Play is important because it’s how children learn.

Your toddler enjoys playing with others, playing dress-ups, having tea parties, painting with their fingers or a brush, and playing ‘rough and tumble’.

When your toddler plays with you or other children, you might find that your toddler is getting better at taking turns.

Telling stories, singing and reading are also fun things for your toddler to do at this age.

They can sometimes imagine how other people feel, but most of the time, their own feelings are so strong that they don’t have room to think about other people’s feelings.

Your child loves to copy what adults do and the way you look, such as dressing up or digging in the garden.

They’ll start to try and keep their feelings inside and can feel very bad if they think they’ve done something wrong.

Two year olds can often play together for short periods but easily get upset and cross with each other.

They know what they want and can seem bossy.

They can be cross when you don’t let them do something or they can’t do it themselves.

They haven’t learned to manage their feelings yet. This is why temper tantrums are common at this age.

A 2 to 3 year old may play with other children for a while but won’t share.

They do what they want, and may grab and push.

They find it hard to wait or make a choice.

They can’t understand reason or control their impulses yet.

Even if they know what you want them to do, they can’t yet make themselves do it if they want to do something else.

Play is important because it’s how children learn.

Everything toddlers have learned so far has developed their thinking.

Your toddler is starting to understand concepts like time and opposites – for example, big/small and day/night.

Your toddler is also starting to point to body parts based on what they do, sort objects, and match shapes and colours.

Your toddler is starting to remember what some things look like – for example, apples look red and round.

Your toddler solves problems by trying things out.

• builds a tower of five to seven objects
• lines up objects in ‘train’ fashion
• recognises and identifies common objects and pictures by pointing

• enjoys playing with sand, water, dough;
• explores what these materials feel like, rather than making things with them
• uses symbolic play, e.g. uses a block as a car

• shows knowledge of gender-role stereotypes
• identifies a child in a picture as a boy or girl
• engages in make-believe and pretend play

• begins to count with numbers
• recognises similarities and differences
• imitates rhythms and animal movements
• is becoming aware of space through physical activity
• can follow two or more directions

Your toddler is going through many emotions while also learning about other people’s feelings.

Tantrums are common, because your toddler can’t always communicate their needs.

They often don’t know how to put words to strong emotions like frustration, anger, embarrassment, guilt and shame.

Your toddler is also starting to understand how their behaviour affects you and how your behaviour affects them.

Your toddler might not get so upset when you leave them.

But they’ll still want a lot of your attention and might cling to you when they’re tired or frightened – or just want a cuddle.

• shows strong attachment to a parent (or main family carer)
• shows distress and protest when a parent or other caregiver leaves and wants that person to do things for them
• begins to show guilt or remorse for misdeeds
• may be less likely to willingly share toys with peers
• may demand adult attention

At this age, toddlers can run and will probably fall less.

Your toddler is starting to walk up and down stairs on their own, putting both feet on each stair and using the rail or wall for balance.

Your toddler can probably kick a ball and might even stand on one foot for a few seconds.

Your toddler is better at throwing overarm and catching.

They probably use their preferred hand to do these activities.

If you’re around while your toddler explores, they’ll feel reassured and safe.

This helps your toddler build confidence to try new things and explore on their own.

At this age, your toddler might also:

• jump on the spot
• ride a tricycle
• recognise objects and name them
• use one foot and then the other foot when walking up stairs.

• Your child is much more confident now with their physical abilities, but they don’t always know when to stop.
• Some toddlers are shy and careful, but many will test the limits. They love to run (often away from you), swing and climb, and ride on toys. Bumps and minor falls are common too.
• walks, runs, climbs, kicks and jumps easily
• uses steps one at a time
• squats to play and rises without using hands for support
• catches ball rolled to him/her
• walks towards a ball to kick it
• jumps from a low step or over low objects
• attempts to balance on one foot
• avoids obstacles
• able to open doors
• stops readily
• moves to music
• turns pages one at a time
• holds crayon with fingers
• uses a pencil to draw or scribble in circles and lines; may still be held in fist
• gets dressed with help
• self-feeds using utensils and a cup

• walks, runs, climbs, kicks and jumps easily
• uses steps one at a time
• squats to play and rises without using hands for support
• catches ball rolled to him/her
• walks towards a ball to kick it
• jumps from a low step or over low objects
• attempts to balance on one foot
• able to open doors
• stops readily
• moves to music
• avoids obstacles

• turns pages one at a time
• holds crayon with fingers
• uses a pencil to draw or scribble in circles and lines; may still be held in fist
• gets dressed with help
• self-feeds using utensils and a cup

Around 2 years, toddlers might be able to use sentences of 2-3 words and say ‘I’, ‘you’ and ‘me’.

Your toddler is learning and using a lot of words and might be easier to understand when talking.

At 3 years, toddlers can usually use sentences of 3-5 words, or even more.

Your toddler starts learning how to take turns when speaking and might be able to have a short conversation with you.

Your toddler is learning how to talk about things that have happened during the day.

With your help, your toddler might be able to put things in order to make a simple story – for example, ‘I go shop’. ‘And what did you do at the shop?’ ‘Buy milk.’

By 3 years, your toddler might be able to tell a simple ‘made-up’ story based on their own experiences, but it will probably be quite short.

At this age your toddler will also talk about people and objects that aren’t with them – for example, ‘Grandma at the shops’ or ‘My ball in tree’.

• Your toddler’s language will develop very quickly between 2 and 3 years.
• You’ll start to get an idea of what’s going on inside their head. Both of you are beginning to communicate through conversation and this can be very exciting.
• Their words or sentences might not always make sense to you, but the more they succeed in getting their message across, the more they will want to communicate with you.

Remember to watch your own language, especially negative words like ‘no’ and ‘don’t’, as it will affect how they see themselves and the world.

