This page provides you with a guide only as to what developmental milestones typically are achieved at this age and stage. If you have any concerns about your child see you child and family health nurse or doctor. 

Social and Emotional Development 

• your child will seek control over events, is becoming more independent- tantrums often when frustrated
• your child will being to monitor their own behaviour (eg: say 'hot' near soup, coffee)
• your child begins separating from parent (eg: running ahead, exploring)
• your child refers to self by name, knows the names of familiar people
• your child often expresses affection by hugging and kissing. Attempts to comfort others in distress
• your child plays mainly beside other children (parallel play), but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games

Language and Communication Development

• uses personal pronouns such as 'I' and 'me'
• your child will speak about 50 different single words 
• you child uses  2 to 4 words sentences 
• approximately 50% of your child's speech is intelligible
• your child will ask simple questions
• your child will follow simple 2 step instructions
• your child recognises new words daily and is increasing their vocabulary
• points to things such as: pictures, body parts when they are named 
• names items in a picture book such as: cat, dog, bird

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem solving) 

• Imitates familiar action such as: reading a book, bathing a doll, feeding a doll
• can solve simple problems such as: gets a stool to reach for an item
• can use paint, play dough purposefully
• is able to pick themselves out of a photo and match pictures to real things
• can sort objects into groups (eg: colours, shapes)
• manages a simple 3 piece puzzles
• finds things when hidden under covers
• your child will do pretend play 
• you child can build towers with 4 or more block

Movement and Physical Development

• Makes or copies straight lines and circles
• lines up blocks to make a train
• when walking, changes direction easily and steps over objects
• rarely falls when running
• walks up and down stairs holding on
• often squats to play
• will jump in place
• kicks and throws a ball
• climbs onto and down from furniture without help

Self care

• Can put on socks, slippers 
• Can help parent to tidy up a few toys when encouraged
• Can use words to gesture or indicate toileting or food needs
• Can unscrew lids, turns knobs
• Can use a spoon to feed themselves

Areas that may warrant further investigation

• your child doesn't say 2 word phrases (eg: put, on) or doesn't say their own name
• your child doesn't appear to know what to do with common things such as: brush, phone, spoon
• your child doesn't copy actions and words
• your child doesn't follow simple instructions
• your child isn't walking steadily
• your child seems to have lost skills they once had, especially language or social skills.