Between 10 and 12 months, your baby is beginning the exciting transition towards toddlerhood.

You may notice a new determination to do things independently, pulling themselves up, cruising around furniture, feeding themselves, copying your actions and finding increasingly clever ways to communicate what they want.

Their personality is becoming clearer too. Favourite toys emerge, familiar routines become important and play starts to feel much more purposeful.

And, of course, there's one particularly special milestone approaching: their first birthday.

Every baby develops differently, so the milestones below should always be viewed as a guide rather than a checklist. Some babies may already be taking their first steps at 12 months, while others won't walk independently for several more months, both can be completely normal.

Common Baby Milestones: 10–12 Months

Milestone	What You May Notice

Pulling to stand

Using furniture or your hands to pull themselves upright

Cruising

Moving sideways while holding onto furniture

First independent steps

Some babies begin walking, while many won't just yet

Pincer grasp

Picking up small objects between their thumb and forefinger

Independent eating

Picking up finger foods and becoming increasingly involved at mealtimes

Drinking from a cup

Beginning to practise drinking from an open or training cup

Communication

More varied babbling, gestures and growing understanding of familiar words

Waving & gestures

Communicating through gestures such as waving, reaching and pointing

Purposeful play

Putting objects into containers, taking them out, banging, dropping and exploring cause and effect

Remember, these are guides rather than deadlines. Your baby's development will follow its own unique timeline.

10–12 Months

Pulling Up, Cruising & First Steps

One of the biggest developments during this stage is mobility.

Many babies are now pulling themselves to standing and beginning to cruise along furniture while holding on. Some may even take their first independent steps before their first birthday.

Others won't, and that's completely normal.

Walking commonly develops across a much wider window than exactly 12 months. Before those first independent steps come lots of important skills: standing, balancing, shifting weight and learning how to safely lower themselves back down.

Giving your baby plenty of safe floor space and opportunities to move freely allows these skills to develop naturally.

And once they're mobile, baby-proofing suddenly takes on a whole new meaning, because anything within reach quickly becomes interesting.

Fine Motor Skills & Growing Independence

While those big physical milestones are easy to notice, your baby's hands are becoming incredibly clever too.

Their pincer grasp, using the thumb and forefinger together becomes increasingly precise around this stage.

You may notice your baby:

• picking up small pieces of food
• putting objects into containers
• taking them back out again
• turning pages in board books
• banging toys together
• deliberately dropping things (again... and again)
• trying to feed themselves

These seemingly simple activities are helping develop hand-eye coordination, dexterity and problem-solving skills.

First Words & Communication

Your baby has been learning language long before saying their first recognisable word.

Between 10 and 12 months, their understanding of language continues to grow rapidly. They may recognise familiar words and phrases, respond to their name, copy sounds and communicate through increasingly intentional gestures.

Some babies may begin using words such as "mama" or "dada" meaningfully around their first birthday, while others will continue communicating predominantly through babbling and gestures for a while longer.

One of the simplest ways to encourage language development is simply to talk.

Name the things your baby sees, describe what you're doing, sing together, look at books and respond when they babble as though you're having a conversation.

Pointing, Waving & Copying You

Your baby is watching everything you do.

During this stage, you may notice them beginning to imitate actions and gestures, waving goodbye, reaching towards something they want or copying sounds and facial expressions.

This ability to copy is an important part of learning.

Simple repetitive games, songs with actions and everyday interactions often provide more developmental value than complicated toys.

Mealtimes & Self-Feeding

By now, many babies are becoming increasingly involved in family mealtimes.

Finger foods allow them to practise that developing pincer grasp while experiencing different tastes and textures.

You may also notice a growing determination to hold their own spoon or cup, even if most of the food still ends up everywhere except their mouth.

Allowing babies opportunities to practise helps build independence and confidence around food.

Around this age, babies can also begin learning to drink from an open cup with help. Expect spills, they're part of learning.

Play Becomes More Purposeful

Play changes noticeably towards the end of the first year.

