Everything you need to know about your growing 2-year-old

As parents, we all want to make sure our children are growing and developing properly. The toddler years are a time of rapid growth and change, and as your little one approaches their second birthday, you may be wondering what to expect. While every child is different, there are some general milestones that most 2-year-olds will reach. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the key areas of development for your growing 2-year-old and offer tips to help you support your child’s growth and learning. So whether you’re a first-time parent or a seasoned pro, read on to learn more about this exciting stage of your child’s life.

Social and emotional milestones of 2-year-old

Some of the ways you’ll see your little one learning to connect with the people around him at 2 years:

• Likes to copy adults and other children.
• Gets excited when he’s with other children.
• He is more independent and even more defiant.

Tips for Parents

• Find opportunities to engage in play and conversations with your toddler. Playtime could be as simple as rolling a ball back and forth, handing you their toys, or helping you with safe activities like folding clothes with your supervision. These types of activities can help develop pro-social behaviors by fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration with others.

Language and communication milestones at 2 years

How your toddler is expressing her needs:

• Says short sentences with two to four words.
• Points to things when they are named.
• Knows familiar body parts.
• Recognizes familiar people.
• Repeats words she has overheard and follows simple instructions.

Tips for Parents

• When taking her for a walk, tell her the names of the things you see.

Brain development milestones at 2 years

How your child’s brain is growing:

• Starts to sort shapes and colors.
• Can find things hidden under multiple layers. 
• Completes sentences in familiar books.
• Plays simple make-believe games.
• Builds towers with four or more blocks.
• Can follow two-step instructions. 
• May start to develop a dominant hand.

Tips for Parents

• Encourage him to go look around the room for objects you hide and give him hints. 

Movement and physical development milestones at 2 years

How she’ll move through her environment:

• Can run, kick a ball and throw a ball overhead.
• Is starting to run.
• Climbs up and down from furniture without assistance.
• Makes or copies straight lines and circles. 

Tips for Parents

• Create little fine motor skills challenges for your toddler, like asking her to turn the page of a book.

Food and nutrition milestones at 2 years

What mealtimes look like at 2 years:

• Chews with full jaw movements.
• Uses utensils with some spills. 

Tips for Parents

• Be calm and accepting. Give your child positive attention when he does eat, but don’t make it a problem when he doesn’t eat. Just take the food away, cover it, and offer it to him again a bit later.

Things to look out for

While all children develop differently, you should speak to your pediatrician if your 2-year-old:

• Doesn’t know how to use common objects.
• Doesn’t use two-word phrases.
• Doesn’t copy actions or repeat words.
• Doesn’t follow basic directions. 
• Can’t walk steadily. 
• Loses skills she once had.

>> Read more: Child Development Guide & Milestones: 1 year old Baby