Child Development Stages
The Toddler Years: 1-3 Years Old

As kids pass through the child development stages of the toddler years, some fundamental gross and fine motor skills, cognitive skills, and social skills emerge.

Fun toddlers activities are perfect for kids at this age because they give the little ones a chance to try out their new skills and master some new ones.

Kids develop at a fast and furious pace from about 1-3 years of age, picking up skills of locomotion, body awareness, and the ability to manipulate objects.

It's an exciting time for children as they explore the world around them and start interacting with others. There's a progression of child development milestones that children typically pass through.

Below, is a list of behaviors that kids demonstrate at each age.

These milestones are general, and every child will progress through them at a slightly different rate. But they’ll give you a good idea of what to expect along the way.

Developmental Milestones
1-3 Years

1 Year
1.5 Years
2 Years
2.5 Years
3 Years

Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set

Child Development Stages
1 Year Old

• Walks holding on to an object
• Stands momentarily without support
• Walks alone – maybe just 2-3 steps
• Sits down without help
• Crawls
• Creeps on hands and knees
• Moves from sitting to crawling
• Moves from sitting to lying on stomach
• Pulls self up to stand
• Uses pincer grasp – grabs with index finger and thumb
• Puts objects into container
• Takes objects out of container
• Helps when getting dressed by extending an arm or leg

Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table

• Releases objects voluntarily
• Pokes with index finger
• Tries to imitate scribbling
• Responds to simple verbal request
• Tries to imitate words
• Explores objects in many different ways – shaking, banging, throwing, dropping
• Finds hidden objects easily
• Looks at correct picture when the image is named
• Imitates gestures and people
• Begins to use objects correctly – drinking from cup, brushing hair, talking on a phone
• Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys

Child Development Stages
1.5 Years Old

Walks backward Adult-like reaching and grasping Good at releasing objects Pulls, pushes, and dumps things Pulls off clothing Turns pages Stacks 2 blocks Carries a stuffed animal or doll Scribbles Walks without help Runs stiffly while looking at the ground Identifies an object in a picture book Looks for objects that have been moved out of sight

VTech Drop and Go Dump Truck

Puts a round object in a round hole Follows simple 1-step directions Solves problems by trial and error Says 8-10 understandable words Asks for something by pointing or by using one word Brings toys to share with Acts out a familiar activity while playing Plays alone with toys Competes with other children for toys Recognize self in the mirror or in pictures

Child Development Stages
2 Years Old

Walks up and down stairs Drinks from a straw Feeds self with spoon Helps wash hands Puts arms in sleeves with help Builds a tower with 3-4 blocks Tosses or rolls a large ball Bends over to pick up a toy without falling Takes steps backward Likes to take things apart Explores surroundings Points to 5 parts of a doll when asked Knows several hundred words Uses 2-3 word sentences Imitates and plays simple pretend games

Mega Bloks

Listens to short rhymes Takes turns in play with other children Enjoys listening to books being read Remembers simple stories, rhymes, and songs and joins in actions Shows a preference for either left or right hand Threads big beads on a string Puts pieces into a puzzle tray Looks at books and points to the pictures Watches and becomes engrossed in activities Divides toys into simple categories Loves playing with other kids but may have trouble playing with kids same age

Child Development Stages
2.5 Years Old

Sits on bike and scoots with both feet Runs with flat feet and short strides, but not able to stop easily or control speed very well Briefly stands on tiptoes Jumps a short distance off the ground Hops briefly on one foot Moves around an obstacle Draws big circles, short lines, and little squiggles Snips paper but can't cut around things Can pour, but spills Likes the feel of sand or rice running through fingers Can turn pages of books Likes to keep hands busy

Strider Sport Balance Bike

Climbs a playground ladder and uses slides Jumps from bottom step of the stairs without losing balance Learns about 50 new words a month Knows about 1,000 words Can say names of pets and family Dresses self but can't do zippers, buttons or socks very well Makes up simple stories Compares height of two objects and says which one is bigger, but not always correctly Sorts things based on one characteristic Walks on a low wall if someone holds hand

Child Development Stages
3 Years Old

If you'd like to see the development milestones at other ages, click on the following links:

Birth -1 year 
3-6 years

You might also be interested in the following topics:

Child Development Stages: Motor Phases
Activities for 2-Year Olds
Activities for  3-Year Olds

Concerned about delays in your child's progression through the child development stages? Visit CDC for resources.

Discover fun games for older kids.

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