Important Milestones by the end of 2 year (24 months)
Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones listed below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don’t be alarmed if your own baby’s development takes a slightly deferent course.
Social
- Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children
- More aware of herself as separate from others
- More excited about company of other children
Emotional
- Demonstrates increasing independence
- Begins to show defiant behavior
- Separation anxiety increases toward midyear then fades
Cognitive
- Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
- Begins to sort by shapes and colors
- Begins make-believe play
Language
- Points to object or picture when it’s named for him
- Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
- Says several single words (by 15 to 18 months)
- Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
- Uses 2- to 4-word sentences
- Follows simple instructions
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
Movement
- Walk alone
- Pulls toys behind her while walking
- Carries large toy or several toys while walking
- Begins to run
- Stands on tiptoe
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
- Walks up and down stairs holding on to support
Hand and finger skills
- Scribbles on his or her own
- Turns over container to pour out contents
- Builds tower of four blocks or more
- Might use one hand more often than the other
Developmental Health Watch
Alert your child’s doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.
- Cannot walk by 18 months
- Fails to develop a mature heel-toe walking pattern after several months of walking, or walks only on his toes
- Does not speak at least 15 words
- Does not use two-word sentences by age 2
- By 15 months, does not seem to know the function of common household objects (brush, telephone, bell, fork, spoon)
- Does not imitate actions or words by the end of this period
- Does not follow simple instructions by age 2
- Cannot push a shelled toy by age 2
- Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she once had
From www.cdc.gov/actearly
From CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD: BIRTH TO AGE 5 by Steven Shelov, Robert E. Hannermann, © 1991, 1993, 1998, 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Used by permission of Bantam Books, a division of Random House, Inc.