Two years old is the age of your little monkey. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Even at 24 months old, your little one is probably into make-believe, already knows the difference between “sooner” and “later,” and is good at categorizing things. Additionally, your youngster is showing signs of increased verbalization, occasional whining, and perhaps separation anxiety. Of course, they are capable of throwing a temper tantrum and prefer to do things on their own. The best thing is that they are seemingly completely enamored with you and likely quite expressive of other feelings as well, including joy and love.
2-Year-Old Development
You may notice a change in your 24-month-old baby’s self-assurance as they continue to develop. Because of this, you may find that you are more willing to push yourself to your boundaries as a parent and attempt new things.
2-year-old weight and height
Curious about the ideal weight for a 2-year-old? The World Health Organization reports that 24-month-old boys and girls typically weigh 27.5 and 26.5 pounds, respectively.
For a 2-year-old, what is the typical height? Girls typically reach 33.5 inches and males 34.8 inches at the 24-month mark.
The physician will take your 24-month-old’s weight and height during the two-year appointment to ensure that their growth is following a normal upward trend on the growth chart.
2-year-old milestones
With the completion of each skill on the 24-month-old milestone list, you may be seeing that your 24-month-old baby is beginning to transition from baby to toddler. Some developmental milestones that your 24-month-old could have achieved or be making progress toward are:
- Motor skills: By the time your 24-month-old is ready, he or she can likely climb stairs with ease, descend them with ease, and even jump with both feet simultaneously. At 24 months of age, your baby is already showing signs of being a good runner and kicker. Engaging in outdoor play and taking short walks can support your kid in reaching their 24-month-old developmental targets.
- Speech: Tantrums shouldn’t be as often now that your toddler is likely uttering fifty words or more and that you understand him or her at least half of the time. Even if they aren’t yet talking anything more complex than a few of words, that’s typically not cause for concern. They should be able to utilize a range of gestures, point to at least two body parts when asked, and point to pictures in a book when asked about them. In the event that your child isn’t babbling at the usual rate, the pediatrician will likely conduct a hearing test.
- Teething: Around the time they turn two, most toddlers start to experience some teething pain when their upper second molars erupt.
- Potty training: If your kid shows symptoms of being ready, many parents begin to focus more on toilet training around their second birthday. These milestones can include communicating the need to go potty, requesting that you change their diaper when it gets dirty or wet, displaying an interest in using the potty, pulling themselves up and down the stairs without assistance, and/or maintaining a dry diaper for at least two consecutive hours. If your toddler isn’t emotionally ready just yet, don’t force them; doctors warn that kids develop emotionally at different rates.
What should a 24-month-old be able to do?
Your 24-month-old infant is showing signs of improving motor skills and speech. You may have noticed that they are now able to independently turn pages, doodle on paper, and leap. Your 24-month-old could be starting to grasp the concept of two-step directions and recognize various body parts. Make an effort to be an exemplary role model since you may find that they mimic your actions often.
2-year-old behavior
Have you seen that your 24-month-old infant has a lot of opinions that change all the time? Depending on the situation, this could lead to amusing antics that make you laugh or annoying antics that make you furious. Here is some guidance on handling new toddler behaviors now that your child is 24 months old:
- Tantrums: Here we are, entering the dreadful twos. Your child is definitely not alone during this challenging era; eighty-seven percent of children have tantrums between the ages of 18 months and two years. Although it’s not always as bad as it sounds, it’s one of the most annoying milestones around 24 months. On the contrary, you could find out how to put an end to your child’s tantrums. Hugs help a lot of kids relax, correction helps a few, and sometimes kids just need to let out their anger.
- Separation anxiety: Young children often struggle to separate from their parents around the age of two. No matter how painful it is, you must show them that their tears will not alter the outcome. Minimize the length of your goodbyes and convince your 24-month-old that you will return. Be careful to provide precise specifics. To illustrate, “I will return after you have taken a nap.”
- Emotions: Emotions are huge for a toddler. Don’t stress out about trying to persuade your little one to be happy all the time or to stop being upset. Your 24-month-old needs to understand that their emotions are normal and acceptable, but they also need to know how to talk about their feelings in a healthy way, without throwing a fit. Help your kid learn to put their emotions into words; it can be helpful for them to be able to verbalize when they are angry, upset, or sad. In order to learn to control unpleasant emotions, acknowledgment is a crucial first step.
Do 24-month-olds understand emotions?
One of the most fascinating things to witness in a 24-month-old infant is their ability to comprehend the emotions of others around them. When your child sees another person distressed or sobbing, you can find that they are soothing them. Instill a sense of empathy in your 24-month-old by opening up about your feelings and helping them find language to express themselves.
2-Year-Old Health
- Diarrhea has struck my 24-month-old dog. What am I to do?
