At 2 years of age, a child is predominantly learning new things. Indeed, by such ages, significant developments take place in social, language, cognitive, and physical changes. This understanding helps parents track what may be wrong with their child at the right time.
What Are Developmental Milestones for 2-Year-Olds?
Developmental milestones are important markers for the assessment of a child’s competency in different fields, which include social participation, motor, and problem-solving skills. Usually, by age two, the child demonstrates advancements in the following
- Social and Emotional Development: At this stage, toddlers begin to imitate adults and other children more often. They may exhibit signs of independence, such as saying “no” to requests, and start showing stronger preferences for certain toys or people. Playing next to other children (parallel play) becomes more common, though interactive play is still developing.
- Cognitive Development: Children at this age are very inquisitive. They begin to use make-believe play, can solve simple puzzles, and can even point to things when named. They may start naming familiar people, objects, and body parts.
- Physical Development: Toddlers can now walk more steadily, run, and climb furniture without help. Other milestones include kicking a ball, jumping with both feet, and beginning to turn door handles.
Social and Emotional Milestones
At 2 years old, children begin to develop more solid social bonds and emotional responses. Common social and emotional milestones include:
- Imitating others’ actions, especially those of adults and older children.
- Becoming more independent and showing a preference for particular people or toys.
- Temper tantrums appear as a mode of venting frustration or reasserting independence.
- Playing next to other children (parallel play) but does not necessarily engage with them. Gradually, more interactive peer play appears. Showing defiance through actions such as doing the opposite of what was asked. Demonstrating affection for known people, and in some cases, beginning to exhibit other emotions such as jealousy.
Language and Communication Milestones
Language development is an important emphasis at this time because children begin to increase their vocabulary and means of communication. Some milestones include:
- Speaking 50 or more words with rapid vocabulary expansion.
- Speaking simple two-to-four-word sentences, such as “more milk” or “go outside.”
- Repeating words heard in conversations.
- Pointing to things in a book when asked (e.g., “Where’s the cat?”).
- Following simple instructions (e.g., “pick up your toy”).
Cognitive Milestones
Cognitive development milestones reflect a child’s growing ability to think, learn, and problem-solve. At this stage, common milestones include:
- Engaging in make-believe play, such as pretending to feed a doll or talk on the phone.
- Start sorting shapes and colors and simple puzzle solving.
- Building a tower with four or more blocks.
- Turning book pages one at a time.
- Identifying items by name, as seen in books, pictures, or around.
- Identifying items by what they are used for, such as “fork” for eating.
Physical Development Milestones
Physical growth is very visible during this stage of development with gross motor and fine motor abilities greatly improving. These include:
- Walking and running with greater coordination.
- Moving onto and off of furniture independently.
- Kicking a ball and throwing it overhand.
- Hopping on both feet and standing on tiptoes.
- Using doorknobs and spoons or forks with fewer spills.
- Drawing lines or circles and imitating others’ movements with more accuracy.
What If My Child Is Not Meeting These Milestones?
Every child grows at their own pace, but missing certain milestones might indicate developmental or genetic concerns. The Child Development Checker app is designed to help parents address concerns about their child’s development and genetic health by offering AI-powered assessments through a free, easy-to-use platform. The app assesses the child’s condition by asking parents to answer questions and upload facial images to identify potential developmental and genetic concerns.
After completing the assessment, parents receive a free report that highlights areas of concern. The app also provides options for connecting with healthcare professionals for further evaluation and support. With its secure, user-friendly design and compatibility across various devices, the Child Development Checker app enables parents to assess their child’s genetic health and development comfortably from home. It’s important to understand that while AI tools can expedite the diagnostic process, consulting a healthcare professional for a formal diagnosis and proper guidance remains essential.
