What Should a 16-Month-Old Be Able to Do?

Physically

• Your little one's pudgy legs are just starting to lengthen and thin out, but he's not yet completely in control of them. At 16 months, your cutie should be a pretty steady walker, able to toddle around the house without holding onto anything. He should be able to walk backwards and walk up steps at around this age, says the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus. He might even climb onto low furniture and play equipment. He can feed himself, though he'll be clumsy with utensils and might miss his mouth often. At this age, your baby may be able to make marks with a crayon and take off an easy-to-remove article of clothing like socks.

Verbally

• The typical 16-month-old is a bit of a chatterbox, though gibberish probably outweighs real words. On average, your little one understands about 170 words, says PBS.org. He may speak dozens of words and acquire new words at a rate as high as one per day, but some 16-month-olds are slow to talk and only have a few words like "Mama" and "Dada." Even if he is slow to talk, a child this age should be able to understand and follow simple commands like, "Pick up the truck and bring it to me." Your little one should be able to mimic some sounds and associate sounds with their sources; for instance, he might say "vroom!" when looking at a truck or make the noises of farm animals in books you're reading.

Socially

• At 16 months, your toddler is just starting to understand his feelings. He might throw tantrums when he's frustrated or not getting attention. He may show concern for people who are upset, or he may simply stare at a crying person with confusion. Between 15 and 18 months, your little one may start copying the actions of others, says ZeroToThree.org; he might hold a phone to his ear and chatter or push his toy vacuum across the floor when he sees you cleaning. At 16 months old, your baby probably doesn't have the capacity to share or behave selflessly with friends. Don't expect him to play well with other children. For now he's more interested in doing things by himself.

Other Abilities

• The board books stacked around your home should get plenty of use this month: a 16-month-old should be able to pay attention to a short book and turn its pages. If he hasn't yet begun drinking from a cup instead of a bottle, he should be able to do so soon (though not without plenty of spills). Your 16-month-old should be able to point to objects he wants, make a tower of two or three blocks and eat foods of various textures and types. He should not, however, be potty trained, says New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension. For now, using diapers is right for your little one.