Month 16: Independent Spirit

Toddler wants to do everything alone! 'Me do it!' is the motto. Channel this independence positively.

Physical milestones

• Runs with better coordination
• Kicks a ball forward
• Turns book pages one at a time
• Starts to show hand preference

Emotional and cognitive milestones

• 'Me do it!' — wants independence
• Uses 15-20 words
• Follows two-step directions
• Engages in more complex pretend play