12th month
Happy Birthday! What an exciting month: your baby is celebrating their first birthday. Goodbye baby phase, you are now officially the parent of a toddler! And the melody of the birthday song heralds the start of another exciting phase.
The 12th month in brief
- Your baby officially becomes a toddler on their 1st birthday.
- They continue to practise getting up, standing and walking. This is a good time to thoroughly check your surroundings again for sources of danger.
- A birthday party is, of course, a must. But do it in a way that the child is not overwhelmed and it does not become a stressful affair.
- Let your child learn how to handle liquids in the bathtub by playing with a few containers. But don’t let them out of your sight: there is a risk of drowning in the bathtub.
- Pick up a brush: your child can already create their first works of art with watercolours.
Little explorers on the move
Your baby, or rather your toddler, will continue to expand their radius of motion no matter where they happen to be standing – or sitting. As already mentioned, many children are now taking their first steps, while some are already walking and others are still taking it easy and observing everything from a seated position. Incidentally, there are also children who simply skip the crawling phase and learn to walk straight away, or both at the same time.
Now is another good time to check your flat or house again for potential sources of danger. Tablecloths, for example, should stay in the cupboard for a while: children can use them to pull themselves up and objects on the table can fall and injure your child. Sockets should also be made childproof with appropriate plugs. Furthermore, small items – decorative bricks, small Legos, button batteries, etc. – should be kept out of your child’s reach. So they can safely turn their home upside down.
Birthday party and emotions
And of course the first birthday should be celebrated in style! Even if your baby doesn’t yet understand what’s happening, they will be delighted to receive a visit from their loved ones, colourful balloons and delicious cake. Not to mention the presents that they can unwrap themselves – if they are only lightly wrapped. That said: less is more. Your child doesn’t need a huge birthday party yet – they can easily be overwhelmed by it. Particularly if your child is still a bit shy, a small but fun party will delight them all the more. And don’t forget to take photos! It’s best to ask someone to do it for you. This way, you can also be seen in the photos and can enjoy the party without having to think about taking pictures. For many parents, a child’s first birthday is an emotional moment.
Discovery moment of the month: “Fun in the water”
Water is still an exciting element and most children love playing with it. Your baby is now ready to pour water from one cup into another. Of course, every now and then a mishap occurs and something goes wrong. So why not move the water play directly into the bathtub? Make sure your child doesn’t get cold and never let them out of your sight: small children are at risk of drowning even in relatively little water.
