14 Month Milestones: Walking, First Words and Play

Milestones at 14 months usually include standing alone, taking first steps or walking unsteadily, pointing to show you things, saying a word or two, following simple instructions and stacking then knocking down blocks. Plenty of 14 month olds are not walking yet. Australian guidance treats first steps any time up to 18 months as normal.

This page reconciles what Australian services say about the months between the 12 and 18 month checks.

The checklist comes from the 1 to 2 years band of the ACECQA developmental milestones document(opens in a new window), with context from Pregnancy, Birth and Baby(opens in a new window), the Raising Children Network and the NSW and Victorian child health records. For the first birthday itself, see 12 month milestones.

What should a 14 month old be doing?

A 14 month old is usually standing, cruising or taking first steps, feeding themselves with their fingers, pointing and babbling with a word or two mixed in, and playing by banging, stacking and dropping things.

The Raising Children Network(opens in a new window) describes the 12 to 15 month stretch as the point where babble starts to include real words. By area, the skills most often seen around now are:

• Moving: standing without help, cruising along furniture, first steps with legs wide and hands up for balance, crawling up steps, squatting to pick something up, and crawling again when in a hurry.
• Hands and eating: finger feeding, drinking from a cup with spills, trying a spoon, and scribbling with a crayon held in the fist.
• Talking and understanding: one or two words such as 'mama', 'dada' or 'ball', pointing at something and looking at you, responding to their name, and following 'Please give me the block'.
• Play and feelings: building small towers and knocking them over, copying you, pretending to drink from a cup, hugging, and playing alongside other children rather than with them.

Most of these come from the ACECQA 1 to 2 years list and the Raising Children Network's 12 to 15 month tracker. The ACECQA band runs to the second birthday, so a 14 month old is at the start of it. Running, two-word phrases and copying household chores come later in the band.

Where 14 months sits between the 12 and 18 month checks

Most states schedule child health checks at 12 months and 18 months, so a 14 month old sits between two checklists: past most of the 12 month list and working towards the 18 month one. The table sets the NSW and Victorian lists side by side.

The 12 month column comes from the 'I am 12 months old' page of NSW Health's Blue Book(opens in a new window) and Victoria's twelve month visit(opens in a new window). The 18 month column comes from the Blue Book's 'I am 18 months old' page and Victoria's eighteen month visit(opens in a new window).

At 14 months, many toddlers can do most of the 12 month skills and are working on the 18 month ones.

Is it normal for a 14 month old not to walk?

Yes. Walking at 14 months is common, and so is not walking yet: Australian guidance puts first steps anywhere from about 10 to 18 months. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby(opens in a new window) says many toddlers walk on their own between 12 and 15 months, and that others starting at 15 to 18 months is normal too.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby · Development milestones: your child 12 to 18 months

Many toddlers start walking on their own between 12 and 15 months but it is normal for others to start walking at 15 to 18 months.

Every Australian source checked for this page lands on the same age for raising it: 18 months.

• Pregnancy Birth Baby: usual walking age 10 to 18 months; raise it if not walking alone.
• Raising Children: some walk at 15 to 18 months; raise it if not walking alone.
• Victoria MCH: walking at 18 months; raise it if not walking.
• NSW Blue Book: walks alone by 18 months; raise it if your toddler can't walk.
• healthdirect: usual walking age not stated; raise it if not walking or trying.

The walking ages come from Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's learning to walk(opens in a new window) page, the Raising Children Network's 15 to 18 month tracker(opens in a new window), Victoria's eighteen month visit, the NSW Blue Book and healthdirect(opens in a new window).

US pages often read differently. The CDC's 15 month list(opens in a new window) includes 'takes a few steps on his own', a skill it says 75% or more of children have by that age. Some US-based articles follow that list and tell parents to call the doctor at 15 months.

The NSW Blue Book uses the same CDC programme but has no 15 month page, and its walking flag is at 18 months. Here the CDC list is supporting evidence only. The Australian point to raise walking is 18 months.

First walking rarely looks tidy. The ACECQA list describes two or three steps without support, legs wide and hands up for balance, and a tottering walk with frequent falls. It also lists going back to crawling when in a hurry, so a toddler who crawls to the door after walking across the lounge room is not going backwards.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests bare feet indoors, or non-slip socks when it's cold, and a clear floor to practise on. It advises against baby walkers, which do not help a baby learn to walk, can delay walking skills and cause injuries.

Walking questions to raise with your nurse or GP are a toddler who is 18 months or older and not walking alone, and one who has started walking and then begins to limp, waddle or refuse to walk.

How many words should a 14 month old say?

Most 14 month olds say one or two words and understand far more than they can say, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby expects that to grow to 6 or more words by 18 months. Pointing, waving and other gestures do much of the talking at this age.

