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2-Year Toddler Developmental Milestones

No two children develop, grow and learn in the same way or at the same pace. However, children do develop in certain predictable ways. Listed below are common developmental milestones for 2-year-olds.

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Watch this video to see milestones and stages of development for a 2-year-old and get ideas on how you can support a child’s healthy development.

moving icon Moving - Physical or Motor Development

  • Kicks a ball forward.
  • Throws a ball overhand.
  • Walks up and down stairs holding on.
  • Stands on tiptoes.
  • Builds tower of four or more blocks.
  • Begins to run.
  • Climbs on and off furniture without help.
  • Puts simple puzzles together.

talking icon Talking - Communication and Language Development

  • Uses two or three words together.
  • Points to things or pictures in a book when named.
  • Follows simple directions.
  • Knows names of familiar people, and body parts.

interacting icon Interacting - Social and Emotional Development

  • Plays briefly beside other children, and gets excited when with other children.
  • Imitates others, especially adults and older children.
  • Shows more and more independence.
  • Shows defiance, such as doing what he/she was told not to do.
  • Begins to play with other children, as in chasing one another.

thinking icon Thinking - Cognitive Development

  • Finds things even when hidden under two or more covers.
  • Explores how things work by touching them and trying them out.
  • Begins to sort shapes and colors.
  • Follows two-step directions such as, “pick up your truck and put it on the shelf.”
  • Plays simple pretend or make-believe games.
  • Names items in a book such as a dog, cat, car or baby.
  • Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books.

Resources

Help Me Grow has a variety of resources that can help you support the healthy development of a 2-year-old. Learn more about Infant and Toddler Intervention and Preschool Special Education services and discover other resources available to you.

Encouraging Healthy Development for a 2-Year-Old

Ideas that can help you support the development of a 2-year-old.

Help Me Grow Articles

Articles that help you support the healthy development of a child.

Resources Directory

A directory of services provided for families of children with disabilities.

smiling toddler with hands folded on table

If you have concerns about a child's development and think a child might need extra help to learn and grow, do not hesitate to refer a child.

The family will be contacted by the local school district to arrange for a screening or evaluation to determine if their child is eligible for Infant and Toddler Intervention or Preschool Special Education services in Minnesota.

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