At the important age of 2, you’ll begin to see major and regular changes in your child.
Behavior
Milestones for 2 year olds
At the important age of 2, you’ll begin to see major and regular changes in your child.
Your baby is finally starting to develop into a little person of their own, wanting to explore and learn about the world more. This is a big year of play and discovery for your 2-year-old, so it is important as parents to realize what you can do to encourage this behavior and know what to expect of your child during this important time frame. In our latest article, we look into the major milestones of any 2-year-old child, how you can best support them and keep them safe, plus when to be concerned and seek professional advice.
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Important language and cognitive milestones
This year, you’ll notice major changes in your child’s language and cognitive skills. They are likely to get louder, more demanding, and more expressive and should start repeating small words and phrases they hear around them. Read on below for some of the main language and cognitive milestones for your 2-year-old:
A focus on imagination and playtime
When your child reaches two years old, you are likely to witness a huge increase in the creative activities and play activities they undertake. Whether this is coming up with more complex routines with their favorite toys or wanting to participate in group games more, it will be obvious that their mind is starting to make more complex connections.
During this year, we recommend as much play as possible, which means keeping play as varied as possible. Offer your child a range of toys to play with and activities to participate in to help their imagination build and let them explore their development in more detail. Try not to be overly concerned with repeated behaviors, such as the desire to play with the same toy in the same way. While variation is good, repeated behaviors are what help your 2-year-old learn.
An improvement in communication
Regarding verbal communication, all toddlers develop at their rates. However, how much you initiate and encourage verbal communication can greatly affect their communication speed. Right before they turn three, it is expected that most 2-year-olds can string together a simple 3-word sentence. You should also expect your toddler to be able to follow simple commands by this age, for example, ‘Please put the toy in the box.’
An ability to think and problem solve
Your child’s brain is developing at a near-constant rate at this age. You might start to notice an increased ability to sort colors and shapes, find hidden objects, build higher towers with toys, and the choosing of a dominant hand to complete activities.
Most 2-year-olds learn by tapping into their main senses, moving around, and using trial and error. They finally realize that their ideas can be taken and tried out in real life, meaning discussing ideas is more necessary than ever. Not only will this help your child process ideas healthily, but it also shows them from a young age that you, as a parent, value them and respect what they are thinking.
When considering the language and cognitive milestones, some of the most apparent would be the use of small sentences, usually around two words in length, and the repetition of words picked up from adults your child is around. You might also notice your toddler can now find objects after they have been hidden or identify animals and objects in pictures when you give them a name.
Important physical milestones
As their imagination expands, so do your 2-year-olds need to get out and move worldwide. A wide range of new physical milestones will be met this year, including greater control over hand and finger movements, allowing them to get involved with even more play! Read on below for some of the main physical milestones for your 2-year-old:
An improvement in motor skills
This year your toddler will be beginning to fine-tune their motor skills, which means better control over their hand and finger movements. For example, your 2-year-old may have greater ease with stacking taller blocks of bricks or fitting shapes into different holes. You will also notice a neater approach when it comes to artwork. Before, your child’s artwork may have been chaotic and scribbly, whereas a 2-year-old will start to be more concentrated, including using lines and shapes.
Boosted physical activity
During this stage of a child’s life, body muscles develop, improving all physical skills like climbing and running. Due to this, you might notice that your little one has a greater ability to climb over furniture and run around for short distances. Trips out will be more of an exploration, as your toddler can walk beside you for short distances, and you’ll have to watch how easily they can make their way upstairs!
Ability to play ball-throwing games
As the year goes on, you might notice your little one develops an affinity for ball games. When reaching this age, 2-year-olds have much more physical ability to both hold and catch a throwing ball with both hands. You might also see your child starting to kick balls – either way, a lot of outdoor play is called for during this important year.
When considering physical milestones, some of the most apparent would be learning how certain clothing is put on and works, an attempt to brush their teeth and hair, and bringing and carrying toys with them on trips out.
Important emotional and social milestones
When reaching their second year, your child is starting to develop their emotional mind, with many feeling they are certainly about to tell you about, often and loudly! Read on below for some of the main emotional and social milestones for your 2-year-old:
A showing of self-expression
There is a reason many parents dread their child approaching their second birthday. Children are notoriously difficult at this age, as they are starting to express their good and bad emotions much more prominently than before. You might notice a rise in tantrums when your little one feels tired and frustrated. Though they recognize their frustrations, they are not yet old enough to be able to regulate this on their own or express them in ways where they are understood. While this can be a difficult and wearing stage for most parents, it is a normal and healthy part of your child’s development, so hang in there.
A growing interest in other children
2-year-olds have not yet moved past an egocentric stage of their development, meaning they cannot understand a world where people have other thoughts or concerns that don’t revolve around them. They understand only that they are the center of attention. While your child might not be at an extroverted social stage in their development, they may still be interested in being around other children their age. They may not run to start playtime with another toddler. However, they may take comfort in playing with a toy next to them or in a group scenario. Parents must encourage this to help kick-start their child’s social skills even from this young age.
Behavior imitation of others
At this stage in development, your little one will start to learn to imitate the actions, and perhaps even the words, of those around them. Take this as your sign to be more mindful of your language in your family home, as your child will now start taking notes! Much of this mimicked behavior comes from a drive to feel included socially with those around them, though not all may be appropriate and should be watched and monitored carefully by responsible adults in the home.
Other milestones to consider for your 2-year-old
Read on below for some other important milestones you might notice your toddler approaching within their second year:
A more consistent eating routine
Diet is extremely important for any child, and at this age, you can encourage healthy eating habits within your little one. They should eat three meals daily, with room for a few snacks, ingesting a good mixed diet including vegetables, fish and meat, dairy, and grains. You may also find your child starts being picky about what they eat in ways they haven’t before. This is normal, but don’t let this affect the food groups they consume too much.
A more consistent sleeping routine
You should find that your 2-year-old can now sleep through the night. This can be achieved by setting a consistent and firm bedtime routine. While your toddler should be getting around 11 hours of sleep per night, they should also be squeezing in time for a few naps during the day where necessary. You might also find that your child is ready to upgrade from a crib to a small bed, depending on their growth rate and if they have started being able to escape from their crib.
A seat at the dinner table
Turning 2 is a great time to upgrade from a high chair to a table with the rest of the family. This not only helps them to socialize but also places them in an environment to learn meal-eating etiquette and allows them to mimic more positive behaviors when eating a sit-down meal.
The best way to help your 2-year-old achieve
There’s no denying that 2-year-olds can be hard work, requiring much attention and stimulation to thrive and develop healthily. One of the best ways to do this is by spending lots of social time with your child to encourage speech development and playing lots of games with them to promote imagination and creativity. At this stage, you should also be trying to expose your toddler to as many new things as possible: environment, food, sights, and sounds.
Helping to keep your 2-year-old safe
Your child is now more mobile than ever, so keeping them safe is even more of a concern. Read on below for common dangers and how to avoid them:
A safe car seat
When taking trips in the car, your safest action is to place your child in a rear-facing car seat rather than a front-facing one, as this helps them avoid serious injury in the event of a crash.
Protection from falls and burns
While the odd tumble is natural for any adventurous 2-year-old, they must also be protected from dangerous situations. Make sure to install stair gates to avoid falls down the stairs, and always be wary about your toddler in the kitchen when cooking to ensure they are not at risk of burns from the stove or hot liquids.
When you should be concerned about the development of your child
While all 2-year-olds will progress at their rate to some extent, you may be concerned about your child’s progress if you cannot relate to the milestones in this article. If so, we recommend contacting your pediatrician to further discuss your child’s development.