- My little one, who is 24 months old, is having trouble passing stool. What am I to do?
- My little one, who is 24 months old, is making a foul mess. What am I to do?
- A fever has developed in my 24-month-old child. What am I to do?
2-Year-Old Sleep
As your 24-month-old grows older, it’s normal for their afternoon naps to get shorter. If you want to make sure they get the same amount of sleep each day, even on days when their naps are shorter, you might want to put them to bed a bit earlier.
How much sleep does a 2-year-old need?
The average 24-month-old needs 13–14 hours of sleep per day, broken down as 11–12 hours of sleep at night and 1.5–3 hours of nap time.
2-year-old sleep regression
Weary from dealing with your two-year-old’s nighttime awakenings? A regression occurs when someone who was formerly an excellent sleeper starts to wake up more often, which may be rather confusing. The culprit might be a case of teething, a sickness, or a disruption in your child’s sleep schedule due to a vacation or business trip. Find out what’s causing your child to have trouble sleeping so you can assist them in getting back to their regular sleeping schedule. In order to assist your 24-month-old get back on track, stick to the typical nighttime routine and establish restrictions.
2-Year-Old Food
At two years old, you should discuss with your child’s pediatrician the possibility of transitioning from whole milk to 1% or skim milk, which is a significant shift to their diet this month. It would be great if you could also provide low-fat cheese and yogurt. Your 24-month-old will get a good amount of vitamin D and calcium from 16 oz of milk, since doctors suggest 700 mg and 600 IU of calcium per day for children aged 1 to 3.
How much should my 24-month-old be eating?
Three square meals and two snacks a day is still the recommended diet for two-year-olds. Provide a wide range of foods from the vegetable, fruit, grain, protein, and dairy categories every day.
Appropriate serving sizes for toddlers at this age include pasta the size of a Ping-Pong ball, protein the size of four or five marbles, and chopped vegetables or fruit approximately the size of four dominoes.
What to feed my 24-month-old
Diversity is essential. The recommended daily allowance for most toddlers is 3/4 to 1 cup of fruits and vegetables, 1.5 cups of grains, and 4 tablespoons of protein.
Need some ideas for healthy and delicious meals? See what a 2-year-old can eat with these suggestions:
- The Definitive Resource for Nutritious Toddler Meals
- 24 Nutritious Snacks for Children
- 22 Delicious and Frugal Lunch Ideas
- Toddler-Friendly Cookbooks: 15 Inspiring Recipes for Little Eaters
2-year-old not eating: What to do for a picky eater
You shouldn’t be too concerned if your youngster refuses to eat healthy meals in favor of white and brown options. It’s quite natural for 24-month-olds to be selective eaters. It’s just a sign that they’re starting to explore the world on their own. All you can do is continue to provide your child with healthy food options, shop for and prepare meals together, and set a good example when it comes to how to eat. Someday, they’ll be open to trying foods of other hues.
Activities for a 2-Year-Old
Coloring, construction, and make-believe play are likely to pique your 2-year-old’s attention. Their amount of time spent playing alone may have increased. Engage your 24-month-old child in activities that promote physical development, creative thinking, and imaginative play.
Seeking activities to engage in with a toddler? A couple examples of entertaining things for a two-year-old to do and play with are:
- Crayons: If you offer a two-year-old paper and crayons, they will act as if they are writing. Around the age of two, toddlers start to use a crayon to make horizontal and circular marks.
- Building blocks: For children’s fine motor skill development, nothing beats Duplos or other big Lego-type blocks. Children of this age should be able to stack no more than six blocks.
- Imaginative play: A lot of two-year-olds want to play with plush animals, automobiles, trains, and dolls.
2-Year-Old Baby Checklist and Tips
- Your kid has to see a doctor at the 24-month mark, which is two years. Consult your physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding developmental milestones at the 24-month mark. In order to rule out lead poisoning and iron deficiency, your physician may request blood tests during this appointment.
- Make an appointment for your toddler’s checkup at 2 ½ years (30 months).
- Permit your young child to “paint” (with toothpaste, of course) their teeth as an alternative to brushing. Now it’s much more entertaining.
- When your 24-month-old starts to pull up on jeans, it’s time to start practicing. This can help your 24-month-old infant gain independence and make toilet training much simpler when the time comes.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 24 months not use screens for more than an hour per day, and that parents read aloud to their children daily. You can keep an eye on your 24-year-old and have meaningful conversations about what they see if you let them watch TV or other screens.
- Planning a second pregnancy? Consider sharing a book about welcoming a new sibling into the family. Your toddler will learn to touch newborns gently if he or she spends time with infants.
Your 24-month-old is growing up so quickly. On a daily basis, they’re implementing something fresh and fascinating. Have fun during this thrilling (and tiring) phase, and relax when you can.