24-30 Months: Toddlers in Motion -- Milestones

1. Shows coordination skills while moving around and engaging in play activities.

Depending on their opportunities for outdoor play and the active play space available inside, toddlers begin to show new skill in moving their bodies about and executing more complicated maneuvers with their arms and legs. They use their arms or legs together in combination, and are not as likely to fall down when walking and running as they were when they were younger. They love to walk on tiptoe, march to music, or jump off a low step. They enjoy practicing the same skill over and over, and they appear more directed in their activity than they did a few months ago. For example:

Developing as expected, they might:

• fling a ball in an attempt to throw it toward you
• roll a ball back and forth to a partner
• push a friend in the pushcart or on a riding toy
• climb the steps on a toddler slide more skillfully and slide down with ease
• climb up the bars of a small jungle gym, perhaps still needing help getting down
• jump with both feet leaving the ground at the same time
• run, gallop, and then walk slowly along with classmates in a group activity
• walk on a broad balance beam or on the edge of the sidewalk
• climb on a riding toy and make it go, using both feet at the same time

Needing development, they might:

• continue to walk with a "waddling" gait, hands held out at their sides, bumping into things and falling down
• not try to climb on the toddler gym
• hesitate to put their leg over the seat of the riding toy
• fall down or bump into things as they move around

2. Demonstrates eye-hand coordination while manipulating and exploring objects.

Young two-year-olds still have trouble using one hand independently of the other. Their fingers tend to move together as they scoop up sand or play at the water table. Two-year-olds do not yet have a hand preference. They have, however, become increasingly skillful in using their fingers to do what they want and can put together simple puzzles, paint with brushes at the easel, draw with crayons, and enjoy finger play games. They are becoming expert at managing play dough. For example:

Developing as expected, they might:

• pound, poke, and build with the play dough
• scribble with crayons or markers on drawing paper, holding their marker in several kinds of grasps, and beginning to use their thumb and fingertips
• pull apart pop-it beads or connecting blocks
• play ball games with a teacher or friend, rolling a ball in the direction they want
• twist their wrist when trying to fit a puzzle piece into its proper space, rather than rotating the board
• use their thumb and forefinger when picking up beads to string them
• use a twisting wrist motion to take off the covers of the markers or the paste jar
• begin to use their thumb and fingertips when putting pegs in holes on a pegboard
• do the hand motions for finger plays such as "Where Is Thumbkin?"

Needing development, they might:

• have difficulty pushing connecting cubes or pop-it beads together or pulling them apart
• not twist their wrists when trying to turn the key on a wind-up car
• hold crayons and markers in a full palmer grasp and make only tentative marks
• knock over the blocks as they try to build a tower or make a house

3. Participates in self-help activities.

Toddlers love doing things for themselves, so much so that it can become difficult for caretakers at times. They want to feed themselves, dress themselves, do their own toileting, wash their own hands, put away the laundry, and put the wet clothes in the dryer. Their abilities are not always equal to their desires, but with practice they become proficient. Although adults have to wait longer while toddlers do things for themselves, this is the time to encourage toddlers to participate, practice, and learn. For example:

Developing as expected, they might:

• take off their own coat or jacket, and try to hang it up on the hook
• pull down the zipper on their jacket
• hold their cup with two hands as they drink, with little spilling
• pull up their own pants after toileting
• feed themselves without help, and serve themselves from a serving bowl
• begin to brush their teeth by themselves
• insist on pouring their own milk
• eagerly carry the napkins to the table and place one at each place
• call to a caregiver to watch as they peel their own banana

Needing development, they might:

• try to wash their own hands, but come away with soapy, wet hands and shirt
• feed themselves with their fingers, but still not be successful using a spoon
• pull at their coat or sweater to get it off, unable to do it successfully
• place all the spoons for lunch in a pile, rather than putting one at each place
• fail to get the zipper on their jacket pulled up, even after a caregiver started it for them
• have trouble pulling off their socks