Month 18
Key points
- Between 18 and 24 months, toddlers are becoming more coordinated, communicative and independent.
- Your toddler might go through a fussy eating phase as they start developing preferences for certain foods. This is completely normal! Learn more about how to manage this stage with practical tips.
- From 18 to 24 months, your toddler may be putting short sentences together and may understand more complex instructions.
At 18 months, your toddler’s personality is blossoming, and they’re on the move – running, climbing and trying to do everything by themselves. Throughout the next six months, their brain and body are developing at an incredible rate. You’ll see big leaps in communication, movement, play and independence.
The toddler years are key for building healthy habits. Offering fresh, whole foods from the five food groups and enjoying meals together when you can, helps your little one explore new tastes and build a positive relationship with food. Early exposure to a wide variety of foods also shapes their future taste preferences, making this a crucial time for encouraging nutritious choices.
But let’s be real, toddlers can be unpredictable. Whether they’re teething, feeling unwell, or deep in a fussy phase, they might not always get the nutrients they need from food alone. That’s where Alula Advance+ Toddler Milk Drink can help. It’s specially formulated with 16 essential vitamins and minerals, including eight that support a healthy immune system – like vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, folate, iron and zinc*.
Nutrition at 18 to 24 Months Old
Did you know toddlers clock up approximately of 250 minutes of physical activity daily? No wonder they’re always hungry! With all that running, climbing and exploring, they need plenty of fuel from a balanced diet to keep up the pace.
To support their growth and energy needs, keep serving up a variety of fresh, nourishing foods from the five food groups:
- Fruits & veggies – colourful, crunchy, and packed with vitamins
- Whole grains – like oats, brown rice, and wholegrain bread
- Proteins – think red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, beans and tofu
- Dairy – including full-fat milk, cheese, yoghurt or Alula Toddler milk drinks
- Healthy fats – such as avocado, salmon and nut butters
Need some mealtime inspiration? Download the free Alula Toddler Tummies Cookbook – it’s full of easy, prebiotic-rich recipes designed to support your toddler’s digestive wellbeing. Each recipe features Alula Advance+ Toddler Milk Drink with added FOS to help boost their prebiotic intake. Crafted with growing bodies in mind, gentle on little tummies, big on taste and perfect for busy families.
Building Healthy Habits for your Toddler
By 18 months, your little one is bursting with personality, running, climbing and determined to do everything their way (hello, “I do it!”phase). Over the next few months, you’ll notice big leaps in how they move, play, talk and assert their independence. It’s such an exciting time, and their brain and body are growing fast.
This stage is also key for shaping healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. What they eat now helps guide their future food preferences, so offering a mix of fresh, whole foods from the five food groups, keeping added sugars to a minimum, really makes a difference. Fussy eating is totally normal (one day they love something, the next it’s a hard no), so try to keep mealtimes relaxed and consistent. Eating together as a family, when you can, helps them feel confident exploring new foods.
And if they’re going through a phase, teething, feeling unwell, or just being extra picky – a toddler milk like Alula Advance+ can lend a hand. It’s packed with 16 essential vitamins and minerals, including eight* that support a healthy immune system, helping to fill any nutritional gaps while you continue offering wholesome meals. *Vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, plus folate, iron, and zinc
How Does Sugar Affect Toddlers?
Toddlers are naturally drawn to sweet flavours, but not all sugars are equal. Added sugars, found in processed foods like cakes, biscuits, and soft drinks, cause a quick energy spike followed by a crash that can leave little ones tired, irritable, and wanting more.
Over time, excessive sugar intake can contribute to health issues such as weight gain, dental decay, type 2 diabetes, and even memory difficulties. That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) advises avoiding refined sugars for children under two. This includes sugary drinks like fruit juice, flavoured milks and sports drinks, which often contain artificial additives and caffeine.
The good news? You can satisfy your toddler’s sweet tooth with naturally sweet foods like fruit, carrots, and sweet potato. These options offer nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals. It’s also a great stage to introduce a variety of vegetables, including bitter ones like zucchini, and savoury foods like plain Greek yoghurt to help shape balanced taste preferences. Just remember: the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend only one serving of fruit per day for toddlers.
What Are Added Sugars?
Added sugars are those introduced during food preparation or processing, not the ones naturally present in whole foods. On labels, they appear as corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, fructose, maltose, dextrose, brown rice syrup, sucrose and even concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.
