What a child should be able to do at 2 years old: developmental benchmarks.
The second year of a child's life is marked by rapid development in all areas: physical, emotional, social, and cognitive.
It is important to remember that each child develops individually, and there are no strict standards for what he or she should be able to do at a certain age.
However, there are developmental benchmarks that can help parents and professionals assess a child's progress. Here are some of the basic skills that a child can master by the age of 2:
Physical development:
- Walking: By 15 months, most children can walk independently.
- Running: By 18 months, a child can run without falling.
- Climbing stairs: by 2 years, a child can climb stairs by holding onto the railing.
- Throwing a ball: by the age of 2, a child can throw a ball with his/her hand.
- Drawing: By the age of 2, a child can draw scribbles with a pencil or paints.
Social and emotional development:
- Speak in simple sentences: by the age of 2, a child can speak simple sentences of 2-3 words.
- Naming objects and pictures: By the age of 2, a child can name familiar objects and pictures.
- Follow simple requests: by the age of 2, a child can follow simple requests such as "give", "put", "lie down".
- Play with other children: by the age of 2, a child can play with other children, share toys and imitate them.
- Expressing emotions: By age 2, a child can express a wide range of emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger, and fear.
Cognitive development:
- Understand simple instructions: by age 2, a child can understand simple instructions with 2-3 steps.
- Sorting objects: By age 2, a child can sort objects by color, shape, and size.
- Assemble puzzles: by the age of 2, a child can assemble simple puzzles of 4-5 elements.
- Recognize themselves in the mirror: by the age of 2, a child can recognize themselves in the mirror.
- Memorize simple songs and rhymes: by the age of 2, a child can memorize simple songs and rhymes.
It is important to emphasize that these are only general guidelines.
If you have any concerns about your child's development, it is recommended that you consult a pediatrician or pediatric neurologist.