Child Development Milestones: 2 to 3 Years

Level: Intermediate

Two-year-olds are learning new words every day and asking lots of questions. They are becoming more interested in other children, but sharing is still very hard. Many families also start potty training at this age.

What you might see

Movement

They run, jump with both feet, and climb confidently.

They walk up and down stairs, often holding the rail.

They can turn pages in a book, build a tower of several blocks, and hold a crayon better.

By around 3, some can draw a circle.

Communication

They join 2 or 3 words together, then start to make short sentences.

By around 3 years, many children know a few hundred words.

They ask lots of questions: "What's that?", "Where's Daddy?"

Familiar adults can understand most of what they say. Strangers may not understand everything yet.

Social and emotional

They start to play with other children, not just next to them.

Sharing and taking turns are still difficult. They need a lot of help.

They may have strong feelings and tantrums, but they slowly start to use words instead.

They love routines and may get upset when things change.

Thinking

Pretend play becomes richer: tea parties, doctors, shops.

They start to understand simple ideas like "big" and "small", "in" and "on".

They may know some colours and start to count.

Self-care

Many families start potty training between 2 and 3 years. Every child is ready at a different time.

They can help to dress and undress themselves.

How you can help

Answer their questions patiently, even the tenth "why?" of the day.

Model correct words instead of correcting. If they say "I goed to the park", you say "Yes, you went to the park! What did you see?"

Play turn-taking games, like rolling a ball or simple board games: "My turn, now your turn."

Follow the parents' potty training plan exactly. Use the same words, rewards and routine as they do. Stay calm and positive about accidents.

Warn them before changes: "Five more minutes, then we'll tidy up."

When to talk to the parents

Mention it if the child:

is not joining two words together by around 2 and a half

is very difficult to understand for people who know them well

falls over a lot or has trouble with stairs

is not interested in other children or in pretend play

doesn't follow simple instructions

stops doing something they could do before

Useful phrases

"He used the potty twice today and had one accident."

"She played a pretend shop game with her friend for 20 minutes."

"What word do you use for the toilet at home, so I can use the same one?"

Vocabulary

WordMeaning

potty trainingteaching a child to use a potty or toilet

an accidentwhen a child wets or soils themselves

to take turnsto do something one person after another

to modelto show the right way by doing or saying it yourself

routinethe same activities in the same order every day

Next in the series: Child Development Milestones: 3 to 5 Years →