At this age, your toddler has several new tricks, including taking off his diaper. Also, you might find that he’s either scared or not scared of strangers and dogs. So make sure you supervise him always. This guide shows what to expect from your 17 months old baby

Weight and height
The average weight of a 17-month-old boy is 23.7 pounds and 23.0 pounds for a girl. Also, the average height of a 17-month-old boy is 32.0 inches and 31.4 inches for a girl.

Sleep
Your tot will still need about 14 hours of sleep every day. But he’s likely to drop the morning nap now if he hasn’t done so before. At night, he’ll sleep for 11 to 12 hours and 1 to 2 hours at night.

Food
As usual, you should aim for 3 meals each day. It should include all the essential food groups, 400ml of milk, and healthy snacks. Bear in mind that your toddler needs full-fat milk and not breast or skimmed milk until he gets to 2 years old.

Movement
At this age, your child can probably bend over to pick an item on the floor, stand up by himself, and continue walking. He’ll also have the coordination, balance, and strength to ride a toy car.

Social skills
A one-year-old baby doesn’t interact much with other tots. But by 17 months, he’ll start playing alongside other toddlers – although not ‘with’ them yet. Expect your toddler to start copying others’ behavior. He can also obey two-step instructions like “bring me your cap.”
At 17 months, he’s getting more agile too. Expect him to take off his clothes – with help, though. Further, he’ll start showing signs that he’s ready for potty training. He may start hiding to do a poo. Don’t fret if yours isn’t ready yet. Most children start potty training at two years.

Teeth
Almost all babies have their 1st tooth at 12 months old (although some will still be waiting). At 17 months, he’ll have the front four teeth on top and bottom. The second sets of molars normally erupt around 2 years old.

Play
• At 12 months, babies have usually improved the pincer grip, so they enjoy practicing it by playing with levers and some parts of toys. But by 17 months, they’ll love playing pretend games like tea-parties.
• Teach him how to throw balls, especially small balls. Also, make reading and story time a routine – reading help stimulates his ability to imagine things. Teach him to ride-on toddler car, including getting off and on and moving.

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