Rather than simply grabbing or mouthing toys, babies begin experimenting with what objects actually do.

They may:

• put objects inside other objects
• repeatedly empty containers
• push and pull toys
• bang objects together
• make sounds intentionally
• explore cause and effect
• begin copying how you use familiar objects

Simple wooden and open-ended toys can be particularly lovely at this stage because children can explore them in different ways as their abilities develop.

Sleep & Bedtime Routines

Sleep can still vary enormously at 10–12 months.

Some babies sleep for long stretches while others continue waking throughout the night. Teething, separation anxiety, new physical skills and changes to daytime naps can all temporarily affect sleep.

A familiar bedtime routine can help signal that the day is coming to an end.

Bath, pyjamas, milk, a story, cuddles and a familiar comfort object can become predictable cues that help your baby transition from a busy day of exploring into sleep.

Approaching Their First Birthday

And suddenly, that tiny newborn is almost one.

The first birthday often feels like a milestone for parents just as much as it does for babies.

When choosing a first birthday gift, look for toys and everyday essentials that won't only be useful on their birthday but can grow with them into toddlerhood.

Wooden toys, personalised baby gifts and practical personalised products can make particularly meaningful first birthday presents because they're useful now while still feeling special enough to keep.

Essential Baby Products for 10–12 Months

Personalised Water Bottle As independent drinking develops, a personalised baby water bottle makes it easy to keep water close by for family days out, childcare and everyday adventures. Adding their name makes it a practical personalised baby essential that can continue being used well into toddlerhood.	JBØRN Personalised Stainless Steel Kids Water Bottle
Personalised Backpack Perfect for carrying those everyday essentials as your baby approaches their first birthday. A personalised baby backpack is ideal for nursery, childcare and family days out, while their name makes it easy to recognise as their own.	JBØRN Personalised Bunny Backpack
Personalised Lunch Box As snacks and family mealtimes become a bigger part of the day, a personalised lunch box is a practical essential for nursery, childcare, picnics and days out. It also makes a thoughtful personalised first birthday gift they'll continue using as they grow.	JBØRN Personalised Lunch Box
Wooden Pull-Along Stacking Train Set A beautiful wooden toy that supports increasingly purposeful play, combining stacking, problem-solving and a pull-along design that becomes even more fun as little ones grow more mobile. A thoughtful wooden first birthday gift designed to be enjoyed well into toddlerhood.	JBØRN Personalised Wooden Pull-Along Stacking Train Set
Wooden Xylophone Toy As babies discover cause and effect, a wooden xylophone introduces sound, rhythm and musical play while encouraging hand-eye coordination and fine motor development. A lovely wooden toy for a 1-year-old that continues to offer new ways to play as they grow.	JBØRN Personalised Xylophone Toy
Wooden Birthday Cake A playful wooden toy made for that very special first birthday. Perfect for early pretend play as your little one grows, it makes a memorable first birthday gift that can become part of their playroom for years to come.	JBØRN Personalised Wooden Birthday Cake
Bamboo Pyjama Set As babies become increasingly active, a two-piece pyjama set gives little legs and feet plenty of freedom to move at bedtime. Soft, breathable bamboo baby clothing keeps them comfortable through sleep and night feeds, while personalised embroidery turns an everyday essential into a thoughtful personalised baby gift and keepsake.	JBØRN Ribbed Bamboo Pyjama Set

A Gentle Reminder

Reaching your baby's first birthday can bring all the emotions.

In just twelve months, they've gone from a tiny newborn completely dependent on you to a curious little person with favourite foods, favourite toys, their own ways of communicating and an ever-growing determination to explore the world.

But there is no list of milestones your baby needs to complete before turning one.

Some babies will walk. Others will crawl. Some will have several words, while others will communicate beautifully through babbling, pointing and gestures.

Development isn't a race.

Keep giving your little one opportunities to move, play, communicate, eat alongside you and explore at their own pace, and enjoy the wonderfully ordinary moments in between the big milestones too.

Because before you know it, the baby stage is giving way to an entirely new adventure: toddlerhood.