Developmental milestones for toddlers represent significant achievements in physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development during the early years. Helping your children develop these skills requires patience, attention, and teaching on your part as a parent.
Check out this list of developmental milestones for your toddler!
10 Developmental Milestones for Toddlers
1) Walking Independently
Most toddlers begin to walk independently between 12 and 18 months. They start by taking a few steps and gradually become more confident in their walking abilities.
2) Vocabulary Growth
Toddlers experience a significant increase in their vocabulary. By the age of 2, they typically know and use around 200 to 300 words, and this number continues to grow rapidly.
Around 2 to 3 years old, toddlers start combining words into simple sentences, expressing their needs and thoughts more effectively.
4) Parallel Play
During the toddler years, children engage in parallel play, where they play alongside other children without direct interaction. They may observe, imitate, or occasionally share toys, but they are not yet fully engaged in cooperative play.
5) Climbing and Running
Toddlers’ gross motor skills progress rapidly, and they become skilled climbers and runners. Climbing stairs with assistance and running with increased coordination are common achievements.
6) Self-Feeding
Toddlers develop more fine motor control and hand-eye coordination, enabling them to feed themselves with a spoon and drink from a cup.
7) Toilet Training
Between 18 months and 3 years old, many toddlers begin toilet training, showing signs of readiness such as indicating when they need to go, staying dry for longer periods, or showing interest in using the potty.
8) Pretend Play
Toddlers engage in imaginative and pretend play, such as playing house, caring for dolls, or pretending to be animals. This type of play helps develop their creativity and social skills.
9) Following Simple Instructions
Toddlers become more capable of following simple instructions and routines, like putting away toys, washing hands, or finding specific objects.
10) Emotional Development
Toddlers begin to show more emotional awareness and express a wider range of emotions. They may start to recognize and label their feelings, as well as show empathy towards others.
It’s important to remember that each child develops at their own pace, and there can be variations in achieving these milestones. Some toddlers may reach certain milestones earlier or later than others, and that’s perfectly normal.
If you have concerns about your child’s development, consider discussing them with a pediatrician or a child development expert to gain a better understanding of their progress and potential areas of support.