the corner, if they haven't arrived already. Most babies take their first steps sometime around 12 months, but some start much earlier. If yours isn't walking yet, don't worry - it's still early. Some babies wait until they're 18 months old to make that move.
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  Sit-to-Stand Dancing Tower

  Baby may leave other toys behind, but the Sit-to-Stand Dancing Tower keeps growing with her! Tummy time sings as baby plays with the top activity panel.
  
  
  

• Month 12

  Your baby probably enjoys looking at books and leafing through the pages, though turning those pages one by one doesn't always happen. Indulge in great picture books or stick with sturdy and inexpensive board books that can stand up to small fingers. To add variety to your baby's reading time and to find out what appeals the most, try your local library or the kids' section at a family-friendly bookstore - or trade a few titles with friends.
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  Sing & Discover Story Piano

  Tickle the ivory with the Sing & Discover Story Piano. Curious babies will tune into colorful lights that bounce to the beat.
  
  
  

• Month 13

  Around now, your toddler's play will probably start shifting from mastering fine motor skills (he's got that thumb-and-forefinger grasp down pat) to exercising larger muscles. Some children this age have an attention span of two to five minutes for quiet activities - although your child's favorite games may not be all that quiet. Your child probably thinks it's fun to push, throw, and knock everything down. He'll give you a toy as well as take one, and he likes games in which he can put things in containers and dump them out again. This works well with blocks in buckets or boxes and with small plastic containers, which he can nest inside one another. He'll thrill to the loud sounds of pots and pans banging together, too.
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  Winnie the Pooh Sort 'n Learn Cart

  Winnie the Pooh and his friends take a ride on the Sort 'n Learn Cart and encourage baby to play.
  
  
  

• Month 14

  Has your soon-to-be toddler taken her first unsteady steps yet? If not, she probably will soon, so keep your camera close by. (Don't worry if your baby seems perfectly content with cruising for now - some children don't walk until 17 or 18 months or even later.) As your baby takes charge of her own mobility, she'll be better able to satisfy her curiosity about the world around her. So don't be too surprised if she ends up decorating the wall with that crayon she found on the floor; now that she's getting better at using her hands, works of art will soon start popping up all over the place...
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  Sit to Stand Alphabet Train

  Make tracks with the Sit to Stand Alphabet Train, teaching little ones letters, numbers, colors, songs, stories and more!
  
  
  

• Month 15

  Your toddler is mastering new skills left and right these days - from waving bye-bye to drinking from a cup. But one thing he probably hasn't gotten a handle on is adult table manners. And that's okay. It's too early for him to understand or manage neatness. Eating is a learning experience, and at this age learning tends to be messy. So spread a splash mat under his highchair and set him free; let him learn to use a spoon at his own pace, check out the texture of egg, and find out what peas do when thrown.
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  V.Smile Baby Infant Development System

  Bring a smile onto your little onea€s face and connect her to a world of interactive learning!
  
  
  

• Month 16

  Your baby is growing up fast these days, walking, talking a little, and probably even using a spoon or fork when she eats. Every game she plays, whether it's pointing to different body parts when you ask her to or putting objects into containers and taking them out again, teaches her about the world around her. One of the things she's learning is that she's an autonomous entity, not just an extension of you. How can you tell if your child has grasped this concept? Watch her in front of a mirror; if she recognizes herself and isn't trying to reach out and touch the "other" baby, she gets it.
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  Spin Around Learning Town

  Put a spin on playtime for your curious baby with the Spin Around Learning Town. This colorful, interactive toy offers triple play for three times the fun!
  
  
  

• Month 17

  Your child's understanding of the world is growing rapidly. For instance, he no longer thinks crayons are something to eat. He can now grab them and create glorious scribble pictures just for you. He gets simple games, and can while away long moments playing peekaboo or name the body part (where's baby's nose? Where's Mama's chin?). He's still got a ways to go before he's completely sure on his feet, however. It's easy for him to misjudge the depth of a stair or to trip over his own feet when running toward you for a hug - so give him a big one.
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  Paint & Learn Art Easel

  Color her world with the Paint & Learn Art Easel! Little picassos can press their way to innovative creation with the Paint & Learn Art Easel.
  
