Programs & Curriculum

Toddlers

18 months through 3 years

The toddler phase in your child's development is a pivotal time of transition from infancy to early academic acquisition. The toddler stage of questioning, observing, and testing is an exciting developmental era in the life of your young learner, and in recognition of this growth potential we will provide them a variety of learning tools specifically tailored for their age and stage.

19 months to 23 months

Social & Emotional Development
• Likes to imitate parents' actions
• Begins to show signs of independence; says "no"
• Has difficulty sharing
• Very possessive
• Finds it difficult to wait and wants things right now!
• Gets angry sometimes and has temper tantrums
• Acts shy around strangers
• Comforts a distressed friend or parent
• Refers to self by name
• Uses the words "me" and "mine"
• Enjoys looking at picture books
• Tries to do many things by himself
• Enjoys adult attention
• Enjoys simple pretend play like wearing hats and talking on phone
• Enjoys exploring, gets into everything, and requires constant supervision
• Generally unable to remember rules
• Often gets physically aggressive when frustrated - slaps, hits
• Shows affection by returning a hug or kiss
• May become attached to a toy or blanket

Intellectual Development
• Has a vocabulary of several hundred words, including names of toys
• Uses 2-3 word sentences
• Echoes single words that are spoken by someone else
• Talks to self and "jabbers" expressively
• Shows preferences between toys
• Likes to choose between two objects
• Hums or tries to sing
• Listens to short rhymes or finger plays
• Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked
• Uses the words "please" and "thank you" if prompted
• Enjoys singing familiar songs

Physical Development
• Weight: 20-32 pounds
• Height: 30-37 inches
• Walks well
• Likes to run, but can't always stop and turn well
• Drinks from a straw
• Feeds self with a spoon
• Helps wash hands
• Stacks 2-4 blocks
• Tosses or rolls a large ball
• Opens cabinets, drawers, and boxes
• Bends over to pick up toy without falling
• Walks up steps with help
• Takes steps backward
• Enjoys sitting on and moving small-wheeled riding toys
• Begins to gain some control of bowels and bladder; complete control may not be achieved until around age 3. (Boys often do not complete toilet learning until age 3-1/2.)



2 Years

Language skills
• Speaks about 50 words
• Links two words together
• Uses some adjectives (big, happy)
• Speaks clearly enough for parents to understand some of the words

Cognitive skills
• Begins to play make-believe
• Begins to sort objects by shape and color
• Scribbles
• Finds hidden objects

Social skills
• Becomes aware of his or her identity as a separate individual
• May become defiant
• Becomes interested in playing with other children
• Separation anxiety begins to fade

Physical skills
• Walks alone and stands on tiptoe
• Climbs on furniture and begins to run
• Builds a tower of six or more blocks
• Empties objects from a container