Nothing So Terrible About the Twos - Year Two to Year Three

Support your child's development through your everyday moments together.

Now your child is really out in the wider world. Your "classroom" includes greater opportunities as your child's world and activities become broader. He is now more independent, is developing more friendships, and is definitely seeing the outside world and all it has to offer. The richness of these learning experiences with everyday objects or routines will continue to help your child's lifelong learning.

Health and physical development

From age two to three, children want to show off all the skills they've learned and are continuing to learn. Safety consciousness becomes more important than ever, because your child is spending more and more time away from her child-proofed home.

• Start your child on the road toward good personal hygiene. One way to keep her healthy is to emphasize frequent hand-washing -- particularly after using the toilet, going outside, or before eating.
• Some dentists say two is the right age to start dental check-ups. Some professionals even recommend visiting the dentist at an earlier age. But at the very least, it's a good time to help your child learn to brush her teeth regularly. Dental health is important for overall health.
• Give your two-year-old chances to develop gross motor skills with frequent trips to the park or back yard for running, climbing, jumping, hopping, throwing and catching balls.
• Add to fine motor skills by giving your child chances to scribble, play with clay, and do puzzles.

Emotional and social development

Two-year-olds are less likely to go through the "terrible twos" if they have the security of routines and consistent rules. Follow set routines such as bedtime, naptime, and mealtime, and try to maintain them even if something else catches your child's attention. At the same time, help your child develop her social and imaginative sides.

• Begin to discuss other people's feelings with your child to help her develop empathy: "How do you think Matthew felt when you took that toy away from him?"
• Continue to gently encourage your child to share, while maintaining reasonable expectations. There are certain times when it is understandable that your toddler will not want to share.
• You can help your child begin to see differences in others: different eye colors, clothing, ways of eating. Help your child focus on things that are the same about people, as well as things that are different, to promote acceptance and respect for others.
• Give your child plenty of opportunities to develop her imagination through music and crafts. Pasting things on paper or scribbling can be easy ways to give imagination free rein.

Language and thinking

Ordinary situations and items often provide the richest learning experiences. You can use these moments to extend your toddler's awareness and thinking skills. Your child is ready to absorb information; try to make every moment a learning opportunity!

• When you're outside, model curiosity for your child by asking questions about the world around you: "I wonder why the sky is blue today and other days it is all cloudy. I wonder where the ants are going. Let's watch them and follow them but be careful not to hurt them!"
• Children love to get into and out of things—such as boxes—at this age. This helps them explore ideas such as size and shape, but also crucial language concepts such as "into," "out of," "on top of," and "under."
• By this time a child might begin to develop interests in specific areas, such as dinosaurs or blocks. Encourage this interest, because it's an important part of thinking development.
• The words you use when you talk to your child can help expand her own vocabulary. She may already know that water is wet, but use bath time to add more sophisticated words and concepts, such as "splash" and "float." The vocabulary your child develops is a wonderful link to later reading and writing skills.
• Sing with your child, and recite nursery rhymes. When you sing, the sound of words is "stretched out," and it's easier to hear. It's also a good way for your child to focus on the rhythms of language. As many preschools have circle time with singing routines, singing with your child can also help prepare her for school.
• Continue to read to your child every day. Giving her an increasingly active role in choosing books and repeating favorite phrases with you can extend her enthusiasm for reading.
• Writing has many different purposes; share your own writing experiences with your child. She can help you make a list for the grocery store. Although it may be too soon for your child to focus on computers, it's not too soon for her to sit on your lap and help you compose an e-mail for grandma.