Toddler Development Is Important

All children learn differently, however, you want to ensure that you set your child up for success. Toddler development is more important than a lot of parents realize. This is the stage in life where they are discovering and learning the most. Plus, many of their learn behaviors at this stage will follow them through life. Each and every day, your toddler will make huge strides towards their physical, intellectual and emotional development. This can be done through everyday activities, such as playing with a friend or learning how to use the potty.

Let’s take a look at some of the developmental milestones that your toddler will experience.

Physical Development

Throwing and kicking a ball is one skill that will be learned around 12 months of age. You will want to start by showing your toddler how to throw the ball, and kicking should come by age 2. Catching the ball will take a little longer, so you should not expect for this to happen until around age 3 or 4.

Of course, walking is a huge milestone for toddlers, but there are so many more developmental skills that will be learned shortly after they become mobile.  Around 12 to 18 months you will begin seeing your child learn how to push and pull objects. In fact, many parents use push behind toys to help make their toddlers more confident walkers. These skills will help improve his or her coordination, which will be important in a number of activities.

Toddlers become more adventurous as they gain confidence in their new found skills. You can expect your toddler to begin climbing around 12 to 24 months. This is the time when parents have to pay close attention, because their toddler is balancing between risk and challenge. Toddlers do not understand reasoning yet, and they will try to climb on virtually everything. However, climbing is an important developmental skill, as it helps them with their coordination, which is needed to walk up stairs and other activities.

Other physical developmental milestomes include:

• Running (18 to 24 months)
• Potty training (24 to 36 months)
• Jumping (24 to 36 months)

Psychological And Emotional Milestones

You will find that most youngsters love story books. This is typically a time they can snuggle down with mom, dad, grandma, grandpa or any other special person in their life. They will gaze at the colorful pictures, as well as hear intriguing sounds. Not only is this bringing comfort to your child, they are also learning early reading skills. These skills include:

• How books work—we open them, the story is inside.
• We read from left to right.
• Books can tell a story.
• Stories have a beginning and an end.

Independence is something that will be displayed in your toddler around 18 to 36 months. At this stage, you will notice your little one wanting to do things themselves. While you may hate seeing your toddler break away from needing you, this is an important developmental stage that parents need to allow their toddler to engage in. Give your child the freedom to be independent, as these are skills that will help them thrive later on in life.

In Short…

Allow your toddler to develop these skills, as they will help them succeed in other areas of their life. Toddler development should be encouraged by parents through activity and play. Allow your little one to discover the world with you by their side.