Toddlers are children ages 1 - 3.
Early use of instruments or tools
Following visual (then later, invisible) displacement (moving from one place to another) of objects
Understanding that objects and people are there even if you can't see them (object and people permanence)
Erik H. Erikson's personal-social development theory says the toddler stage represents Autonomy (independence) vs. Shame or Doubt. The child learns to adjust to society's demands, while trying to maintain independence and a sense of self.
These milestones are typical of children in the toddler stages. Some variation is normal. If you have questions about your child's development, contact your health care provider.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
The following are signs of expected physical development in a toddler:
GROSS MOTOR SKILLS (use of large muscles in the legs and arms)
Stands alone well by 12 months
Walks well by 12 - 15 months (if the child is not walking by 18 months, he or she should be evaluated by a health care provider)
Learns to walk backwards and up steps with help at about 16 - 18 months
Throws a ball overhand and kicks a ball forward at about 18 - 24 months
Jumps in place by about 24 months
Rides a tricycle and stands briefly on one foot by about 36 months
FINE MOTOR SKILLS (use of small muscles in hands and fingers)
Makes tower of three cubes by around 15 months
Scribbles by 15 - 18 months
Can use spoon and drink from a cup by 24 months
Can copy a circle by 36 months
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Uses 2 - 3 words (other than Mama or Dada) at 12 - 15 months
Understands and follows simple commands ("bring to Mommy") at 14 - 16 months
Names pictures of items and animals at 18 - 24 months
Points to named body parts at 18 - 24 months
Begins to say his or her own name at 22 - 24 months
Combines 2 words at 16 to 24 months -- there is a range of ages at which children are first able to combine words into sentences; if a toddler cannot do so by 24 months, parents should consult their health care provider
Knows gender and age by 36 months
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Indicates some needs by pointing at 12 - 15 months
Looks for help when in trouble by 18 months
Helps to undress and put things away by 18 - 24 months
Listens to stories when shown pictures and can tell about immediate experiences by 24 months
Can engage in pretend play and simple games by 24 - 36 months
BEHAVIOR
Toddlers are always trying to be more independent. This creates not only special safety concerns, but discipline challenges. The child must be taught -- in a consistent manner -- the limits of appropriate vs. inappropriate behavior.
When toddlers try out activities they can't quite do yet, they can get frustrated and angry. Breath-holding, crying, screaming, and temper tantrums may be daily occurrences.
It is important for a child to learn from experiences and to be able to rely on consistent boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
SAFETY
Toddler safety is very important.
It is important for parents to recognize that the child can now walk, run, climb, jump, and explore. This new stage of movement makes child-proofing the home essential. Window guards, gates on stairways, cabinet locks, toilet seat locks, electric outlet covers, and other safety features are essential.
As during the infancy period, place the toddler in a safety restraint (toddler car seat) when riding in a car.
Do not leave a toddler unattended for even short periods of time. Remember, more accidents occur during the toddler years than at any other stage of childhood.
Introduce and strictly stick to rules about not playing in streets or crossing without an adult.
Falls are a major cause of injury. Keep gates or doors to stairways closed, and use guards for all windows above the ground floor. Do not leave chairs or ladders in areas that are likely to tempt the toddler into climbing up to explore new heights. Use corner guards on furniture in areas where the toddler is likely to walk, play, or run.
Childhood poisonings are a frequent source of illness and death during the toddler years. Keep all medications in a locked cabinet. Keep all toxic household products (polishes, acids, cleaning solutions, chlorine bleach, lighter fluid, insecticides, or poisons) in a locked cabinet or closet. Many household plants may cause illness if eaten. Toad stools and other garden plants may cause serious illness or death. Get a list of these common plants from your pediatrician.
If a family member owns a firearm, make sure it is unloaded and locked up in a secure place.
Keep toddlers away from the kitchen with a safety gate, or place them in a playpen or high chair. This will eliminate the danger of burns from pulling hot foods off the stove or bumping into the hot oven door.
