Toddler Development

For the past year your baby has gone from a tiny bundle that doesn't make many noises, apart from crying, and laying around being waited on, to a bouncy, squealing, jabbering, climbing, cruise machine that can leave you requiring WWF training just to get them undressed for a bath! There is even more fun to come! All children are active learners, even when they seem to be just casually playing. Nearly each movement they make helps them comprehend the world around them. Continue to provide your child with a variety of objects that they can interact with, including you! Don't forget to offer them drawing materials & books. Also, keep on singing & dancing with them & playing games such as 'Peek-a-boo' & 'Pat a cake' that help them develop their sensory awareness skills.

Here are some of the things your toddler may be learning to do.

13 - 18 months: Plays games such as 'Pat a cake' & 'Peek-a-boo', imitates others, stands alone, bends over to pick up an object, drinks from a cup, tries to pick up heavy objects, can draw a line, rolls a ball back & forth, walks backwards, walks up stairs, stacks blocks, turns pages of a book, gets attached to an object or soft toy, can take off an item of clothing, pushes & pulls toys while walking, responds to directions (Stand up, sit down), sorts toys by shape, size & colour, draws a line, "reads" a book, can pedal a bike, kicks a ball.

19 - 24 months: Can run, will 'feed' a doll or teddy, use spoon & fork, 'helps' around the house, can name some parts of the body, sings simple tunes, complete simple puzzles, begins to make sentences, may start to be aware of needing to urinate, talks about themselves, likes the word 'no', can recognise opposites, may learn to put on some items of clothing.

25 - 36 months: brushes teeth, can take off clothes, jumps, skips & hops, speaks clearly, washes & dries hands, can draw a vertical line, starts to name colours, can balance on one foot, can name a friend, can explain what some objects are used for, toilet trained throughout the day, throws under & over arm.

3 - 4 years: Dresses themselves, toilet trained (may still need wiping), shows more independence, has a vocabulary between 300 - 1500 words, plays make believe, draws a circle, imaginary fear of darkness.