Your toddler hits some wondrous and exciting milestones between the ages of 1 and 3. The tiny person who relied on you for everything grows into an independent little person by leaps and bounds, learning new things and grasping new skills every day. These guidelines represent the average for all toddlers -- each child is different so your child may not perform every task exactly when specified. If you have any concerns about your toddler’s development, consult her pediatrician.
Twelve Months
By 12 months old, your toddler sits unassisted. She drinks from a cup, feeds herself finger foods, pulls herself to a standing position on furniture and possibly takes steps while holding the furniture or your hand. She points with her finger, grasps small objects between her thumb and finger, copies your actions and moves to music. She can accomplish simple tasks, such as crawling to a ball she tosses. She recognizes familiar people, and may be scared of strangers. She may say at least one word, lifts her arms when she wants you to pick her up and understands simple commands, such as “No."
Eighteen Months
By 18 months old, your toddler walks by herself, and he may try to run. He pushes and pulls toys, dumps things out, and refills them. He stacks two or three blocks in a tower, scribbles with crayons, looks for objects out of his sight and follows simple directions. He may fuss when frustrated and pull off clothing, such as hats, gloves and socks. He identifies objects in books or pictures, points at things he wants, recognizes himself in the mirror or in photos and may have a vocabulary of eight to 10 words.
Two Years
By 2 years old, your toddler can feed herself with a spoon, drink from a straw and follow more complex commands, such as, “Put your plate in the sink, throw your napkin away and wash your hands.” She walks backward, tosses and rolls a ball, walks up stairs with help, and opens drawers, cabinets and boxes. She can identify five or six body parts, use two-to-three word sentences, laugh at silly sentences, and she has a vocabulary of several hundred words. She hums or sings, pretends to feed her dolls or stuffed animals, takes turns playing with other children, and understands the concept of “mine."
Three Years
By the end of 3 years, your toddler openly expresses affection, separates from parents with ease, and imitates adults and friends. She operates mechanical toys, sorts shapes by size and color, identifies common objects, and understands spatial placement, such as “on” and “under." She climbs objects, kicks a ball, pedals a tricycle and runs easily. She uses four-to-five word sentences, follows commands easily, and begins to understand the concept of counting. She draws lines and circles with crayons, rather than scribbling, and holds the crayon in a writing position rather than in a fist.
