What are the Milestones in Toddler Development?

Toddler Development is an exciting time. Infants to toddler marks the beginning of more independence. As your tiny tot masters more and more functions your job is more to provide the stimulus and then get out of the way! Well, not really, your toddler will demand constant attention, and your interaction with your child is the most important role for a parent, however parents sometimes help their children too much.

Toddlers learn to drink from a cup, using both hands. She wants to feed herself, and can use a spoon. She will start to understand object relationships, cup and saucers, spoons into the bowl, and tries to dress a doll.

When offered crayons and felt pens, she will love scribbling and uses her whole arm. Let your kids paint the fence with non toxic paints. It washes off in the rain and keeps the mess outside!

Infants or toddler teeth develop rapidly at this time, during this next year she will get six to ten new teeth.

Toddler Development: Toddling!

You're off and running (well nearly!). Any time from now, your tiny tot will be walking, and then running before you know it. (Boo hoo, no more little baby!!) There is a huge range as to what is normal in Toddler Development, when your little one goes from infant to toddler.

I know a baby who sat happily for 18 months, hardly crawling until finally deciding walking might be interesting. Whereas my daughter and son walked at 8 and 9 months so sadly soon left the baby stage behind. Nikole barely crawled, only to get to furniture and then would walk all around it to get to something, even if it would have been closer to crawl! Growth rate slows from now on, and as your little one moves from infant to toddler, they start to loose some of those lovely chubby rolls of baby fat.

Toddler Development Stepping Stones

• Your baby can crawl incredibly fast, even when walking they will often drop to crawl to get somewhere quicker and more confidently.
• He can get up to standing unassisted, and stands unsupported with legs splayed.
• Your tiny tot starts to walk alone - even pushing your hand away when you want to help.
• Can bend over to pick up toys (without always falling over!)
• Toddlers get up/down stairs holding onto rail.
• Learns to jump with both feet.
• Tries running! (my son ran from the word go, I think he figured the only way he could keep upright was to move as quickly as possible!)

Toddler Development: Brain Power!

The toddler years are a time of incredible brain development. You can almost see the cogs turning as they try to figure things out! Their understanding of space and form increases - figuring out geometric shapes into holes, pegs in pegboards, large jigsaw puzzles are great educational toys.

Toddlers will poke smaller items into containers and then tip them out: pegs into bottles, sultanas or cereal into a cup. Tiny tots will try to make mechanical toys work after watching Mom or Dad (and get very cross if you try to help!)

Toddlers love books and will help turn the pages and can point to pictures accurately. One of the best things you can do with your kids is Read, Read, Read!

Don't just ready baby books, you can read out of any book you are reading or magazines, read the back of cereal boxes, point out the pictures.

Toddler Development: Where's the toy?

Toddler years are great for games, your tiny tot will love playing hiding games. At first (when they see you hide it) they will look in the same place. Later as their little brain computes a bit more they will search in different places. Playing the game of where's baby (and pretending you can't see them) - and searching behind chairs, under cushions in boxes etc will delight your infants. Toddlers start to find things intensely funny, and love repetitive exciting games.

Toddler Development: Playtime is learning

Toddler development at this stage highlights the importance of playing. Your toddler will start to have more control over objects they are playing with, passing from hand to hand, holding more than one toy, and controlling a group of toys instead of drop and forget when they spot something new. Unlike infants, a toddler is less likely to put everything in her mouth as the primary way of exploring it.

Tiny Tots Playtime

• Your Tiny Tot can carry toys from place to place.
• She loves pulling toys while walking, or pushing boxes along the floor.
• She will offer toys to you or hold something up she is pleased with.
• Your toddler can stack blocks, maybe even up to 6.
• Toddlers love ball games, and by this stage can start to have some control over where they throw. (something I've never mastered - maybe I missed a vital developmental stage!)

Toddler Development: Talkie Talk, keep talking happy talk ....

Finally your Tiny Tot starts to be able to TELL you what they want (and most forcibly!) From the babbling of infants, to toddler chatting, speech development grows in leaps and bounds in this stage of toddler development.

Initially one word says it all! "Me" has a multitude of meanings, from I want a drink, to give me one of those cookies. Then your toddler starts to string words together, "bye daddy", "more juice". Then eventually short sentences, "where daddy gone?" He has many intelligible words (thank goodness!) and can name everyday objects.

He is able to understand and carry out simple directions; "give Mummy the ball" Your Tot can identify different people, objects or toys and point when asked "where's Grandma? Where's Teddy?". He loves pointing to body parts; "where's your nose?", "Show me your tummy?" He responds to simple questions with "yes" or "no" and shakes or nods his head.

Infants and toddlers love rhymes and songs and your Tiny Tot will try to sing along or make the movements, such as clapping, patting the tummy.

Toddler Development: Socialization - life's a party!

Toddlers are less wary of strangers and enjoys adult attention. Your tiny tot will be quite happy playing by himself for short periods, so long as you, or a close adult is nearby. A Toddler will be very affectionate, showering you with hugs and kisses (yum!)

Although at this stage of toddler development, your child will enjoy the company of other children, they don't play together, but play along side each other quite happily. However you will begin to notice she may pass a toy to a little friend as she gets older.

Your Toddler can be quite helpful when asked, putting toys in the box, or bringing you a book. I had my two children a year apart (to the day!) and my eldest was a wonderful help, bringing me nappies and putting washing in the basket. This is also the time where your little angel can become a little devil! Asserting her independence and refusing to cooperate. You may have the fun of a few tantrums when she gets overly tired or frustrated.

Toddler Development: Potty training!

By two years, most Tiny Tots will start to be dry during the day, apart from the odd accident. But a few children don't develop the connections in their brain to be aware of bladder pressure until they are quite old, occasionally even until puberty. So don't turn it into an issue, being cross or punishing for a wet bed simply turns a physical developmental problem into a psychological one. Most importantly, keep it light, make it fun, not a pressure, and your toddler will soon get the hang of it. If you can handle the lack of privacy, let your little kids see that Mummy and Daddy can get it in the toilet! (Clever Daddy!!) Yes, it is great to finally get rid of those nappies (diapers) but just chill out with the timing of it all.

Toddler Development is such a time of change and growth as they master so many new things. The toddler years are a busy time, filled with play and adventure.

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