After your child’s first year of life, they officially graduate from baby to toddler. They’ll stay this way for the next couple of years, and many experts suggest it’s one of the most important periods in their development. This is a time when they’ll learn how to do certain things – and you should monitor their progress to spot if you should maybe be concerned.
While your toddler is unlikely to do something drastic like learn how to cook, they should develop a few key skills between the ages of 1-3 years. With that in mind, here are four key signs to look for when monitoring their development:
Learning to walk
Cleveland Clinic suggests that most babies start walking at around 12 months. It can happen sooner than this, but the average is at the year mark as they approach toddler status. If your baby hasn’t started walking before their second birthday, then it could be a sign of a developmental problem. You should keep an eye on this and expect it to happen between 10-18 months.
Learning to talk
Likewise, studies show that most babies say their first word between 12 and 18 months of age. In other words, you should have a toddler who starts walking and talking at around the same time. Expect them to make sounds a lot sooner than this, but they don’t start forming proper words until this age range. As they get deeper into toddlerhood, you should see more words forming and sentences being strung together. If your child is 3 and comes to the end of their toddler years without being able to say full sentences, then it might be worth seeing a specialist for more information.
Understanding numbers
A lot of parents don’t understand math milestones by age and how they indicate a child’s development. For toddlers, you should expect to see them understand numbers and what they mean. As an example, if you tell them to take two toys, they’ll take two. This is also the period where they learn how to recite numbers, though they may miss a few out in the sequence. Don’t be worried if your child can’t count to 10 when they’re 2 years old – that’s a bit too advanced, but they should show signs of understanding numbers and what they mean.
Beginning to explore
When babies reach toddler status, they stop being overly dependent and begin to find their sense of independence. This results in lots of exploring! You should see your child crawl or stumble around the home, usually causing a lot of havoc. They want to press every button, pull every string, or open every door. As scary as this seems – and you’ll need to keep a keen eye on them – it’s a big sign that they’re developing as human beings. Toddlers love exploring, and it’s the beginning of their problem-solving abilities.
As parents, you must keep an eye on your child and ensure they’re developing correctly. Picking up on any slow development stages now can help them in the future. These four signs are big things to look for when your baby becomes a toddler.