Turning pages: how the skill grows from 12 to 32 months
Turning pages means handling a book: holding it, flipping pages and looking at the pictures with an adult. Page turning mixes finger control with the shared attention that turns book time into a conversation.
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Turning pages: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Flips in clumps. Pushes a stack of thick pages over at once to reach a favorite picture.
Activities that fit this step
- Lap Book Point and Pause · 12–20 months · 3–10 min
- Sticky Tab Page Turner · 14–24 months · 5–10 min
- Count-Along Picture Book · 15–27 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Turns one thick page. Slides a finger into the gap of a board book and lets a single page fall over.
Activities that fit this step
- Lap Book Point and Pause · 12–20 months · 3–10 min
- Sticky Tab Page Turner · 14–24 months · 5–10 min
- Count-Along Picture Book · 15–27 months · 5–10 min
Next step: Turns when you pause. Turns to the next page when you stop reading, as if saying "more".
Activities that fit this step
- Sticky Tab Page Turner · 14–24 months · 5–10 min
- Count-Along Picture Book · 15–27 months · 5–10 min
- Where's the Dog? Book Hunt · 18–30 months · 5–12 min
Next step: Turns paper pages singly. Pages carefully through an ordinary picture book, one thin page at a time.
Activities that fit this step
- Count-Along Picture Book · 15–27 months · 5–10 min
- Where's the Dog? Book Hunt · 18–30 months · 5–12 min
- Paper-Page Picture Book Turns · 26–36 months · 5–10 min
Top of the ladder (turns paper pages singly). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Count-Along Picture Book · 15–27 months · 5–10 min
- Where's the Dog? Book Hunt · 18–30 months · 5–12 min
- Paper-Page Picture Book Turns · 26–36 months · 5–10 min
The turning pages ladder
5 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 12 to 32 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
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Pats the book
Grabs the cover, bangs it or chews a corner while you read.
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Flips in clumps
Pushes a stack of thick pages over at once to reach a favorite picture.
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Turns one thick page
Slides a finger into the gap of a board book and lets a single page fall over.
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Turns when you pause
Turns to the next page when you stop reading, as if saying "more".
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Turns paper pages singly
Pages carefully through an ordinary picture book, one thin page at a time.
When turning pages usually shows up
Looking at a few pages of a book with you is a CDC 18-month milestone, usually by flipping thick board-book pages several at a time. Turning pages one at a time as you read together is on CDC's 30-month checklist.
This page follows turning pages from 12 to 32 months, a window that spans the 12-month, 15-month, 18-month, 24-month and 30-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 5 activities practise turning pages (2 as their main skill), for ages 12 to 36 months. 3 of them need no prep and take 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the 5-step ladder.
Related items appear on the CDC checklists for 18 months and 30 months.
Related milestones
CDC checklist items (paraphrased) that involve turning pages. Checklists are for monitoring, not a test.
| Checklist | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 18 months | Looks through a few pages of a book together with you. |
| 30 months | Turns the pages of a book one by one as you read together. |
Activities that practise turning pages
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 2 fine motor, 2 language and 1 early concepts. Quickest to start: Count-Along Picture Book (5–10 minutes).
Step 1: Pats the book
Step 2: Flips in clumps
Step 3: Turns one thick page
Step 5: Turns paper pages singly
Skills practised alongside
The activities for turning pages most often also work on pointing to pictures (4), conversation turns (1), counting (1), naming things (1) and pointing to show (1). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Keep a few board books in a low basket your child can reach without asking.
- Pause at the end of each page and wait, letting your child do the turning even if pages get skipped.
- Lift the corner of the next page slightly so a small finger can get in.
- Mix in books with flaps and thick pages before moving on to thin paper ones.
What to avoid
- Insisting on reading every page in order; following your child's turns keeps them in the book longer.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
If your child shows little interest in looking at pictures or books with you by 18 months, or cannot turn pages one at a time by 30 months, bring it up at the next checkup together with anything you notice about their vision or hand use.
Worried about turning pages between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start turning pages?
Looking at a few pages of a book with you is a CDC 18-month milestone, usually by flipping thick board-book pages several at a time. Turning pages one at a time as you read together is on CDC's 30-month checklist. The first step to look for: grabs the cover, bangs it or chews a corner while you read.
How can I help my toddler with turning pages?
Keep a few board books in a low basket your child can reach without asking. Pause at the end of each page and wait, letting your child do the turning even if pages get skipped. A good first activity is Lap Book Point and Pause (12–20 months).
What should I avoid when practising turning pages?
Insisting on reading every page in order; following your child's turns keeps them in the book longer.
When should I mention turning pages to the pediatrician?
If your child shows little interest in looking at pictures or books with you by 18 months, or cannot turn pages one at a time by 30 months, bring it up at the next checkup together with anything you notice about their vision or hand use. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.