These sugars are common in processed snacks and drinks, and while they may offer a temporary energy boost, they often lead to a crash and increased cravings. Over time, they can displace healthier food choices and contribute to chronic health problems.
To support healthy development, experts recommend limiting added sugars, especially for children under two. Prioritising whole foods and water over sugary beverages helps build better habits and supports long-term wellbeing.
What is picky eating and why is it important to manage it?
One day they love carrots, the next day they are the enemy… Sound familiar? Picky or fussy eating is when your toddler consistently refuses new foods or sticks to just a few favourites over time. It’s a completely normal stage that many toddlers go through as they assert their independence and develop their own tastes. While it can be frustrating, it’s all part of learning to eat and with a little patience and the right support, it’s a phase that can be managed.
While there’s no official medical definition, it’s good to know that it can take 10–15 tries before a child accepts a new food – so don’t give up too soon! As solid foods become the main source of nutrition, some toddlers resist the shift away from their usual milk. Other common causes include asserting independence, teething, feeding challenges, pressure to eat, sugary or processed foods, and even a late start with textured foods.
Managing picky eating is important because your toddler’s growth and development depend on getting the right nutrients. If they’re going through a fussy phase, feeling unwell, or just not eating from all the food groups, a nutritious toddler milk drink such as Alula Advance+ Toddlercan help fill nutritional gaps. It’s packed with 16 essential vitamins and minerals, including eight that support a healthy immune system – like vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, folate, iron and zinc. Adding it to breakfast or bedtime can be a simple way to boost their intake.
Supporting your toddler through a picky-eating phase
- Encourage independence
Enlist your toddler’s help with choosing foods and in simple preparation, such as washing fruit.
Offer choice: Would you like carrot sticks or cucumber? / Banana or pear? - Introducing new foods
Offer one new food at a time, along with foods they already enjoy. - Master meal times
Show your toddler how to explore food by touching, smelling, licking and then tasting.
Serve smaller portions of the main family meal.
Remove distractions and make mealtimes a family experience.
Allow 20 minutes for your toddler to eat, so they don’t lose interest.
If you have any concerns about fussy eating, always talk to your healthcare professional.
Weight and Height of Your Toddler at 12 to 18 Months
As your toddler continues exploring new foods, their growth continues steadily. According to WHO, on average, from 18 to 24 months, boys weigh around 11 kg to 12.2 kg and are between 82 cm and 87 cm tall. Girls from 18 to 24 months weigh around 10.2 kg to 11.5 kg and are between 80 cm and 85 cm tall. Remember, these are averages based on the 50th percentile and healthy toddlers come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re ever unsure, check with your GP or child health nurse.
At this age, it can be fun (but not necessarily accurate!) to calculate how tall your toddler might grow. For girls at 18 months and boys ay 24 months, double their height and this is said to be how tall they’ll be as adults.
Cognitive, Social and Physical Development of Toddlers
Your toddler’s communication skills are going from strength to strength and you might hear two- or three-word sentences like “Want teddy” or “Go park”. They might appear to add new words to their vocabulary every day, and they understand much more than they can say. They love copying you and older children, so creating opportunities for them to play with young kids is very stimulating. Reading, singing and talking regularly all help boost your toddler’s cognitive and social development.
Physically, your toddler is growing stronger and more coordinated. They may be running, climbing, kicking balls and even starting to jump. Their fine motor skills are also advancing, allowing them to turn pages, build small towers or use a spoon with more accuracy. By encouraging active play and plenty of movement every day, you’ll support these growing skills (as well as tire them out).
Toddler gyms and swimming are fun activities that give your toddler a workout but also provide plenty of interactions with others. Check out your local library, community centre or church to find out about inexpensive or free activities where your toddler can work on and enjoy socialising.
At this stage, your toddler may:
- Follow two-step instructions like “Get your shoes and bring them here”
- Name everyday items and people
- Show more emotion – joy, frustration, affection
- Imitate routines like feeding dolls or pretending to talk on the phone
- Start to play alongside other children (parallel play)
Don’t Forget!
It’s important to remember that every child develops at their own rate. Regular checkups with your health nurse or GP will be able to ensure your toddler is on track – but always get in touch with them sooner if you have any concerns. For extra resources, you can also head to Karitane or Tresillian online.
What’s Next?
From 24 to 36 months, your little one’s fine motor skills are excelling and they are asking A LOT of questions! Find out about more developmental milestones and their nutritional needs at this exciting stage.
