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Home › Articles › Development › Top 10 Toddler Milestones

Top 10 Toddler Milestones

Steps in Your Child's Development

By Melinda Copp

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8. Expressing Emotions
"At around18 months,[toddlers] may feel a sense of frustration that they don't know how to express themselves," Dr. Fine says. Your tot will likely resort to tantrums and fits to communicate frustration, which is why toddlerhood is frequently referred to as the "terrible twos."

"You should give them words to describe what they are feeling so they understand that emotions are normal," Dr. Fine says. Good communication with your toddler will help ease the challenges of this phase of his life.

Along with these negative emotions, your toddler will be able to better express his feelings of love and trust through affection. Your 1-year-old will be able to put his little arms around you, and may even attempt a sloppy, open mouth kiss from time to time.

9. Eating with a Spoon
When teaching your little one to eat with a spoon, practice is the key. And although your child is probably familiar with the idea of eating off a spoon, the concept of using the utensil on his own is completely new.

"We've been practicing eating with a spoon," says Madden, whose daughter is almost 15 months old. "She starts out using it, but then eventually ends up playing with it." By 18 months, your child should be able to feed himself with a spoon.

10. Playing Make Believe
At some point, between ages 2 and 3, your toddler will start playing make believe. As your toddler develops, you'll notice him sitting and keeping busy with one or two favorite toys. And before you know it, he'll be in a world all his own.

"As soon as they can sit still you can play with a doll together and tell your child stories about what they're doing," Dr. Horowitz says. This will help developher ability to make believe all onher own.

Toddlerhood is the phase of your child's life when he gains mobility, independence and the desire to see how everything works. "Toddlers are like scientists exploring everything," Dr. Fine says. "The world is an amazing place and you can't stop their curiosity."

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