Understanding toddler development milestones 

One minute they're slowly standing on shaky legs, the next they're striding up and down the hallway while you trail, exhaustedly, behind. 

We know that for parents, every milestone is a moment to celebrate - but toddler's change and grow so quickly it can be hard to keep up. 

If you’re wondering what’s next on your toddler’s journey, we’re here to guide you through some common physical, social, and linguistic milestones—because you’ve got this, and we’ve got you. 

Toddler development milestones, made easy 

We’ve divided the different stages into Social & Emotional, Speech & Language, Brain development, Physical, and Eating & Drinking, to make things easier for you.  

Remember, it isn’t a race! It’s important to let your baby find their rhythm. These milestones are helpful guides, not deadlines.

Toddlers are constantly on the go (and keeping you on your toes).  

Here’s what you might expect as their coordination and strength takes off: 

At 1 year

Your baby may:  

• Sit (and get into a sitting position) independently. 
• Crawl around, or 'bum shuffle'.
• Walk around furniture.  
• Throw small objects like a ball.  
• Pick up small objects (like a piece of string) with their first finger and thumb.

2-3 years old

Most toddlers start walking between 12-18 months. By the time they reach 2-3 years old? They’re hard to stop!

Other skills they might have developed include: 

• Walking, running, climbing and generally treating your living room like it’s their personal obstacle course.  
• Jumping with both feet, balancing on one leg (briefly) and tackling stairs with a handrail.  
• Stacking blocks, turning pages in a book and refining their coordination.  
• Kicking a ball (and throwing it overhead). 
• Climbing up and down furniture without assistance.  
• Drawing shaky circles and straight lines. 

Social and emotional milestones 

Your toddler is learning to cope with a world full of big emotions (as we’re sure you’ve noticed).   Let’s take a look at some of the ways they’ll learn to grow and develop. 

At 1 year

• Story time: At the 1 year mark, they might hand you a book when they want to hear a story. 
• Little helpers: They might start putting out an arm or leg to help you get them dressed.
• Bonding and boundaries: You might notice they become shy around strangers, cry when you leave and even start to pick favourite toys. 

Around 2-3 years

• Parallel play: At 18-24 months, toddlers often play alongside other children rather than with them. By 2 years old, they should start getting excited when they see other kids. Sharing? That comes later. 
• Copycats: At around the 2 year mark, your toddler might start copying the people around them.  
• Independence: Around 2 years, you’ll hear a lot of “Me do it!” as they assert their growing independence. 
• Empathy: Around 3 years, you might notice your toddler comforting a friend or reacting to someone else’s emotions. It’s a big step in social understanding. 

Speech and language milestones 

Toddlers have so much to say—and they’ll learn how to say it fast. Here’s what to expect as their language skills develop: 

At 1 year 

• Name recognition: By their first birthday, your baby should respond to their own name, point at objects they recognise and begin to form meaningful sounds like ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’. 
• First words: Most toddlers say their first words around 12-18 months of age.  

Around 2 years (and over) 

• Tiny dictionaries: By their second birthday, your toddler might know 50-100 words (and use two-word phrases like “want juice”). 
• Song time: From 18-24 months, you might notice your toddler enjoying (and starting to join in with) nursery rhymes.  
• Questions and sentences: By age 3, they’ll likely start forming longer sentences and asking endless (endless) questions. 
• Following instructions: Around 2 years, toddlers start understanding simple directions like “put the toy in the box” (whether they follow through is another story). 

Top tip: Chat with them constantly! Narrating your day or pointing out objects helps boost their vocabulary and confidence 

Brain development milestones

Your baby’s brain is always growing and learning. By the time they reach their second birthday, your toddler could be:  

• Following 2-step instructions  
• Sorting different shapes and colours  
• Finding objects that are hidden under multiple layers  
• Completing familiar sentences in their favourite books 
• Engaging in simple make-believe games  
• Building towers with 4 (or more) blocks  
• Developing a dominant hand