It’s known as the “terrible twos” because your toddler seems to want to say “no!” This blog is all about 2-Year-Old Growth and Development Milestones. This is the moment when your child’s personality begins to emerge as they develop into their person. Here are a few child development milestones to keep an eye out for.
Ability to Move
These are the following child development milestones to keep an eye out for:
- Stand on your toes.
- Kick a ball around.
- Begin to run.
- Climb onto and off of furniture without assistance.
- Toss the ball overhand.
You’ve probably observed that your toddler has stopped stumbling when walking and has moved on to the smoother heel-to-toe action of an adult walker, that’s one of the first signs of child development. They’ll become a more coordinated runner in the months ahead, learning to walk backwards, turn corners, and stand on one leg with a bit of support.
Running, playing, sliding down slides, and climbing will all help them strengthen their motor abilities. In addition, it’s beneficial for kids to have time to go outside and explore each day. This will allow children to enhance their motor abilities while having fun and letting off steam. First, however, you must keep an eye on them.
Child Development – Hand and Fingers
Child development milestones to keep an eye out for:
- Freely scribble
- Turn a container over and empty the contents.
- Build a four-block skyscraper or more.
Your youngster can now turn a doorknob or unscrew a jar lid by coordinating the movements of their wrist, fingers, and palm. Even if the grasp may appear unnatural to you, they can hold a crayon or pencil, that’s such an amazing child development. Even so, it’s sufficient for children to begin drawing lines and circles on a piece of paper. Their attention span will be much longer than it was at 18 months, and now that they can turn pages in a book, they will be able to participate more actively while you read together. In addition, they’ll be entertained for a long time if they draw, build with blocks, or use a construction set.
Your youngster may exhibit a preference for the left or right hand at this age. But there’s no need to pressurise them into making a decision. Later in life, some children develop a preference. Others are equally adept at using both hands. So let things of child development happen on their own time.
Language Abilities
Your child should be able to do the following:
- When goods or pictures are named, point to them.
- Know your parents’, siblings’, bodily parts’, and object’s names.
- Make a two- to four-word sentence.
- Simple instructions should be followed.
You will monitor that, Your 2-year-old will most likely be putting lengthier phrases together after hearing terms overheard in a discussion (like, “Mommy, I want cookie” rather than just, “Cookie Mommy.”) They’ll also begin to refer to themselves by pronouns such as “I” and “me” rather than their full name. Because not all children speak at the same rate, don’t worry if your friend’s child says more than yours. Boys also tend to walk later than girls.
Your youngster understands more than they can express at this age.
Continue to engage them, particularly by letting them know what’s coming up later in the day and when an activity is about to end.
Talk and read to your child to help them with their language skills. Use books that require kids to touch, name, and repeat words (you can do this yourself with any picture book by asking your child questions). Poems, puns, and jokes will become more enjoyable as their language skills improve.
Social and emotional abilities
Your child might be able to:
- copy others.
- Get pumped up when they’re with other kids.
- Demonstrate growing independence by playing alongside, rather than with, other youngsters.
- Demonstrate growing defiance (doing things you told them not to do)
- Be more aware of their own identity as distinct from others.
At this age, children believe that the world revolves around them. Sharing is a concept that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Your child may sit next to another toddler to play, but unless it’s to steal a toy away from them, they should be ignored. This is very normal. “How would you like it if she did it to you?” isn’t going to help children at this age. So keep a watchful eye on their interactions.
At the same time, children like imitating others and may speak to their teddy bear or doll in the same way that their parents do. So that’s just another reason to set a good example.
Skills in Learning and Thinking
Your child should be able to do the following:
- Even if anything is hidden beneath two or three layers, they may find it.
- Begin by sorting the shapes and colours.
- In well-known works, there are complete phrases and rhymes.
- Play easy pretend games.
- Follow the two-part instructions carefully (such as “drink your milk, then give me the cup”)
Your child’s linguistic skills are improving, and they’re beginning to solve issues in their heads. They’re also starting to grasp time ideas such as, “After we brush our teeth, I’ll read you a storey.”
They’ll begin to grasp the notion of numbers, allowing you to start counting. Their play will grow more complicated, and instead of moving from one object to the next, they may create an elaborate setting for one specific toy.
Delays in Child Development
If your child cannot do any of the following by the age of two, contact your doctor.
After several months of walking, kids should not be walking primarily on their toes or unsteadily.
- Pronounce a two-word sentence.
- Imitate someone’s acts or remarks.
- Simple directions should be followed.
Remember the abilities they formerly possessed?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, your child should be screened for autism at 18 months and 24 months. If there is an issue, your doctor will send you to an EI programme, which the federal government funds. A portion of the EI services will be supplied for free.
Time in front of the screen
Children as young as two can benefit from high-quality educational programmes, but they should limit their viewing time to one hour each day. Too much screen time might lead to insufficient physical exercise and sleep problems. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should not leave your child alone in front of a screen (TV, tablet, or laptop computer), but rather watch with them. Also, don’t use the television as a source of background noise. Turn it off when no one is looking.
