Your Child's Developmental Milestones in Second Year

Your child has entered his/her the second year. Their tiny feet are beginning to take small steps forward and explore new territory. Their language is expanding and mind is stretching. They are beginning to express themselves differently. A two-year-old realizes, almost overnight, that he/she is an independent person, with individual likes and dislikes. Suddenly, you, as a parent may be overwhelmed by this development, that usually manifests as tantrums.

Basic Child Developmental Milestones in 2nd Year

Our Pro-parent blogger Sugandha shares what to expect in the second year - the key, basic developmental milestones of your baby to watch out for and celebrate – 

• Developed Motor Skills – indicated by walking without the support and running, kicking, climbing on low heights, scribbling with crayons, and more
• Sharper Cognitive Skills – finding hidden toys or parents! Sorting objects, playing make-believe, following simple instructions, etc. 
• Improving Verbal Skills –increased vocabulary and understanding of names of objects and more 
• Developing Social skills – imitating adult gestures like talking on the phone, enjoying the company of their friends, developed a sense of identity…

To help you understand what to expect at this age, here is a developmental milestone checklist for your child’s second year:

Motor Skills Development Milestones In The Second Year

Motor Skills consist of the fine motor as well as gross motor skills. What’s important for us to remember is that while this list is a guideline on the milestones, each child does develop at their own pace. More often than not, there’s no need for concern if you feel like it’s a few weeks or even a few months past their second birthday and you don’t see some milestones. Your pediatrician will tell you a time range in which these milestones are usually met. [Know More - How to Foster Cognitive Development For An Introvert Child?]

Overall Physical Development Of A 2-Year-Old Child

Below mentioned are some of the developmental changes you will see in your 2-year-old.

• Starts walking unsupported
• Begins to run
• Standing on tiptoe
• Kicking
• Climbs on low stools and jumps alone

Hand & Finger Skills Development Milestones in Second Year

This is the time when you will notice your 2-year-old using his or her hands and finger skills to do simple tasks.

• Pulls toy with one hand while walking
• Holds onto support while climbing stairs
• Pours liquid or solid from one container to other

What You Can Do To Aid Hand And Finger Skills

A great way of helping children develop their motor skills is by encouraging plenty of physical activity. This can include outdoor playtime at the park, having a “building blocks” game together, and socializing with other children. Wherever possible, take a small flight of stairs together instead of the elevator. Also Read: Tips to track baby's growth milestone & more.  

Cognitive Skills Development In The Second Year

While younger babies usually process information by touching, feeling and seeing, your two-year-old has now started understanding making connections. Since his/her vocabulary has increased, sentences like “the ball are under the bed” start making sense. Emotional development is another important aspect of your child’s overall development. Children at this age feel emotions, but don’t know how to process them. So don’t try to reason with them, they just need our understanding and presence. [Read More - Tips to Foster Early Years of Child Development]

• Finds hidden toys
• Loves to find you hiding behind a curtain or under a sheet
• Begins to sort objects by shape or color
• Begins make-believe play like making a gun with bread slice or feeding the doll like a baby
• Follows simple two-step instructions like put the toy on the floor
• Recognizes basic facial gestures like nodding of the head, making funny faces

Your Baby’s Social Skills In The Second Year

• Imitates behavior of adults and children around, for e.g. talking on the phone
• Super excited in the company of peers
• Starts demonstrating independence
• Begins identifying themselves as separate from others
• Often show the understanding of words NO and YES
• Begin to check the reaction of their actions

What You Can Do To Aid Social Skills

One of the easiest ways for you to contribute to your child’s cognitive development is by playing pretend-games with her/him. A game of Visit the Doctor, or Cooking Time can boost your child’s understanding, and you have fun, too.

Verbal Skills Milestones And A 2-Year-Old Baby

Even when you don’t realize it, your toddler is listening to, and registering every sentence you speak. The easiest way for your little one to pick up new words is by listening to you. And the following four changes you will see in your toddler.

• Vocabulary increases
• Starts putting two words together
• Names some body parts like eyes, nose and common objects like a cup, glass etc
• Repeats sound like hmmm or tries imitating words from adult conversations

Language Development For A 2-Year-Old Baby

Babies pick up languages rapidly. Children who grow up in multilingual environments learn these languages during their early childhood. As a parent, it is important for you to speak to them in as many languages as you speak in.

What You Can Do To Help Language Development

Keep talking to your toddler, even when you don’t think he/she understands what you have to say. Reading aloud has immense value. It’s never too early to start exposing your child to the wonderful world of books. Get a membership at your closest library. There’s no such thing as too many books. Sing to them, and with them. Toddlers love music, and soon you’ll see that they’re singing along with you. If you know songs in your native tongue, expose your child to them.

During the next few years, your child is going to be at the peak of his/her learning curve. Try providing them with rich stimulating experiences. Involve them in family time, daily chores like cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, talking with strangers, cleaning the house, etc. All these activities might seem mundane but they are a rich resource of vocabulary, actions, and gestures for your child to observe copy and learn.

Did you find Sugandha’s blog on Developmental milestones on your baby’s second year useful? What significant changes did/do you notice in your child at this age? Do leave your comments…. We love hearing from you!