Helping
Many toddlers help an adult who is struggling, like handing over something out of reach, from around 14 to 18 months, without being asked or rewarded.
How sure are we?
Not sure yet. Only small lab studies have looked at this so far. How we know this
What it’s a sign of
Your child notices what others are trying to do and wants to pitch in.
Helping with simple things comes first. In one study, about 4 in 10 toddlers at 18 months helped quickly with a practical task, against nearly 9 in 10 at 30 months.
We don't yet know the age by which nearly all children help.
A main source for the ages
Helping and Cooperation at 14 Months of Age
Felix Warneken, Michael Tomasello · 2007 · Infancy
- Children
- About 24 babies
- Where
- Germany
- Ages
- 14 months
- How
- Researchers tested babies in a lab
- What it found
- 18 of 24 babies aged 14 months helped an adult at least once, usually by handing over something out of reach, within about 7 seconds.
- Limits
- A small group; they helped with simple reaching problems, not harder ones.
A classic study on this
Altruistic Helping in Human Infants and Young Chimpanzees
Felix Warneken, Michael Tomasello · 2006 · Science
- Children
- Not given in the summary we read
- Where
- Not given in the summary we read
- Ages
- 18 months
- How
- Researchers tested toddlers in a lab
- What it found
- Toddlers of 18 months readily helped an adult who was struggling to reach something or finish a task, without being asked or rewarded.
- Limits
- We have only read the summary.
A main source for the ages
Toddlers’ Prosocial Behavior: From Instrumental to Empathic to Altruistic Helping
Margarita Svetlova, Sara R. Nichols, Celia A. Brownell · 2010 · Child Development
- Children
- About 65 toddlers
- Where
- The United States
- Ages
- 18 and 30 months
- How
- Researchers tested toddlers in a lab
- What it found
- Nearly every toddler helped at some point. Comforting was much rarer at 18 months: about 1 in 8 quickly brought a sad adult something comforting, against about 2 in 3 at 30 months.
- Limits
- Small groups at two ages.
If you’re worried about your child, talk to your child and family health nurse or GP.
Last checked 2 November 2026