Joint Attention
Outcome 5, Children are effective communicators
Overview
Milestone. Child coordinates attention between a person and an object, looks, points or vocalises to share an experience.
Why it matters. Joint attention is the foundational prerequisite for language, social learning and early literacy. Its absence at 12–18 months is a significant early indicator.
Age-banded milestones
- Makes eye contact during feeding and play
- Follows a caregiver's gaze briefly
- Smiles socially in response to faces
- Follows a point to a nearby object
- Shares smiles and looks with a caregiver
- Uses gaze to check in during play
- Points to show, not just to request
- Brings objects to share with an adult
- Alternates gaze between object and person
- Initiates shared play with an adult
- Comments on things of interest with a look or word
- Responds when named across the room
Red flags, when to seek support
If you notice one or more of these patterns, talk with a GP, child health nurse, speech pathologist or occupational therapist for further assessment.
- Limited or no eye contact during interaction by 6 months
- Does not follow a point or gaze by 12 months
- Does not share objects or experiences by 18 months
- Prefers to play only alone with little social referencing
Strategies & activities
Activities
- Follow the child’s gaze and comment on what they’re looking at
- Point to interesting objects and say “Look! A dog!”
- Sharing books, pointing to pictures and waiting for child’s eye contact
- Bubble play, blow bubbles, point, exclaim, wait
- Interactive pop-up toys that draw shared looking
Materials
- Bubbles and wind-up toys (high-interest, socially rewarding)
- Cause-and-effect toys requiring partner activation
- Shared picture books with bright, clear images
- Mirrors for early social gaze and imitation
Speech pathologist
- Early intervention via play-based joint attention therapy (JASPER model)
- Parent coaching in follow-the-child’s-lead strategies
- Imitation-based interaction building
- Formal developmental assessment if joint attention absent at 18m+
Occupational therapist
- Assessing sensory factors affecting social attention
- Regulating the child’s arousal level to support social engagement
- Evaluating vestibular and proprioceptive contributions
Educator role
- Get to the child’s physical level, sit on the floor beside them
- Follow their lead, comment on what they are already focused on
- Create “communication temptation” moments: hide a favourite toy, pause mid-play
- Never demand eye contact, allow it to emerge through warm interaction
Family support
- Point to things on walks, at the park, during daily life
- Follow your child’s gaze and name what they’re looking at
- Reduce screen time to protect face-to-face interaction opportunity
- Share referral recommendations with the family’s GP promptly if concerned
Signs of progress
- 1Follows a point to look at an object or person
- 2Initiates points or reaches toward interesting things
- 3Makes eye contact to share excitement or interest
- 4Returns gaze to adult after looking at an object
- 5Vocalises or gestures to draw adult attention to something
Related focus areas
Social Engagement
Child initiates and responds to social interaction with adults and peers, showing interest, warmth and awareness of others.
Expressive Language
Child uses words, gestures or short phrases to express needs, wants and ideas.
Play Skills
Child progresses through exploratory, functional, constructive and symbolic play, using objects, imagination and peers in increasingly complex ways.
Take joint attention further
Download our practitioner-ready summary, milestones, red flags and evidence-based strategies you can share with families and educators today.