Which of the following is NOT initially seen in children 12-18 months old?

In children aged 12 to 18 months, cognitive and social development progresses rapidly, leading to various milestones. At this stage, understanding cause and effect is emerging as children start to grasp that their actions can lead to specific outcomes. They begin to explore how their interactions with the environment yield responses, such as shaking a rattle to produce sound.

Recognition of familiar faces is well-developed in this age range. Babies are typically able to differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar individuals, often showing preference for caregivers and known relatives. This recognition is a critical aspect of social development and emotional attachment.

The ability to follow simple instructions also becomes apparent. Children in this age group can often understand and respond to basic commands, such as “come here” or “give me,” indicating developing comprehension skills and receptive language abilities.

However, identification of colors is not typically mastered until later in development, generally around the age of 2 or 3. At 12 to 18 months, children are still refining their ability to categorize objects and may not yet grasp the concept of colors or be able to name them correctly. Thus, the skill of identifying colors is more advanced than what is expected of children in this age group.