Developmental
Milestones:
A Guide for Parents The Second Year
Have you ever wondered how your child is growing and developing compared
to other children of the same age? How do you know if your child is
"on the right track"?
Your child is going through many physical and mental changes. Although no
two children grow at the same rate, experts agree there are
"normal" signs of development. This brochure will provide you
with a checklist of important milestones in your child's development
during the second year of life.
It is a simple tool you can use to become aware of and appreciate the
dramatic changes that are occurring in your child. Watch for these signs
in your child over a one month period. (Even children have "bad
days.") Remember, each child is different and may learn and grow at a
different rate. However, if your child cannot do many of the skills listed
for his or her age group, you should consult your pediatrician. If your
child was born sooner than expected, be sure to deduct the number of
months early from his or her age. A 5-month-old born 2 months early would
be expected to show the same skills as a 3-month-old who was born on his
or her due date. Several additional sources of information are listed on
the back of this brochure.
You are the most important observer of your child's development. If your
child has special needs, early help can make a difference.
By 18 months of age does your child:
Motor Skills
- like to pull, push, and dump things
- pull off hat, socks, and mittens
- turn pages in a book
- stack 2 blocks
- carry a stuffed animal or doll
- scribble with crayons
- walk without help
- run stiffly, with eyes on the ground
Sensory and Thinking Skills
- identify an object in a picture book
- laugh at silly actions (as in wearing a
bowl as a hat)
- look for objects that are out of sight
- put a round lid on a round pot
- follow simple 1-step directions
- solve problems by trial and error
Language and Social Skills
- say 8-10 words you can understand
- look at a person who is talking to him
- ask specifically for her mother or
father
- use "hi," "bye," and
"please," with reminders
- protest when frustrated
- ask for something by pointing or by
using one word
- direct another's attention to an object
or action
- become anxious when separated from
parent(s)
- seek attention
- bring toys to share with parent act out
a familiar activity in play (as in pretending to take a bath)
- play alone on the floor with toys
- compete with other children for toys
- recognize herself in the mirror or in
pictures
- seem selfish at times
By 2 years of age does your child:
Motor Skills
- drink from a straw
- feed himself with a spoon
- help in washing hands
- put arms in sleeves with help build a
tower of 3-4 blocks
- toss or roll a large ball
- open cabinets, drawers, boxes
- operate a mechanical toy
- bend over to pick up a toy and not fall
- walk up steps with help
- take steps backward
Sensory and Thinking Skills
- like to take things apart
- explore surroundings
- point to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked
Language and Social Skills
- have a vocabulary of several hundred
words
- use 2-3 word sentences
- say names of toys
- ask for information about an object
(asks, "Shoe?" while pointing to shoe box)
- hum or try to sing
- listen to short rhymes
- like to imitate parents
- sometimes get angry and have temper
tantrums
- act shy around strangers
- comfort a distressed friend or parent
- take turns in play with other children
- treat a doll or stuffed animal as though
it were alive
- apply pretend action to others (as in
pretending to feed a doll)
- show awareness of parental approval or
disapproval for her actions
- refer to self by name and use
"me" and "mine"
- verbalize his desires and feelings
("I want cookie")
- laugh at silly labeling of objects and
events (as in calling a nose an ear)
- enjoy looking at one book over and over
- point to eyes, ears, or nose when you
ask
If you have questions about your child's development or want to have your
child tested,
- call your pediatrician
- the local health department
The developmental information provided in this bulletin has been
synthesized from a variety of professional resources to help you
appreciate your child's progress. It is not a formal, standardized
measurement tool.
Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Powell, J. and Smith, C.A. (1994). The 2nd year. In *Developmental
milestones: A guide for parents*. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State
University Cooperative Extension Service.
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