Toddlerhood series : What kinds of changes will I see in my toddler?

Every toddler grows at his own pace. Your child may be using a fork and speaking in complete sentences before his favorite playmate is doing either of those things, but both of them can be normal and healthy children. Just about the only thing that’s certain is that your toddler will seem to be changing continually. So you’ll want to use this list as a guide to the kinds of changes you can expect, not as hard-and-fast rules.

• Physical changes. This is a time of explosive physical growth. Your child is acquiring much more control over his own body, and this will enable him to do many things on his own, such as feeding, dressing, washing himself, and using the toilet. He’s becoming more coordinated, too, and this will allow him to learn to climb, throw objects, and run and jump. He’ll also develop the ability to do such things as finger-paint, pour from a cup, use a fork and spoon, and draw with a crayon.

• Intellectual changes. As your toddler explores his world, he’ll be learning many new things, because he’ll also be developing intellectually. This is a time of intense curiosity and adventure. Your toddler recognizes himself as a separate per son from others and wants to find out all he can about the things that don’t look like him (though he has a big interest in his own body, too). He’ll learn the difference between hot and cold, things that taste good and things that don’t, and objects that break and those that don’t. He’ll figure out that keys fit in keyholes, that shirts go on the top and pants go on the bottom, and that he can turn things on by hitting a button or switch. Toddlers also take a huge step forward in their ability to use language. Within two years, they acquire a vocabulary of about two hundred words and unconsciously pick up the rules of grammar and sentence structure. A toddler who says “I waked up” is applying one of the common rules of English—that most verbs form the past when you add “ed.” He hasn’t yet learned the exceptions, but he has learned the rule just by listening to normal speech patterns. At the same time, he’ll be starting to develop the ability to recognize and name colors, letters, numbers, and many kinds of sounds.

• Social changes. Your toddler’s awareness of himself as a separate person brings many social changes, including the development of a clear style of personality. He discovers that he has needs that go beyond physical comfort, and he’ll experiment with ways to get what he wants. But as he’s testing you, your toddler will also be learning to play with others his age. He doesn’t interact with his peers in the same way older children do, but he can form emotional attachments, and may become upset when he no longer sees a favorite playmate or caregiver.

Source : Questions Parents Of Toddler Ask. Ceridian Corporation.2001