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Month 10 of 12

10 Months Old

Standing gets steadier, communication gets more deliberate, and personality really starts to show at 10 months.

Last reviewed: August 8, 2026

Ten months often feels like the quiet run-up to the first birthday: standing balance improves, gestures become a genuine communication tool even before real words arrive, and a baby's individual preferences — for people, toys, food, routines — become obvious enough that they start to feel like the beginnings of a personality rather than just behavior.

Motor & Physical

  • Pulls to stand easily; may take steps while holding on
  • Stands alone for a brief moment
  • Uses an early pincer grasp for small pieces of food
  • Climbs onto low furniture or steps with some assistance

Cognitive

  • Follows a simple one-step direction when paired with a gesture
  • Imitates actions like clapping or waving
  • Understands the function of some familiar objects, like a cup or spoon

Language & Communication

  • Uses a few consistent sounds for specific objects or people
  • Understands more words than they can say
  • Combines gestures and sounds together to communicate a request

Social & Emotional

  • Shows clear preferences for certain people and toys
  • May repeatedly drop things for you to pick up as a game
  • Tests reactions by repeating an action that got a response before

Feeding & sleep at this age

Self-feeding with fingers becomes more common, and many babies start showing interest in holding their own spoon, even if most food still ends up eaten by hand. Many babies drop to one nap a day around now, or are in the middle of that transition, which can temporarily disrupt overnight sleep for a couple of weeks.

When to check in with your pediatrician

Doesn't crawl, can't stand while holding on to something, doesn't search for an object hidden while watching, says no sounds resembling words at all, or doesn't imitate any sounds or gestures.

This is general information, not medical advice — if anything about your baby's development concerns you, talk to your pediatrician.

Born early? Milestones like these are usually tracked by corrected agerather than chronological age. Add a due date in the calculator below to see your baby's corrected age automatically.

Questions about 10 months old

Is the nap transition from two to one hard on babies?

It can come with a rough patch of overtiredness for a week or two as the schedule shifts, which is normal. Some babies aren't ready for one nap until well past their first birthday — there's no single right timeline, and following your baby's own sleepiness cues usually works better than a fixed schedule.

My baby understands words but says almost none — is that concerning?

No — understanding (receptive language) reliably outpaces speaking (expressive language) at this age. A baby who clearly understands simple requests, like 'come here' or 'no,' is showing meaningful language development even without many spoken words yet.

Why does my baby keep dropping toys for me to pick up over and over?

This repetitive drop-and-retrieve game is a common way babies explore cause and effect ("if I drop it, someone picks it up") and object permanence (the object still exists after it disappears from view) at the same time — it's play with a real developmental purpose, not just testing patience.

Should my baby be able to climb onto furniture at 10 months?

Some babies attempt climbing onto low furniture or steps around now, often before they can safely get back down, which is why supervision matters more than usual at this stage. Plenty of typical babies show little interest in climbing yet and start weeks or months later.

Written and maintained by Manoj Rana, based on CDC, WHO, and AAP developmental guidance — not medically reviewed.

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