Imitating actions: how the skill grows from 12 to 30 months
Imitating actions means copying what other people do: stirring a pot, wiping a table, clapping, putting on a hat. Imitation is one of the main ways toddlers pick up everyday skills, long before anyone explains them.
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Imitating actions: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Copies with an object. Stirs a spoon in a bowl after watching you stir.
Activities that fit this step
- Real-Things Basket · 12–18 months · 4–10 min
- Teddy's Snack Time · 12–20 months · 3–8 min
- Tube Talk Echo Sounds · 12–20 months · 3–6 min
Next step: Copies later. Wipes the table with a cloth the day after watching you wipe it.
Activities that fit this step
- High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down · 13–21 months · 2–5 min
- Scarf Float Up-and-Down Song · 13–22 months · 3–8 min
- Stir the Pretend Soup · 14–24 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Copies a short sequence. Sweeps a little pile and then puts the brush back in the cupboard, as you do.
Activities that fit this step
- Stir the Pot Like Me · 16–24 months · 5–15 min
- Rainstorm on a Baking Sheet · 16–26 months · 3–8 min
- Sleepy Fingers Wind-Down Rhyme · 16–28 months · 2–5 min
Next step: Adapts the copy. Uses a different tool for the same job, such as a sock to "dust" a shelf.
Activities that fit this step
- Big Kid Leads the Mirror Dance · 18–30 months · 5–10 min
- Scarf Copycat Dance · 19–28 months · 5–10 min
- Animal Moves Action Song · 24–34 months · 5–10 min
Top of the ladder (adapts the copy). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Trace Around the Lid · 26–36 months · 5–12 min
- Tube Garden Copycat · 26–36 months · 5–12 min
- Slow Bubble Breathing · 30–36 months · 3–6 min
The imitating actions ladder
5 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 12 to 30 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
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Copies a simple move
Claps, bangs or waves right after you do.
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Copies with an object
Stirs a spoon in a bowl after watching you stir.
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Copies later
Wipes the table with a cloth the day after watching you wipe it.
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Copies a short sequence
Sweeps a little pile and then puts the brush back in the cupboard, as you do.
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Adapts the copy
Uses a different tool for the same job, such as a sock to "dust" a shelf.
When imitating actions usually shows up
Copying other children while playing is a CDC 15-month milestone, and copying you doing chores, such as sweeping, is a CDC 18-month milestone. Copying later, hours or a day after seeing something, usually becomes clear in the second half of the second year.
This page follows imitating actions from 12 to 30 months, a window that spans the 12-month, 15-month, 18-month, 24-month and 30-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 28 activities practise imitating actions (4 as their main skill), for ages 12 to 36 months. 15 of them need no prep and take 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the 5-step ladder.
Related items appear on the CDC checklists for 15 months and 18 months.
Related milestones
CDC checklist items (paraphrased) that involve imitating actions. Checklists are for monitoring, not a test.
| Checklist | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 15 months | Copies what other children do in play, such as tipping toys out of a box after another child does. |
| 18 months | Imitates you doing household jobs, such as sweeping. |
Activities that practise imitating actions
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 8 creativity & pretend, 5 cognitive, 5 practical life, 4 fine motor, 4 social-emotional, 1 gross motor and 1 language. Quickest to start: High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down (2–5 minutes).
Step 1: Copies a simple move
Step 2: Copies with an object
- Kitchen Pot Band (12–22 mo)
- Teddy's Snack Time (12–20 mo)
- Tube Talk Echo Sounds (12–20 mo)
- Copy My Box Moves (13–20 mo)
- High-Chair Tray Wipe-Down (13–21 mo)
- Pre-Loaded Spoon Hand-Off (13–20 mo)
- Scarf Float Up-and-Down Song (13–22 mo)
- Stir the Pretend Soup (14–24 mo)
- Taped-Down First Scribbles (14–24 mo)
Step 3: Copies later
- Nose-to-Nose Mirror Game (15–26 mo)
- Pot Drum Echo Turns (15–26 mo)
- Cheers! Open-Cup Clink (16–24 mo)
- Rainstorm on a Baking Sheet (16–26 mo)
- Sleepy Fingers Wind-Down Rhyme (16–28 mo)
- Step-Stool Hand-Wash Song (16–28 mo)
- Stir the Pot Like Me (16–24 mo)
- Mirror Feelings Faces (17–28 mo)
- Dough Pancake Press (18–28 mo)
Step 4: Copies a short sequence
Skills practised alongside
The activities for imitating actions most often also work on action songs (5), making music (4), simple pretend play (4), spatial words (4) and taking turns (4). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Do small jobs slowly and in plain view, saying what you are doing as you go.
- Hand your child a child-sized version of your tool: a small brush, a spoon, a cloth.
- Copy your child's moves too, so imitation becomes a game you both play.
What to avoid
- Rushing through every chore when your child wants to join in; slow a few of them down each week.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
If by 18 months your child does not copy any of your actions, sounds or chores, or never copies other children, mention it to the pediatrician.
Worried about imitating actions between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start imitating actions?
Copying other children while playing is a CDC 15-month milestone, and copying you doing chores, such as sweeping, is a CDC 18-month milestone. Copying later, hours or a day after seeing something, usually becomes clear in the second half of the second year. The first step to look for: claps, bangs or waves right after you do.
How can I help my toddler with imitating actions?
Do small jobs slowly and in plain view, saying what you are doing as you go. Hand your child a child-sized version of your tool: a small brush, a spoon, a cloth. A good first activity is Real-Things Basket (12–18 months).
What should I avoid when practising imitating actions?
Rushing through every chore when your child wants to join in; slow a few of them down each week.
When should I mention imitating actions to the pediatrician?
If by 18 months your child does not copy any of your actions, sounds or chores, or never copies other children, mention it to the pediatrician. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.