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Milestones by two years old

Milestones by age 2

Your little one will be learning so much by exploring the world around them. Their speaking and listening will be improving all the time. Toddlers can become frustrated when they can’t express themselves, but this is because they’re still learning so much.

Here are some things they may be able to do at this age:

Playing

Two-year-olds often like choosing their own activities and games. They might find it difficult to follow rules or advice from a grown up. Using your child’s name when you speak to them can help them listen to you.

At this age, your little one will enjoy simple, pretend games, which often copy real life, like driving or shopping games.

Listening

Your child will understand up to 500 different words, even if they can’t say them all. At this age, they will understand a lot more than they can say.

They can understand simple instructions and questions. The number of phrases and words they know will be growing all the time.

Speaking

At this age, your child will be able to say around 50 words. They might be starting to put two or three words together. As their knowledge grows, they might make more mistakes – this is normal.

They will begin to ask simple questions.

When you talk about something they’re doing, they will be able respond in turn.

Any concerns?

All children learn different things at different times. No two are the same. If your child is doing some of these things, but not all of them, this is normal.

If you are worried about your child's development, speak to your Health Visitor, family hub or childcare provider. They should be able to give you some simple ideas of how to support your child's development at home. Or they may suggest a visit to your GP.

Here are some other places where you may be able to find useful tips and advice: