What's happening at 11 months?

Your 11 month old suddenly seems very grown up. Seeing her standing on her own for the first time is one of those milestone moments when you realise how fast she's changing, and how quickly she'll soon be toddling off across the room.

1. She can stand on her own for just a moment or two. In fact she's probably so pleased with herself she doesn't want to sit down-she's secure in the knowledge that you're around to lend a hand and keep her on her feet. She may even be able to walk short distances with you holding her hand, and this is something she'll really enjoy. Proper mobility at last!

2. She's a lot more coordinated now, and is using both hands together when she plays and explores. Picking up small bits of food and little toys is easier, too. You'll also notice that she uses her hands to point to things she wants, even if they are far away. She can pull off her hat, socks and shoes by herself, but she needs help to put them back on again.

3. Her language skills are improving all the time. She may even be using certain words, such as ‘no', though she won't necessarily understand their correct meaning. You may find she says ‘no' when she actually means ‘yes'. Animals already fascinate her, and she'll try imitating them, barking when she sees a dog or meowing when she spies a cat.

4. As she becomes more agile, she'll be keen to try using her larger muscles. Over the past few weeks and months her development has been based around her fine motor skills, but now she's beginning to develop physically too. Your baby is realising she can make quite big objects move if she hits out or kicks them, and she'll get enormous enjoyment from this.

5. At 11 months she's able to respond to simple questions. Ask her where her eyes are, and she'll point to them. If you ask her to pass a ball, she'll be able to do that too. It takes practice though, so don't worry if she doesn't cotton on straight away.

You'll notice your child is more coordinated

Help them learn

There's a lot you can do to stimulate and encourage your baby

• There's a lot you can do to stimulate and encourage your baby
• Even at 11 months old, you can often tell if your baby is a bookworm. Book-loving babies will sit happily on their own for a few minutes flicking through a pile of brightly-coloured books. Remember to choose board or cloth books though, as babies will damage paper pages.
• Give her the responsibility of feeding herself-she'll love trying to get the spoon into her mouth. Don't be tempted to spoil her fun by insisting on feeding her yourself just because it's less messy. Mealtimes are a time for your child to learn as well as eat, so let her have a go.
• Get her a doll and point out all the different body parts. Then you can play a game together by asking her to point to the doll's eyes herself, then her ears, and then her nose.
• Join your local library if you haven't done so already and start visiting on a regular basis. Babies are entitled to a library card from birth, and children's libraries have boxes of board books your baby will just love to get her hands on.
• Your 11 month old will no doubt be making lots of mess and generating even more washing. But don't miss out on special time together just because there's so much to do. Set aside some time each day, perhaps after lunch or when she wakes up from her nap, to spend 20 minutes together just enjoying one another's company.
  

At 11 months old, your baby is starting to use her hands to turn
book pages and her legs to kick and play

• Remember, babies are individuals and develop at different rates. If you have any concerns, see your GP or health visitor.
  

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