Introduction
Toddlers go through many changes in just a couple of years. They always seem to be running, jumping and climbing. Your toddler is a bundle of energy and emotion. They’re starting to question everything around them.
On this page, you’ll learn the developmental tasks and milestones that your toddler is working on as they move through the ‘doing’ and ‘thinking’ stages.
Toddlers
This stage is sometimes called the ‘terrible twos’ because coping with a toddler’s constant energy and motion can be very demanding. Yet, it’s also a fun time when you can see your child’s eagerness to learn and their excitement in sharing their new discoveries. When you look at them this way, you’ll see your growing child in a new way: as the terrific toddler that they are.
Toddlers have a strong need to explore, play and try new things. They will want to touch, taste and try things out—this is how they learn. They can also have emotional outbursts at times. However, with your help, your toddler will learn how to manage their emotions as they grow. When you provide warmth and structure and use problem-solving skills, you’ll help them solve today’s challenges while teaching them valuable skills to last a lifetime.
Children also learn and experience the world by connecting with those around them. When your child has strong relationships with you and the other people who care about them, they can develop many skills including:
- self-confidence, motivation to learn and problem-solving
- ability to control aggression and impulses, like biting, hitting, and running away from you
- making friends and being a friend
These skills take time to develop, however they start in the toddler years.
This can be a challenging time for parents if they don’t understand their toddler’s behaviours. At this age, toddlers have a strong need to learn to do things by themselves. Your toddler will:
- be constantly exploring and trying to figure out how things work
- be very focused on themselves as they realize they are a separate person from you
- need to learn who they are before they can understand others
- need to learn that some things belong to them (ownership) before they can learn to share
When you see these behaviours, you’ll know that your toddler is developing well. Have patience, keep them safe, and enjoy watching the amazing things they do.
Young toddlers and older toddlers
Toddlers go through many changes in just a couple of years. Younger toddlers are very different from older toddlers. For this reason, we have separated some of the information in this section for young toddlers (12–18 months old), older toddlers (18 months–2 years old), and older toddlers (2 years old).
Developmental milestones
- Young toddlers (12–18 months old): The ‘doing’ stage
- Older toddlers (18 months–2 years old): The ‘thinking’ stage
- Older toddlers (2 years old): The ‘thinking’ stage
In this Section:
During the toddler years, your child is becoming very busy and learning about the world around them. They have the need and the desire to do things on their own. As younger toddlers are very different from older toddlers, the tasks and milestones below have been separated for young toddlers (12–18 months old), older toddlers (18 months–2 years old), and older toddlers (2 years old). Below, you will find information about the developmental milestones and tasks your child is working on in the toddler years.
Young toddlers (12–18 months old): The ‘doing’ stage
Tasks
During this stage, your young toddler is continuing to practice earlier tasks, as well as learning to:
- explore and discover: learning about the world by trying to do things, testing and experimenting
Milestones: Physical
- helps feed themselves and will try things such as picking up food with their fingers, holding a spoon and drinking from a cup
- stands up by themselves
- walks holding your hand and then on their own
- crawls up and down the stairs
- develops food likes and dislikes (preferences)
- tries to throw a ball
- builds towers using 2–4 blocks
- scribbles with crayons
- takes off their clothes
Milestones: Emotional
- has a favourite toy or blanket for comfort and security
- begins to need and want independence
- resists limits
- has mood swings and tantrums
Milestones: Social
- develops a fear of strange objects and events
- feels anxious when separated from parents (separation anxiety)
- likes to watch and be with other children
- not yet able to co-operate during play with others
- copies what others do (imitates) such as clapping hands and sweeping with a broom
- starts to show concern for others
- not yet able to share
Milestones: Cognitive (thinking and communicating)
- begins to know that things exist even if they cannot see them
- likes to look for dropped or hidden objects
- points to ask and to show interest in things
- follows simple instructions
- begins pretend play
- says more words every month—these words may not be clear
- points to familiar objects or body parts, when asked
- likes simple stories, picture books, songs and rhymes
- says “No” and “Mine” a lot
- waves ‘bye’
“When I heard my child say ‘I happy!’, that was my favourite moment as a parent.”
