Child Development Between 1 & 2 Years!

If you are an expecting mother, you most likely want to stay well informed. Finding out more about the development of children between 1 and 2 years is a must for your future baby`s health.

Socio-Emotional Development of the Child between 1 and 2 Years

During this year, the baby will understand that he`s a completely separate and different person than you. This leads to some kind of fear from his part that you may leave him at some point, but it may also lead to the words “I” and “mine” spoken more often. You also need to learn some boundaries, what is his, what it isn`t, with what he`s allowed to play and what he`s not. – Read more!

Although at this age they are able to understand most words, they still aren`t able to understand more abstract concepts and they are strictly related to the concrete. It`s quite possible for them to understand the meaning of the word “No” and still don`t act accordingly, so you may need to lift him from there, move them or distract their attention, as they aren`t yet able to control their impulses, even if they know that something is forbidden.

The child will always be very eager and curious to learn new stuff at this point, but he`ll very much depend on the presence of an adult to make sure everything is alright and offer him a lot of attention.

The child is very attracted by his parents now and he won`t be able to easily understand if, for instance, you may want to get back to work. He`ll be afraid of separation because he still cannot fully understand that you`ll eventually come back to him. At this age, he enjoys a lot to play repetitive games and to play with adults.

He expresses an interest in other children, but he`ll usually play alone. He`s still not able to share his toys and you cannot expect yet from him to share his toys with other children. – Visit this link!

He`ll imitate the games and actions of others – he`ll talk on the phone or he`ll play with the ball. He`ll be more cooperative when attempting to dress him and he`ll even try to dress on his own. He`ll want to do everything properly and he may get irritated if something won`t succeed.

His ability of eating on his own will improve and he`ll tend alone to choose what he wants to eat.

Development of the Ability to Understand

In this second year of life, children aren`t still able to have the ability of seeing things in perspective. They learn about each object separately, starting from the lowest level. Concepts like distance and time, “too far, too fast, too slow” are completely strange to them and they aren`t able to understand them, often to the desperation of their parents.

Still, they manage to sort objects by category, at this age developing the notion of groups. But at the same time, if they saw a chicken and they kept in their mind that this is a chicken, when they saw a duck they`ll tell that it`s still chicken, because both of them have wings and feathers. – More about this!

The ability of the child to memorize is improve a lot and offers him the possibility of reacting to some things even from before they happen. If, for example, he touched a hot milk bottle that was told it was hot, the second time he won`t touch it again until after a while.

Between 18 months and 2 years, the ability of recognizing differences and similarities between various things and he`ll be interested in sorting them in groups, for example cars, books, cubes or animals.

Also, now he`ll also start understanding what things go together, he`ll learn that the pencil is used on the paper, that shoes stay next to one another, etc. He`ll start to discover what pieces match in various places, so he`ll be able to solve simple puzzles and games in which certain pieces that enter and specific spaces.

He`ll copy and remember previous events. He`ll have a lot of fun talking imaginary on the phone.

He doesn`t yet understand what tomorrow means, as he doesn`t yet have the notion of time. He doesn`t understand abstract words, like nice, easy, hard or empty, and he cannot talk about things he doesn`t see, tough or lift.

He doesn`t have an adequate understanding of what space and dimensions means and, for instance, he may get frightened that he can fall into the toilet.

Development of the Physical Abilities

It`s possible for you to need to make some changes around your house due to the rapidity with which the child develops his ability of movement. He may start to pull doors, drawers or try to open bottles. On this regard, you may have to be careful where you put your important things. Don`t leave them too close to them, and also, doors and drawers would be advisable to have protections against children so he cannot open them. The detergents, cleaning solutions – if by now they were located on lower levels to have near you when you needed them, from now on you should find them a higher location because they might prove to be very dangerous for a child of 1 – 2 years old. You don`t have to mention him every 2 minutes that he isn`t allowed to touch them; the best thing is to change their location.

At 15 Months

• He`s more certain on himself when he walks, without support, with his legs well-spaced and hands in front to maintain his balance.
• He stands up using his hands.