The Raising Children Network's 15 to 18 month tracker(opens in a new window) says a toddler might say a few words by 15 months and then keep adding more.

Understanding runs ahead: at 12 to 15 months many toddlers point to body parts, favourite toys or familiar people when you name them. They follow a simple instruction such as 'Please give me the block', especially with your hand held out.

Early words are often not clear. The CDC's 15 month list gives 'ba' for ball and 'da' for dog as examples of a toddler trying to say a word. The Raising Children Network suggests naming things through the day and answering your toddler's words: when they say 'mama', say 'Yes, I'm your mama'.

Play, thinking and feelings at 14 months

At 14 months toddlers learn by shaking, banging, stacking and dropping things, and many become clingy: Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says separation anxiety usually starts at about 14 months. The clinginess comes from a strong attachment to you.

Play at this age is mostly experiment. The Raising Children Network describes building small towers of blocks and knocking them down, dropping pegs into a basket, and scribbling after you show how. Pretend play is just starting, such as pretending to drink from a cup.

Toddlers play alongside other children rather than with them, which the ACECQA list calls parallel play, and they still need you close by for reassurance.

Feelings get bigger too. The ACECQA list notes that a toddler may lose control when tired or frustrated and takes cues from you about how to treat a stranger. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says some toddlers start having tantrums. Many also show early empathy, looking sad or upset when someone near them is crying.

Sleep and meals at 14 months

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests 11 to 14 hours of sleep in 24 hours for a toddler this age. That is usually a long sleep overnight and 1 or 2 shorter sleeps during the day.

Mealtimes are practice for new hand skills: picking up foods of different textures, drinking from a cup and trying a spoon, with mess along the way. How much milk fits around three meals and snacks is covered in how much milk for a 1 year old.

Is there a child health check at 14 months?

There is no routine check at 14 months: Pregnancy, Birth and Baby(opens in a new window) gives the general guide as checks at 1 year, then 18 months, 2, 3 and 4 years. Each state sets its own ages, and some build in flexibility.

Western Australia's 12 month appointment(opens in a new window) is offered until 18 months, so a family who missed it can still book at 14 months.

In NSW and Victoria the next scheduled check is at 18 months. In Western Australia it is at 2 years. In Victoria the nurse completes a hearing risk assessment and goes through the development questions parents answer in the green book. In NSW, parents answer hearing and vision questions in the Blue Book before the visit.

The full schedule for each state is in baby health checks in Australia. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby lists the next routine immunisations at 18 months too. You do not have to wait for a check: Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says children from birth to 5 years can be seen at any time if you have concerns or questions.

When to talk to your nurse or GP

One skill arriving late rarely means anything on its own. The Raising Children Network(opens in a new window) and Victoria's twelve month visit suggest seeing your child and family health nurse or GP if at 12 to 15 months your toddler:

• Seeing and hearing: isn't making eye contact, isn't following moving objects with their eyes, has an eye turned in or out most of the time, or isn't interested in sounds.
• Communicating: doesn't respond to their name, isn't babbling or using single words, isn't trying to let you know what they want, or isn't waving or pointing.
• Understanding and feelings: doesn't seem to understand simple words, gestures or instructions, or isn't enjoying cuddles or showing emotions.
• Moving: can't stand even when holding on to you or the furniture, can't hold a spoon or block, or uses one hand much more than the other.

Then by 18 months, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby(opens in a new window), the Raising Children Network, Victoria's eighteen month visit and the NSW Blue Book add these:

• Walking: not walking on their own.
• Words: not using any single words, or not following simple instructions. The NSW Blue Book also suggests acting early if your toddler has fewer than six words.
• Seeing and hearing: not seeing or hearing things clearly.
• Gestures and play: not pointing, waving or using other gestures, or showing no pretend play.
• Connection: not enjoying eye contact or cuddles, or not noticing when you leave or come back.

Talk to your nurse or GP without waiting for the next check if your toddler loses skills they once had, at any age. The same applies to a walking toddler who starts to limp, waddle or refuse to walk. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's maternal child health nurses are on 1800 882 436, 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

A 14 month old who cruises, points and babbles is on track. Australian guidance treats first steps any time up to 18 months as normal.

Keeping track until the 18 month check

Six months pass between the 12 and 18 month checks, and 'when did that start?' gets harder to answer as the months run together.

BabyLog's milestone checklist uses the same ACECQA list, and a 14 month old's items sit in its 1 to 2 years band, so first steps, new words and pointing to things you name can each be marked as one to watch, then observed with the date. Milestone tracking is part of Pro, and it is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Watch this stretch unfold at your toddler's own pace, and track your toddler's development with BabyLog. Looking back? Start with 12 month milestones. For what comes next, the hub's milestones from 12 to 24 months covers running, first sentences and pretend play.

Common questions