Once your child hits the 2 ½-year mark, it can seem like his baby growth and development is moving along at lightning speed. Some weeks you may feel like each day presents new and exciting development milestones, and achievements. During this particular time in baby growth, your toddler may begin to:

• Identify herself when shown photos
• Begin creating pictures using more than basic scribbles; dots, shapes, and lines may begin making an appearance in her drawings
• Hold basic conversations, both with other individuals as well as with himself during solitary play

• Start to have “favorites” -- at this phase of his baby development, your child may begin to demonstrate a preference for all sorts of items as well as people

Additionally, having a two-year-old brings a new phase of behavioral development; during this time she may start to show signs of understanding that her various actions can come with consequences and rewards.

Regression Is a Common Characteristic for a Toddler at Two Years

Find that your toddler at two years seems to be taking two developmental steps forward in some areas, followed quickly by one step back? This is very common for baby development at this age. Many parents notice things such as their child demonstrating independence one minute...only to revert to baby behavior in the next instance. Other children may go from using a sippy cup one day to demanding a baby bottle the next.

While you may find it hard to keep up with these behavioral switches, it’s important to keep in mind that this phase of baby development brings with it entirely new levels of uncertainty and unpredictability for your child. Regressing back to baby behavior can help them feel more secure and comfortable as they transition through this stage of growth.

Key Activities to Help Your Toddler at Two Years with Development

There is a wide range of age-appropriate activities you can engage in with your toddler at two years, such as:

• Letting them help -- children at this age love to feel like they are helping with “grown-up” activities such as cooking, shopping and outdoor/indoor chores
• Swim lessons -- while children at this age aren’t usually ready to swim deliberately, taking your toddler at two years old to swim lessons will not only help with motor skills, but also help instill confidence around water situations
• Limiting television use -- while this is often the time when children begin to show a piqued interest in television, experts advise carefully limiting overall television exposure to roughly 20-minute stretches three times a day

Tips to Make Potty Training an Easier Transition

Feel like your efforts to potty train your two-year-old have been less than fruitful? This is very common. As with any type of baby development, it’s important to remember that every child will progress at her own specific pace, so trying to rush the process may just yield frustration. Using encouraging praise during every success can help put you both on a positive path for potty training.