Alternative Names

Growth milestones for children - 2 years; Normal childhood growth milestones - 2 years; Childhood growth milestones - 2 years

Information

Physical and motor skill markers:

• Able to turn a door knob.
• Can look through a book turning one page at a time.
• Can build a tower of 6 to 7 cubes.
• Can kick a ball without losing balance.
• Can pick up objects while standing, without losing balance. (This often occurs by 15 months. It is a cause for concern if not seen by 2 years.)
• Can run with better coordination. (May still have a wide stance.)
• May be ready for toilet training.
• Should have the first 16 teeth, but the actual number of teeth can vary widely.
• At 24 months, will reach about half final adult height.

Sensory and cognitive markers:

• Able to put on simple clothes without help. (The child is often better at removing clothes than putting them on.)
• Able to communicate needs such as thirst, hunger, need to go to the bathroom.
• Can organize phrases of 2 to 3 words.
• Can understand 2-step command such as, "Give me the ball and then get your shoes."
• Has increased attention span.
• Vision is fully developed.
• Vocabulary has increased to about 50 to 300 words, but healthy children's vocabulary can vary widely.

Play recommendations:

• Allow the child to help around the house and take part in the daily family chores.
• Encourage active play and provide enough space for healthy physical activity.
• Encourage play that involves building and creativity.
• Provide safe copies of adult tools and equipment. Many children like to mimic activities such as cutting the grass or sweeping the floor.
• Read to the child.
• Try to avoid television watching at this age (recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics).
• Control both the content and quantity of television and other video device viewing. Limit screen time to 1 hour or less per day. Avoid programming with violent content. Redirect the child to reading or play activities.
• Control the type of games the child plays.

References

Carter RG, Feigelman S. The second year. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 24.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Learn the signs. Act early. Important milestones: your child by two years. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-2yr.html. Updated June 6, 2023. Accessed February 22, 2024.

Goode R, Lawrence A, Reimschisel T. Global developmental delay and regression. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 8.

Healthychildren.org website. Beyond screen time: Help your kids build healthy media use habits. www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/Media/Pages/healthy-digital-media-use-habits-for-babies-toddlers-preschoolers.aspx. Updated July 20, 2022. Accessed March 17, 2024.