Recreates familiar situations with toys
You might have noticed your child copying you and others for a little while, now they will be starting to imitate familiar situations when they play with their toys. You might notice them putting their toy cars to bed or giving a teddy a meal.
May seek out a familiar adult when uncertain
Your toddler will have been using ‘social referencing’ for some time now, this means that they look towards you and other people in new situations to see how you feel about a situation and this helps them to decide how to respond.[1] They are secure in their attachment to those who look after them regularly and will use these people as a secure base when in unfamiliar situations.
Eager to be part of social interactions e.g., Laughs when others laugh
Your toddler has been interested in other people since they were born, and they have gradually developed skills to interact in different ways. They are now even more aware of the conversations and might join in, even if they don’t fully understand what is happening. For example, if you are chatting with friends and then everyone laughs your toddler might look at everyone and join in with the laughter.
Shows self-aware emotions such as embarrassment and pride
Your child has been developing their sense of self for some time, they will have recognised their reflection in a mirror and have been using their name to talk about themselves. This recognition of themselves paves the way for greater self-awareness including experiencing emotions such as pride, embarrassment and guilt.
Is more able to self-soothe when upset
Your child has needed your help to calm down when upset, and you and they might know what helps them to calm if they are upset. You might notice your child is sometimes able to soothe themselves when they are upset and might be starting to recognise what helps them to calm down. Self-soothing or self-regulating is a difficult skill and even as adults we sometimes need support from others to regulate. Although your child might be able to self-soothe sometimes, they might often still need your support.
Begins to look for and play with other children who like doing the same things as them
Your child has been interested in watching other children play for a while and might have been playing alongside children doing similar things. They will now look for other children who are doing things that they enjoy and will play with them. They might play with different children at different times, choosing based on what other children are doing rather than seeking out a particular child.
Plays with soft toys or dolls recreating real life situations
Your baby is interested in the people around them, and as their memory develops and they have a wider range of experiences you might notice them recreating familiar situations when playing with soft toys or dolls. This play is the first step towards pretend and fantasy play and supports your baby to explore familiar situations and think about the things they have noticed.
May be friendly towards strangers, but more cautious if they come close to them
Your baby’s curiosity is growing and manifesting itself in a wider range of ways. Their fascination for people and interaction is continuing to grow and evolve.
May show displeasure or try to resume interaction when play or other interaction ends
Over the past few months your baby has experienced many styles of interactions with you and other familiar people. They are active participants in these interactions and relationships, as their brains make meaning from what you and other familiar people do. [1]
