Infants and toddlers

African American toddler playing with abacus

Infants come into the world with cognitive, emotional, and social capacities that enable them to seek stimulation actively and regulate their own behavior through environmental interactions. They are able to integrate information across the senses, recognize their parents and other caregivers, imitate facial expressions, and manifest distress, contentment, and interest.

At around 18 months, language development and symbolic play enable toddlers to have complex negotiations with caregivers, develop true interactive play with peers, and develop moral emotions such as embarrassment and empathy and, a few months later, guilt, pride, and shame.

Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology

Resources from APA

Speaking of Psychology: Why babies laugh, with Gina Mireault, PhD

Why babies laugh, with Gina Mireault, PhD

Gina Mireault, PhD, explains how she sets up a "baby comedy club" in her lab

mother holding a baby on her lap

The rise of relational health in early childhood care

Promoting positive emotional connections between infants and toddlers and their caregivers

Speaking of Psychology: Why can’t you remember being a baby? With Nicholas Turk-Browne, PhD

Why can’t you remember being a baby?

Nicholas Turk-Browne, PhD, talks about new studies that suggest that babies and toddlers may form early memories

Elmo’s cousin Jesse

Nurturing children through grief with Elmo

New Sesame Workshop resources guided by psychological science help caregivers support children as they navigate the grieving process

More resources about infants and toddlers

What APA is doing

Advocacy

Children, youth, and families

APA Services advocates for policies to prevent children’s exposure to violence and expand access to treatment and essential services for children who have experienced violence.

Offices

Children, youth, and families portfolio

The Children, Youth, and Families office aims to advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge on child development issues to benefit society and improve the lives of all children and their families.

Divisions

Society for Child and Family Policy and Practice

APA’s Division 37 is committed to the application of psychological knowledge to advocacy, social justice, service delivery, and public policies affecting children, youth, and families in a diverse and inclusive society.

Divisions

Society for Couple and Family Psychology

APA’s Division 43 provides a home for psychologists interested in families in their many forms. Clinical, scientific, educational, and public policy perspectives are well represented in the wide range of divisional activities.