Follows simple one-step directions
Typical Timing & Development Window
Visual Timeline & Milestone Benchmarks
What these numbers mean
The average age babies first begin showing early signs of this skill. Before this, it's simply too early — there's nothing to worry about.
The midpoint age: half of babies have reached this milestone by here, half a little later. It's a typical target, not a deadline.
How spread out the timing is. About two-thirds of babies achieve it within one standard deviation of the median (the shaded band, wk 99–109). Wide bands mean a normal range of variation.
A gentle check-in point. If your baby hasn't shown this by around here, it can be worth mentioning to your pediatrician — most often it's still perfectly fine, just later.
About this milestone
The toddler carries out a simple, one-step instruction without needing a physical gesture (e.g., 'Please bring me your shoes' or 'Come here'). This represents a major leap in receptive language comprehension and verbal memory. It shows they can process and act on a spoken command alone.
- 1. Keep your instructions short, using direct and familiar action words.
- 2. Offer warm physical affection, a hug, or praise when they follow a direction, reinforcing their cooperative behavior.
- 3. Play simple movement games like 'Simon Says' using basic, one-step actions (e.g., 'Touch your head').
- 1. Avoid overloading the child with multi-step instructions when testing one-step comprehension.
- 2. Do not assume non-response is intentional; check for hearing or attention concerns if delays persist.