Toddlers love to play in water, but should never be allowed to do so alone. A toddler may drown even in shallow water in a bathtub. Parent-child swimming lessons can be another safe and enjoyable way for toddlers to play in water. Never leave a child unattended near a pool, open toilet, or bathtub. Toddlers cannot learn how to swim and cannot be independent near any body of water.
PARENTING TIPS
The toddler years are the time to begin instilling values, reasoning, and incentives in the child, so that they learn accepted rules of behavior. It is important for parents to be consistent both in modeling behavior (behaving the way you want your child to behave),and in addressing appropriate versus inappropriate behavior in the child. Recognize and reward positive behavior. You can introduce time-outs for negative behavior, or for going beyond the limits you set for your child.
The toddler's favorite word may seem to be "NO!!!" It is important for parents not to fall into a pattern of negative behavior with yelling, spanking, and threatening of their own.
Teach children the proper names of body parts.
Stress the unique, individual qualities of the child.
Teach concepts of please, thank you, and sharing with others.
Read to the child on a regular basis -- it will enhance the development of verbal skills.
Toddlers thrive on regularity. Major changes in their routine are challenging for them. Toddlers should have regular nap, bed, snack, and meal times.
Toddlers should not be allowed to eat many snacks throughout the day. Multiple snack times tend to suppress their appetite for regular meals, which tend to be more balanced.
Travel and guests can be expected to disrupt the child's routine and make them more irritable. The best responses to these situations are reassurance and reestablishing routine in a calm way.
Your child's learning
You can get your young child off to a good start by getting involved in their learning early. It’s easy and fun, and research shows it will help your child’s learning for life.
You can help your child learn by:
talking about what’s around you and what’s happening
encouraging your child to talk by listening and responding
providing materials that can be used in lots of ways and that encourage your child to imitate and pretend (for example, toy telephones, dolls or hats)
sharing songs, stories and rhymes.
Your child and books
You should try to read to your child every day. Toddlers, and even babies, can start experiencing books very early.
They can learn:
how to hold a book
that the front of a book is different from the inside
how to hold the book and turn the pages at the same time
to look for interesting things in the pictures
that pictures and stories stay the same each time you look at a book
that some books contain exciting stories
that some books contain printed words and language.
Play-based learning
Play offers children many valuable opportunities that contribute to their learning. Evidence shows that play can support learning across physical, social, emotional and intellectual areas of development. In the first three years particularly, play helps children to learn about the world through listening, looking, touching, tasting and smelling.
Following are a few suggestions of things you can do with your child:
Put several different objects in a bag and ask your child to put a hand in and feel one. Ask questions such as ‘How does it feel?’ Describing objects helps your child’s language development.
Encourage your child to stack blocks and then take some away. Activities like this help your child begin to learn skills and an understanding for maths.
Fill plastic containers with sand, pebbles, rice and water. Encourage your child to shake them and discover the different sounds they make.
Provide your child with opportunities to socialise more widely.
Communicating with your child
Toddlers listen to everything you say. They often understand more than we think they do. They can be very sensitive and may get grumpy or burst into tears because of the way someone speaks to them or laughs at them.
Toddlers have strong feelings and emotions and their communication skills let them down at times. Their feelings can sometimes be too much for them, but they often don’t have the words or understanding to tell you what’s wrong. Their communication skills are improving all the time. When toddlers can communicate well with words it will be easier for them to get help with their everyday needs. Feeling secure, understood and accepted by their family helps them through trying times.
Following are some tips for good communication:
really listen to what your child is trying to say and try to recognise the emotions behind it
make regular time to communicate one-on-one with your child
whenever your child wants to talk, try to pay full attention
get down to your child’s level to talk by kneeling or squatting and facing the child
let your child finish sentences – don’t interrupt.
Your child's behaviour
By this age, many children start to control their urges, change their behaviour and do as you ask - not all the time, of course.
The name for this ability is self-regulation. It’s one of life’s most important milestones.
Some tips for helping your child learn to behave in acceptable ways include:
try to create situations where your child can explore life without lots of ‘don’t’ and ‘no’
show your child how you feel about their behaviour
give your child positive feedback for behaviour that you approve of
explain the consequences of your child’s behaviour so they can figure out why something is wrong
be patient.
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