Around 2 Years

• It`s quite possible to run without hitting something and he may be able to stop when he needs to stop on his own.
• He can stand up without using his hands.
• He can get down on the stairs hold on his hand, but he will pass with both legs on each stair before going to the next one.
• He may be interested in buttons and he`ll be able to push them and twist them as he pleases.
• He starts to test the ideas of “how far I can walk.” Let him explore freely and safely, but don`t let him run too far.

What to Be Careful At?

If until 2 years, the child:

• Hinders a lot and you cannot see signs of improvement.
• Cannot walk on his own.
• Cannot hold a teaspoon on his hand and drops most of the food.
• Cannot lift small objects.
• Cannot build a tower of 3 or 4 cubes.
• Cannot even say a few simple words.
• Doesn`t understand simple instructions.
• Runs often far of you, beyond the limits you can see or he climbs extremely, without hesitating.

Development of the Language

The language of a 2-year old child is a mirror of his other developments. He starts to name more and more objects, but he often wants for you to understand what he actually wants and he still finds it hard to say it.

Although the number of words that he knows and can say in this second year of his life will increase quite a lot, he`ll still be frustrated because he isn`t able to say more, or at least as many as he`ll want for you to understand what he`s trying to tell you. Try to talk with him a lot and repeat what he says in your answer, while also describing the things you both see in simple words, like for instance “Yes, look at this small car!” – More info!

If at the age of 15 months, the child may be able to say 10 words, between 18 months and 2 years he`ll averagely reach 100 words or even more, and his understanding on the respective words will be much better.

Up to 18 Months

• They usually murmur loudly, just as they would have an actual conversation.
• They listen when you talk with them and they understand when you telling them “No.”
• They are able to follow some simple instructions, like “bring your shoes.”
• They are able to identify some familiar objects when they are named, like “Where`s the ball?” or “Show me the toy!”
• They use 6 or more correct words that can be recognized by others.

It May Be a Problem Up to 18 Months If

• Your child doesn`t murmur at least from time to time.
• He didn`t started to use some words with meaning.
• He doesn`t listen when other people are talking to him.

At 2 Years

• He`ll be able to say most of the things he wants; for instance, “outside,” , biscuit,” “play,” “milk,” even if sometimes he won`t be able to pronounce all the words correctly.
• He`ll form longer and more clear sentences, from “more” to “want more” and “I want more.”
• He`ll improve his ability of understanding language, therefore he`ll be able to remember 2 things at the same time; for instance “take the ball and give it to your mother!”
• He started to learn words that will express how he feels (happiness, sadness, sorry).
• He has enough ability to tell other people what he wants to do; for instance, “go!” or “leave!”
• He joins the group when he hears familiar songs. – Read this!
• He murmurs while he`s playing, using a few words which are easy to recognize in his murmur.

It May Be a Problem if By Now

• He`s very quiet when he plays.
• He doesn`t answer when other people are talking to him.
• He cannot point towards objects when they are named to him.
• He uses signs or gestures only when he wants something.

What Can You Do for Him?

Your child will love to play with buttons, twist and push them. This helps him learn to use his muscles and also feel that he can manage with new things. Protect your televisions and other devices, and buy him toys with buttons that he can twist or press. – Click here!

He`ll be interested in playing simple puzzles, so you may have to buy him 2 or 3 puzzles.

Also, he`ll love toys that can will bind each other, like trains or cubs; games in which he can introduce and pull other pieces.

If you`ll allow him to help you, the child will love to browse some books with thick pages, he`ll watch the images and he`ll remember familiar objects animals, if you`ll show them to him. Leave him turn the pages on his own and to try and recognize animals/objects.

The most beloved talks are those in which you can tell him the number of an object or animal and then you ask him what it is that particular object or animal. – Other info!

Play lots of games in which to offer him the opportunity of saying “no,” like “Is there a cat under the bed?”

Buy him various toys in various shapes and textures: animals, cubs, fruits or cars, to teach him how to make the difference between them and form groups.

Children love to imitate other people or pretend that they also talk on the phone or wash dishes.

Allow him also to have moments when he plays on his own, so he can learn how not to get bored when he doesn`t have anyone around him to play. If he`ll need help, he`ll probably ask for it.