Your Clever Toddler in Week 76: Generalizing Behaviors and Functions

If you buy new sippy cups, your child knows they're for her—for drinking milk, water, or juice—and that they belong in the kitchen cupboard. If you purchased a new food processor after your old one broke and put it in the laundry room, your child would be perplexed: By 18 months, your little one knows the food processor goes in the kitchen and is to be used for food, not in the laundry room among the washing machine and detergents.

The big takeaway? As your child enters new environments with new people, he'll readily apply his ability to remember, imitate, categorize, and generalize new objects, people, events, and actions: The world will begin to feel more comfortable, safe, and manageable.

Coming soon, look forward to: Week 77: Categorizing with Flexibility
Review the most recent accomplishments: Week 75: Realizing Objects Don't Have Intentions

Curious about how else your toddler might be developing right now? Learn more about her clever brain and her growing body here:

• What's happening in Month 18?
• Here's what our pediatrician says you might be worried about this month.