• Paint a picture of a world where lots of things are possible – not where things aren’t allowed.
• Try to suggest alternatives and explain dangers as simply as you can. The way they use positive or negative words will come from what they’ve heard from you.
• By 2, your toddler will be naming lots of things like dog, ball and drink.
• By 3, they’ll be saying short sentences – ‘look mummy dog’.
• Around 2, they can follow instructions like ‘bring your shoes here’.
• By 3, more complex instructions – ‘get your shoes from your bedroom and bring them here’.
• They’ll still get ‘you’ and ‘me’ mixed up sometimes.

At this age, most toddlers can’t say all their words clearly – some sounds are hard to say.

If you can understand, try repeating what they just said, then answer them. They need to hear their words clearly, but they will get cross if you try to make them say things clearly.

• uses two or three words together, e.g. “go potty now”
• ‘explosion’ of vocabulary and use of some correct grammatical forms of language
• refers to self by name and often says ‘mine’
• asks lots of questions
• uses pronouns and prepositions, simple sentences and phrases
• labels own gender
• copies words and actions
• makes music, sings and dances
• likes listening to stories and books

• Play a jumping game when you take a walk, by hopping over cracks in a sidewalk (you may have to help at first).
• Wrap tape around one end of a piece of yarn and knot the other end, and allow your toddler to string large macaroni, large beads, or Cheerios.
• Pretending becomes more fun now! Pretend you are a dog or cat, making animal sounds and actions.
• Take time to draw with your child when they show interest. Take turns drawing large shapes and coloring them in.

• Collect empty cereal boxes, egg cartons, etc. and help your child set up their own grocery store.
• Get a piece of paper large enough for you to trace an outline of your child. Talk about body parts and print the words on the paper, having the child draw and color on the poster.
• Read a familiar story and pause frequently to leave out a word, asking your child to fill it in.
• Build roads and bridges with blocks and use cars to teach location words (over, under, between, etc.).

• Give them more experiences by going to different places e.g. park, beach, public swimming pool, shops
• Sing songs, listen to music and dance together
• Describe things they can see and hear in their environment e.g. hot, cold, big, loud, green
• Ask them to solve everyday problems e.g. It’s raining, what do we need to take when we go outside?
• Try to start toilet training. Start with ‘wees’ first
• Give them boxes and blocks for building things e.g. pretend houses and bridges
• Help them develop their motor skills and understand concepts such as ‘under’ and ‘over’ by creating obstacle courses in the home e.g. going ‘over’ pillows, ‘through’ the tunnel, ‘under’ the chair
• Encourage your child to use their imagination and develop the muscles in their hands by using crayons, paints or chalk

• Give your toddler the chance to play with others: play is a great way for your toddler to learn how to be with other children, make friends and develop social skills like sharing and taking turns.
• Spend time playing outdoors:  being out and about with you lets your toddler explore the world and test out their growing physical skills.
• Encourage everyday skills like using a spoon and putting on shoes. These skills involve both small and big muscle movements, as well as your toddler’s ability to think about what they’re doing.
• Talk with your toddler: naming and talking about everyday things – body parts, toys and household items like spoons or chairs – develops your toddler’s language skills.  At this age, you can teach your toddler that a ‘chair’ can be a ‘big chair’, a ‘red chair’ or even a ‘big red chair’.
• Give meaning to your toddler’s talking by listening and talking back with them. If your toddler says ‘Mama milk’, you might reply by saying ‘You want Mum to get you some milk?’ This also makes your toddler feel valued and loved.
• Read to your toddler:  you can encourage your toddler’s talking and imagination by reading together, telling stories, singing songs and reciting nursery rhymes. These activities also help your toddler learn to read as they get older.
• Do some cooking with your toddler:  this helps your toddler to get interested in healthy food, learn some new words, and start to become familiar with maths concepts like ‘half’, ‘1 teaspoon’ or ‘30 minutes’. You can give your toddler simple cooking activities, like tossing a salad or putting together sandwiches.

Encourage your 2 to 3 year old in their attempts to explore the world, while keeping an eye on safety.

Remember they’re only little – offer alternatives, talk about feelings, and give them some individual attention every day.

Be positive

To help them believe the world is a positive place, help them succeed.

Focus on their achievements, however small, rather than their mistakes.

Books and reading

At this age, toddlers love simple picture books with familiar things and simple stories.

Read aloud and talk about the pictures.

They’ll probably want the same book over and over. This helps them to learn that some things stay the same.

Talk with your child and ask questions about what they are doing.

Answer their questions. Show a real interest in what they are doing and saying – this helps them to be confident about talking.

Play

• Play is important for development as they learn to experiment, create new things, and gain skills such as sharing and waiting.
• Your toddler will enjoy copying household jobs like using the phone, sweeping, ‘playing house’ and digging in the garden.
• Provide toys for stacking, things for pulling apart, blocks, simple jigsaws, toy cars, animals and dolls.
• They’ll begin to enjoy playground equipment like slides, sand pits and paddle pools.
• Always supervise children around water.
• Encourage them to dress, feed and wash themselves.
• A little bit of TV is OK at this age – programs for their own age group. They might even start to sing and dance along, especially if you join in too.
• Music can help your child with rhythm and sounds.

Don’t expect them to do everything you ask, especially while they’re doing something they enjoy.

Warn them a few minutes before they need to stop doing something they like.

For example, they may cry and shout when they have to leave a playground.

This might upset you, but remember that they were having fun there, so don’t stay away from playgrounds.

They are fun, and good places to learn skills such as climbing and running.

In time, they’ll learn that even though they have to leave, they will come back for another play.

Sometimes it helps to offer something else interesting, like ‘we’re going home to see daddy’.