Seeing The World Through Your Child’s Eyes: What It Is Like To Be A One Year Old

Have you a one year old at home? Do you wonder if your older children can understand the little one’s needs? Here are some ideas of what it might be like to be that age again so you can enter a one year olds world and see it through their eyes.

Now that I am one year old I can do so much more than when I was a baby. I can sit up by myself now which is fantastic because I can see what is going on. Not everyone who is my age can do exactly the same things as me. I can crawl fairly quickly now and so my family have to watch me carefully. I can get around my house and have a look at things. I really enjoy that. My best game is to try to open cupboards. That hasn’t happened lately, because my family have put new catches on them but I do love to see what’s inside. I am almost ready to walk on my own now too. I can pull myself up onto my feet if I hold onto the furniture. I like to play with toys on the sofa and I hold on to steady myself. It’s just the right height for me.

I am beginning to understand a few words now and love making sounds. Sometimes my family make babbling noises to me and I join in. My mum is convinced she heard me say ‘ma ma’ recently and my dad heard me say ‘da da’. I am looking forward to being able to talk and it is great that everyone chats to me. It won’t be long either before I can start to point to things to show people what I can find really interesting.

I have lots of toys which is nice, but I don’t really know what to do with them when I am left on my own. Cuddly toys are nice but mostly I like to pick things up and put them in my mouth or bang them. I like to watch people best of all and I will take stuff to them to show them. I could do that over and over again but sometimes they get bored. Soon I will be able to join in more and copy people. By the time I am 18 months old I will probably be able to copy simple things and begin to pretend a bit when I play.

I am interested in lots of things but not for very long. My family can do the same thing for ages. I can’t. There is so much to learn about that I just love to explore and be on the move. I pick things up and put them down a lot. Sometimes my family get a bit fed up of me and are looking forward to when I can play for longer.

If people want to make my life really nice for me here are my top 5 things to do:

1. Let me explore and touch things. I shall understand if you have put the ` best stuff out of my way but I do get upset if I find things and you snatch
them away from me. How am I going to learn if I am not allowed to
touch.

2. Take me to places. I like to get out to see the park and the ducks. Shops
are ok but not for long as they are busy and noisy. If I am in a low buggy
I get a bit stressed if I am surrounded by a crowd of legs and can’t see.

3. Help me play with toys. Show me things that are colourful and that have
surprises. Pop up toys and activity centres are my favourite. They are
more fun when we do them together though, so don’t get cross with me if I ignore all my lovely toys unless you help me.

4. Talk to me – I can’t say much yet but I am learning. I like it when you
keep it simple and slow. When we went to the park, you pointed to the
ducks, got down to my height and looked at me then along your finger to
the ducks and said look Charlie baby ducks. That was really good.

5. Let’s meet other kids – I love seeing little ones my age. I get really
excited as I love to watch them. I can’t play yet but when we go out
together to meet other little ones it is brilliant. I am glad you know I need
your help so don’t leave me. That way we both have fun.