Every child goes through periods of rapid development in their life that parents should be aware of so that they know to expect.  There’s the period where they transition from a baby to a toddler during which they go from a tiny infant into a baby that’s capable of getting into a whole mess of things.  And the third is when they are teenagers who go through radical body changes that help determine who they are as an adult.  This is one of the periods that is filled with the most growth for children so it makes sense that it’s often one of the most challenging for parents who don’t know what to expect the toddler years.

A lot happens before a child turns two, in fact, in terms of both physical development and mental development.  By 14 months, a child can walk well on its own, crawl upstairs, drink from a cup and use a spoon and can build things composed of two blocks as opposed to one.  By 15 months, they can use 10-15 words, say no and understand its context and can indicate when their diaper is wet.  By 18 months they can walk backwards and sideways and run well though they fall easily; they can climb stairs and furniture; they can attempt to draw straight lines; they can use phrases composed of both adjectives and nouns and they also begin throwing tantrums.

Then they hit 2 and the real fun beings in terms of what to expect the toddler years this is when the talking and interacting with people really starts.  Children typically weigh 24 pounds, are around 30 inches tall and they have 12 of their 20 total temporary teeth (by 2 ¬Ω they will have acquired the full set).  Their motor skills dramatically improve to the point where they can walk upstairs on their feet while holding the railing; they can build objects using multiple blocks; they can control spoons and cups very well on their own and they can become toilet trained during the day.  Their vocabulary also expands to include about 350 words and they are able to follow simply commands and even help dress and undress themselves.  They also begin to realize that they are separate people although other children are still just objects to them which is why the everything is mine phase starts.

Between two and three there are many more jumps that you should know so you know what to expect the toddler years.  From two to three, children become more independent and start to develop true personalities.  They are able to anticipate certain routines in schedules and their need for naps starts to gradually decrease.  They being playing with their toys in imaginative ways and completing puzzles as well.  The toddler years are the time when a child’s personality really becomes clear to their parents.