Child 1–2 years
24 Month Old
Around two years movement, words and noticing other people often step forward together, and play starts using more than one object at a time.
Movement and daily skills
- Running, kicking a ball, and walking up a few stairs with help are things many children do around two years.
- Eating with a spoon becomes more usual around this age, though spills stay part of it.
Language and thinking
- Combining at least two words — "more milk", "go out" — is something many children do around two, and pointing to things in a book when asked is common too.
- Children reach this at very different times, and understanding still tends to run ahead of speaking.
Social and emotional development
- Using more than one object together in pretend play, and noticing when someone is hurt or upset, are both common around two years.
- Looking at your face in a new situation, to see how you react, is a familiar pattern at this age.
Try together
Give them two related pretend objects — a cup and a spoon, a doll and a cloth — and let the story be theirs.
What can we do today?
53 activity ideas suit this age — most take about five minutes and need nothing you do not already have.
- Your Turn
- Who Is That?
- The Kitchen Drum
What can we prepare?
ParentSide has 12 recipes for 19–24 months, each with its texture, portion and preparation notes.
Professional support
Services ParentSide defines for this stage. Each page explains what the service covers and which professionals are approved to provide it.
Sources and updates
This provides general developmental information and is not a developmental assessment. Speak with a healthcare professional if you have concerns about your child's development, or if your child has lost a skill they once had — and you can ask about developmental screening.