  
  

• Month 18

  She's becoming much easier to understand now that she often combines pointing with a word or two. And her growing independence is asserting itself in numerous ways: She can undress herself (dressing herself will come much later), brush her teeth without your help and feed her dolly. But you should continue to brush her teeth for her, until she truly masters the job. She can sort things by color, shape, and type, which makes toys that encourage sorting particularly popular now. If "no" hasn't already become her favorite word, she'll begin using it with a vengeance. She's gradually easing toward one nap each day, which means this is a transition period that's potentially hard on both of you. If she's having trouble sleeping, try cuddling up with her for a few minutes to make it extra cozy.
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  Crazy Legs Learning Bugs

  Mommy and baby bug go everywhere together and they have many things to teach along the way!
  
  
  

• Month 19

  You may observe a spurt in physical development this month. Your toddler is surer on her feet, loves to climb all over your furniture, and can connect with a kick ball if she concentrates hard enough. She can also hold in her mind a clear memory of an object well after you remove it from her vision. Take advantage of this new capability by playing hide-and-seek with her favorite toy. There may be days when all that physical energy is more than you can handle. Rather than fight it - after all, you can't do anything to change it - flip on some music, grab your little one, and invent some new dance steps together.
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  Explore & Learn Helicopter

  Launch your little one's imagination! You can put your baby in the pilot's seat with the Explore & Learn Helicopter.
  
  
  

• Month 20

  At around 19 months, your toddler begins to understand when things don't conform to grownup ideas. She'll laugh at something that's obviously wrong - like calling a giraffe a zebra or calling a brother a sister. She'll also notice when something isn't quite right, like an eye missing from her stuffed bear or a new stain on the carpet. Although you're probably still understanding less than half of what your toddler says, she's getting a handle on most of the words you use around her. She's also having a vocabulary spurt and putting together pairs of words, like "Me go" or "You put."
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  A-Z Mouse Pad

  Enchant your baby with the A-Z Mouse Pad! The busiest mouse in your house, the colorful mouse moves in all directions to help teach letters, numbers and strengthens fine motor skills.
  
  
  

• Month 21

  At 20 months, your child should be able to run, though not as smoothly as he'll be able to later. He may also go up stairs by himself, but he'll most likely need some help on the way down. He can probably kick a ball, too, yet hasn't gotten the hang of jumping or throwing overhand. He's active in less desirable ways as well. Small children frequently resort to hitting, pushing, biting, tugging, and other frowned-on actions to make themselves feel more important but also to experiment: What happens when I hit Kaitlin? Will the same thing happen when I hit Justin? Don't overreact to your toddler's behavior. If you retaliate by hitting, it teaches that hitting is okay. Calmly make clear that such actions are never acceptable - no matter how intensely he's feeling.
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  Sing & Learn Musical MIC

  Step right up to fun and learning with the Sing & Learn Musical MIC! Get baby in tune with three different styles of music.
  
  
  

• Month 22

  Your 21-month-old is probably interested in rearranging furniture, assisting with chores, and using her own play shelves, table, and chairs. She might also be able to put on her clothing, wash and dry her hands, or brush her teeth with help. She's also getting closer to tackling the toilet. Sometime after her 18th month but before her second birthday, your toddler will be able to recognize when she is going to urinate or have a bowel movement. You'll also notice signs that your child is about to eliminate - she might crouch down or move away. Even after she realizes what's happening, she isn't necessarily ready to use her potty, but she's getting closer to it.
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  Pull & Lights Phone

  Get baby dialed into early learning with the Pull & Lights Phone. The wiggling, wobbling handset dances to its own music when baby pulls it along.
  
  
  

• Month 23

  By now your child will begin to set goals for himself. He'll have particular ideas about what he wants to get done - like riding his tricycle down the path or fitting all the pieces of a puzzle together. He'll also care about the results - you'll see he's pleased when he's successful and frustrated when he's not. It's all part of his burgeoning independence.
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  Pull & Learn Car Carrier

  Vrrroom! Get baby's brain going and growing with the Pull & Learn Car Carrier! He'll be fired up to find three vehicles and three fun characters that fit nicely in the souped up car shaped carrier.
  
  
  

• Month 24

  By 23 months, your child can probably hum and sing and make three-word sentences like "Bird fly high." An artist, she can most likely copy circles and make line drawings. So encourage her with a big box of crayons and plenty of paper. And she's beginning to get a handle on opposites, like tall woman, short woman or big hamburger, little hamburger.
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  Touch & Teach Turtle

  The Touch & Teach Turtle includes three modes of play. In Letter Mode, the light-up color buttons teach letters, shapes, and 30 corresponding objects!