As a parent, to watch your little one grow is one of the most amazing experiences you will have. But, it’s not an easy feat if you don’t know what to look for in each stage of growth and development of your toddler.
In this article, we have elaborated on four of the crucial stages of growth and development of your toddler. We have also mentioned the signs of development to look for.
Physical development:
Toddlers tend to show rapid growth and development, especially when it comes to physical development which includes changes and growth of a toddler’s body. During this stage muscles and sensory organs of a toddler develop, too.
Physical development in children is usually monitored in two categories:
Fine motor development:
Anything that shows acute movement or involves precision is termed as fine motor development. Here are some of the fine motor developments to watch out for in your toddler:
- Draw simple shapes such as squares and circles,
- Draws lines and curves
- Undress on their own
- Drinks from small cups and glasses on their own (may spill)
Gross motor development:
In gross motor development, larger muscle groups are developed. Toddlers also engage in full or wide-range movements such as:
- Jumping
- Climbing a flight of stairs
- Running without falling
- Throwing a ball
Cognitive development:
Another important stage of growth and development in a toddler is the cognitive development. This development speeds up from the age of two and beyond. During this stage, your toddler’s brain develops at a rapid pace as they are exposed to more information in terms of color, relations, textures, foods, familiar faces, etc. At this stage, you will often find your toddler:
- Recognizing familiar faces and family members
- Completing sentences
- Telling short stories
- Narrating events of his/her day
Language development:
This stage of growth and development, too, takes place quickly. Once your child turns two, he/she will have a vocabulary of about 50 to 100 words. This will double every year. Some toddlers will even start using combinations of a couple of words or more. Here’s are some of the signs to watch out for:
- Attempts to frame a sentence
- Copies your sentences
- Uses pronouns such as “me” and “you”
- Can make phrases, such as “no bottle” or “want cookie”
Emotional Development:
By the time a toddler reaches the age of two, he/she has developed strong bonds with parents and people who are always around them. In this stage, it is very likely for a toddler to test the limits of parents or caretakers’ authority. To do so, you will often find your toddler experimenting with objects and situations in everyday life. Acting independently is also a trait that is high lightened in this stage. Here are some signs of emotional and social development that your toddler will show:
- Feels happy
- Feels guilty
- Recognizes himself/herself in the mirror
- Hugs and kisses parents, familiar people and pets
- Shows frustration easily
Every child progresses at a different speed. So, there will be times when your toddler may miss a couple of these developmental signs, don’t worry. As long as they are showing signs of some of the developments in each stage, they’re good. However, you can consult your toddler’s pediatrician if you see a prolonged delay in certain movements.
Fun tip:
As a memory, you can make a baby growth tracker to keep a record of all the new developments that your toddler shows.
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