Developmental milestones by age 2
Developmental milestones or developmental indicators are a set of behavioural or functional skills thresholds that map the course of your child’s development. These behaviours are categorised into five domains – communication and language, physical and motor, social and emotional, adaptive and cognitive. Parents must keep in mind that India has great linguistic diversity, and children may have to be taught the same words in different languages. By age two, a child normally attains the following skills in each domain.
Developmental milestones by age 2 – Language Skills Milestones
- Starts understanding “no”
- Is able to use around 10-15 words, including names
- Can combine two different words such as “mama” and “bye-bye.”
- Waves good-bye
- Makes familiar sounds like that of animals
- Gives an object when asked
- Make wants known by using words such as “more”
- Points to toes, eyes, and nose, toys and things in books when prompted
- Is able to bring objects when asked
- Repeats words overheard in conversation
Do these activities to support your child’s language
- Encourage and reward your child’s early attempts at saying new words
- Talk to your child about activities that you’re doing with them
- Talk in simple and clear language
- Talk about any new situations that your child will face before they happen
- Look at your child while talking to them
- Describe to them what they are doing, hearing or feeling
- Let them listen to records and tapes in a child’s voice
- Praise your child’s efforts to communicate
Developmental milestones by age 2 – Motor Skills Milestones
Gross Motor
- Walks alone
- Walks backwards
- Is able to pick up toys from the floor without letting them fall
- Plays with pull and push toys
- Is able to seat self in a child-size chair
- Can walk up and down the stairs with assistance
- Moves to music
Fine Motor
- Is able to build a small tower, say of three blocks
- Puts rings on a stick
- Is able to place pegs in a pegboard
- Turns pages of books, two or three at a time
- Is able to scribble and turn knobs
- Can throw a small ball
- Makes painting strokes with whole arm movement, is able to shifts hands
Developmental milestones by age 2 – Social Skills Milestones
- Recognises self in mirror or picture
- Refers to self by name
- Plays by self; initiates own play
- Imitates adult behaviours in play
- Helps put things away
Developmental milestones by age 2 – Adaptive Skills Milestones
- Uses spoon, spilling little
- Drinks from cup with one hand, unassisted
- Chews food
- Unzips large zipper
- Indicates toilet needs
- Removes shoes, socks, pants, sweater
Developmental milestones by age 2 – Cognitive Skills Milestones
- Imitates actions and words of adults
- Understands and follows simple, familiar directions
- Responds to words or commands with the appropriate action
- Can match two similar objects
- Begins to sort shapes and colours
- Names or points familiar objects on request while reading a storybook with pictures
- Recognises difference between you and me
- Has minimal attention span
- Accomplishes primary learning through own exploration
- Find things when hidden under two or three covers