~Mike, dad of two toddlers
Older toddlers (18 months–2 years old): The ‘thinking’ stage
Tasks
During this stage, your older toddler is continuing to practice earlier tasks as well as learning to:
- develop autonomy: learning that they’re a separate person from you
Milestones: Physical
- walks up and down the stairs with help
- kicks a ball while standing
- runs
- likes riding toys
- climbs on and over furniture
- opens doors
- scribbles
- stacks 2−3 cubes
- feeds themself with a spoon and is messy
Milestones: Emotional
- explores and plays from the secure base of the parent or caregiver
- has tantrums when frustrated or tired
- starts recognizing emotions in themselves and others
- shows affection
- has more fears and anxieties, including night terrors that peak at 2 years old
- gets frustrated when they’re not able to do things which can lead them to hit, slap or bite
- finds comfort in routines
Milestones: Social
- feels strong ownership and keeps toys to themselves
- finds it hard to share
- plays beside, but not with, other children
- tries to comfort others
- recognizes themselves and their family in pictures
Milestones: Cognitive (thinking and communicating)
- points to pictures and body parts when they’re named
- turns the pages of a book
- can finish simple wooden puzzles
- understands more words than they can say
- begins to use 2-word phrases
- enjoys and moves to music
- likes simple games and rhymes such as ‘hide-and-seek’ and ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’
Older toddlers (2 years old): The ‘thinking’ stage
Tasks
During this stage, your toddler is continuing to practice earlier tasks as well as learning to:
- be aware of emotions: beginning to learn the names of feelings
- begin the journey towards being independent: needing and wanting to do things on their own
Milestones: Physical
- jumps off the floor with both feet
- pedals a tricycle for a short distance
- balances on one foot for short periods of time
- draws circular scribbles and lines
- helps with dressing and undressing themselves
- starts to gain control of their bladder and bowels, although not consistently—toileting accidents are common
- are aware of their body functions
Milestones: Emotional
- tests limits you set
- wants and needs to do things for themselves
- changes from wanting to be big to wanting to be little
- has poor impulse control
- finds it hard to stop doing activities they’re enjoying
- is more able to understand and manage their emotions— as their language improves, responds less with physical actions such as hitting or biting
Milestones: Social
- dawdles or takes their time doing things
- starts to pretend play with others
- likes to please others
Milestones: Cognitive (thinking and communicating)
- asks, “What’s that?” over and over again to learn new words
- follows simple two-step instructions some of the time
- may think that toys and objects are alive
- sorts objects by colour and size
- uses 2- to 3-word sentences
- uses more words every week and likes making animal sounds
- understands ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘under’
- is understood by you 50–75% of the time
- understands ‘one’ and ‘two’
- knows their own name
To learn more about your child’s development, visit your nearest Family Resource Network and ask about the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). To find your local Family Resource Network, visit Government of Alberta – Provincial Family Resource Networks – Service Provider Search
Your toddler's developing brain
- Brain development
- Serve-and-return interactions: 12–18 months
- Serve-and-return interactions: 18 months–2 years
- Serve-and-return interactions: 2 year olds
In this Section:
Brain development
Your toddler is changing every day. They’re learning how their body works and beginning to move in different ways. They need lots of time to explore and play. Your toddler is busy trying to understand their world and learning to think. All areas of your toddler’s development are interconnected. Development in one area affects all other areas. All development is guided by your toddler’s brain.
When you know how the brain works, it’s easier to understand what you can do to support your child.
Brain cell connections are forming very quickly and this will continue for many years. Your child’s experiences help these connections form. The more often an experience happens, the stronger the brain connections become. Learn more about the developing brain.
Although you cannot see these changes in your toddler’s brain, you’ll know their brain is developing by how:
- their body grows and moves with more skill
- they play and explore their world
- their language skills are growing
- they learn about their emotions
- they learn to get along with others
Brain cell connections become stronger when you and your toddler engage in serve-and-return interactions. Here are some examples of what this might look like with your toddler. You can also access printable activities for serve-and-return with your toddler.
Serve-and-return interactions: 12–18 months
Examples of serve-and-return interactions: 12–18 months
Your young toddler serves when they: | You return their serve when you: |
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“Show lots of love, be patient and you have to build their trust early.”
~Amal, parent of three children
Serve-and-return interactions: 18 months–2 years
Examples of serve-and-return interactions: 18 months–2 years
Your older toddler serves when they: | You return their serve when you: |
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“I went to ‘Tots Time’ at our community hall every Monday morning. Most of the people were from the neighbourhood, so it was a good way to meet other parents who lived close by, and my daughter loved it.”
~Leah, mom of a toddler
Serve-and-return interactions: 2 year olds
Examples of serve-and-return interactions: 2 year olds
Your older toddler serves when they: | You return their serve when you: |
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