10 to 12 months

Every baby is different. These are things most babies (at least 3 in 4) do by the end of this stage. If your baby was born more than 3 weeks early, take the weeks they were born early off their age, and use that age here until their 2nd birthday.

Arabic examples show everyday spoken Arabic first, then standard Arabic. They're examples, not exact phrases your child must understand. Arabic varies from one dialect to another.

What to expect

Listening and understanding

Understands "no": pauses or stops when you say it
Responds to simple words and phrases, like "bye-bye" or "وين بابا؟ / أين بابا؟" (where's daddy?)

Talking and gestures

Says one or two words, like "mama", "baba", "hi" or "bye", or has a special name for a parent, in any of your languages.
What counts as a word?
A spoken word counts when your child says it independently and meaningfully, even if they don't pronounce it clearly yet. For example, "ba" for ball can count if your child uses it to mean ball. Babbling without a clear meaning doesn't count. A word for the same thing in each language counts as two words, like "water" and "مَيّ". Counting words across your languages is a way of counting, not a pass/fail test. If a word count is flagged, it's an invitation to talk to someone, not a diagnosis.
Tries to copy sounds you make
Points, waves, and shows or gives you things
Copies and starts gestures in games, like blowing kisses or peek-a-boo

Playing and connecting

Plays games with you, like pat-a-cake
Enjoys dancing

Eating and drinking

Holds a bottle or cup with both hands
Sits up in a highchair with little help
Holds a spoon during meals
Feeds themselves with their fingers, picking up small bits of food between thumb and finger
Takes a small bite from a bigger piece of food
Starts chewing on both sides of the mouth
Closes their lips when swallowing
Drinks from an open cup while you hold it

Food and drink at this age

This is general guidance, not a milestone to check. Soft, bite-sized foods, like banana slices, cheese cubes or pasta, alongside breast milk or formula and small amounts of water.

Growing up with two languages

Most children growing up with more than one language say their first words by about 1 year, like other children. Using your languages won't confuse your child or slow down their learning. A speech or language difficulty can affect a child's development in both languages, although it may look different in each. That's why it's important to think about all the languages your child uses when you look at this page.

Get medical help straight away if, while eating or drinking, your baby:

has difficulty breathing (for example grunting, or sucking in their tummy when they breathe); has lips, tongue or skin turning blue, grey or very pale; or is choking and their cough is silent or they can't breathe in properly. Call your local emergency number.

If your baby is choking: follow the first-aid steps for babies under 1 on the NHS choking first-aid page, or the steps for children over 1 if they've had their first birthday.

Talk to a professional if your baby...

Isn't doing many of the things on this page by the end of this stage
Often coughs during or after eating or drinking
Arches their back or cries during most meals
Vomits often
Often loses a lot of food or drink from their mouth
Regularly takes longer than 30 minutes to finish a meal
Is having any trouble with breastfeeding, bottle-feeding or eating solid food. You don't need to wait.

Worried about your baby's hearing? Ask for a hearing test, even if your baby responds to some sounds. You don't need to wait for other signs.

When to talk to someone

You don't need to wait until several things are missing. Talk to a professional if your baby isn't doing many of the things on this page by the end of this stage, if you have any one specific worry (such as their hearing, losing skills they had, their communication or their feeding), or if you're simply worried. You know your baby best.

Who to talk to

Your health visitor, GP, paediatrician or a speech and language therapist.

Help your baby

Build on what your baby tries to say. If they say "ta", say "Yes, a truck"
When they point, answer with words: "You want the cup? Here's your cup"
Talk or sing about what you're doing, like washing hands or getting dressed
Look at books together, especially ones with flaps or things to touch, and talk about the pictures
Let them feed themselves safe foods with their fingers and practise with a cup. Sit and eat together

Where this information comes from

Research references

Pearson, Fernández and Oller (1993), Lexical Development in Bilingual Infants and Toddlers, Language Learning