Toddler Years Developmental Advice for Premature Babies

Your baby will begin moving around, exploring and communicating more at this stage.
It is important that your baby learns how to get from one position to another without being placed into that position.
Try to let your child pull themselves up to stand using the furniture without giving them too much help.
Your baby will practice this over and over again.

We do not recommend baby walkers. They do not help babies to walk and may cause some babies to stand on their toes.

Once your baby is steady in standing, they will start to move along the furniture, taking sideways steps using the furniture for support. Encourage this by placing some toys slightly out of their reach.

A push-a-long toy may also provide your baby with a little support when developing their independent walking balance. Make sure that wheels do not go too fast, especially if you have wooden or laminate floors.

As skills and confidence improve your baby will begin to take steps on their own. Try to encourage them to take small steps towards you rather than holding their hands above their head. This will allow them to develop balance skills.

To help encourage communication and connect language to actions at this stage, you should:

• Make sure you have your child’s attention when you talk together.
• Take turns to speak.
• Use short sentences and slow down.
• Simple gesture will help you and your child.
• Sing nursery rhymes, particularly those with actions such as incey-wincey-spider, or the wheels on the bus.
• Talk to your child about what you both are doing (e.g. mummy is putting her shoes on).
• If your child is pointing at something tell them what it is.
• If they try to say the word, say it back to them (if baby points to a car and says  ‘ar’ you say ‘car’).

If you need this information in another language or format, please e-mail:

Translation.Services@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk