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Beginning at the age of 2, children will begin to discover their ability in motor skills — both gross and fine motor. Learning to run, kick or throw a ball, and climbing stairs with assistance, and climbing up furniture are some of the skills that you may see your two year old begin to explore.

Stands up tip-toes

Kicks a ball

Begins to run, walk, and jump with both feet

Climbs onto and down from furniture without assistance

Climbs up and down furniture or playground equipment

Throws a ball overhand

Makes or copies straight lines & circles

Resource: https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/signs-symptoms/developmental-milestones/developmental-milestones-for-typical-2-year-olds

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A child will be able to throw a ball overhand or underhand by they reach the age of 2 years. They will be able to throw a tennis ball at least 3 feet in front of them. As they reach they mature to 30 months, this distance will double.

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At this age, children learn to begin to run. Parents and caregivers should keep in mind that a child's learning pattern for running will be similar to that of their walking (such as wavering). Some physical attributes to look for that may hinder a child's ability to run are:

The child walks on his or her tiptoes

One side of the child's body moves more fluidly or different than the other

Resource: https://www.choc.org/neuroscience/developmental-services/ages-stages/

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By 3 years old, their motor skills will strengthen and will come more easily to them. They will start to climb up and down stairs with one foot on each step, pedal a tricycle, and climb and run much easier than they did at 2 years old.

Climbs well

Runs easily

Pedals a tricycle

Walks up and down stair, one foot on each step

Dress and undress themselves

Balances on one foot for 1 second

Can draw a circle

Resource: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/development-3yrs.html

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A 3 year-old child will be able to participate in self-help skills on their own such as hand-washing. They should also be able to turn the pages of a book and hold an instrument — like a spoon or a pencil — with their fingers and not their fists.
Resource: https://www.verywellfamily.com/3-year-old-developmental-milestones-2764712#physical-development

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3 year olds typically will begin to dress and undress themselves. With this life skill they practice the use of their fine motor skills to manipulate buttons and zip up their clothing.

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Vygostky developed the theory that children learn actively through hands-on experiences. His theory is mostly related to the social-emotional aspect of development but it taps into physical development as well. Interacting with others promotes a more integrated learning experience where the child will gain a better understanding of the world. For example, through play, a two-year old child may learn how to climb the play structure by watching others. With this theory, there is a concept called the zone of proximal development which is the gap between what a child can do and what they cannot do without assistance. With the guidance and assistance from either an experienced peer or an adult, a child will increase their skills and understanding of the task at hand. This is where scaffolding comes to play in which a parent will guide a child during a certain activity such as a self-help skill. For a 3 year old, scaffolding may be helpful in the block corner. A teacher can guide the child if they are having trouble balancing a block on top of another without it falling. The teacher may suggest, “What would happen if you didn’t use as many blocks?” This way, the teacher is guiding the child and encouraging thought rather than telling the child what to do.

Resources: https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html,

https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories-2795068#banduras-social-learning-theory

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What do you need to know about developmental delays?

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What do you need to know about developmental delays?

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If your 2-3 year old child is NOT meeting all of the milestones expected for children their age, early intervention would be the best support. However this does not automatically mean your child has a physical developmental delay.
Remember...

-Seek early intervention: If you suspect your child is not meeting all the milestones ask your doctor!
-Exposure: Maybe your 2-3 year old is struggling to copy straight lines and circles. Integrate more activities that promote fine motor skills, like painting and free scribbling.
-Scaffolding: Guide your child in activities that will aid them in gross and fine motor skill development. Play with a ball: Child will practice catching and throwing the ball with both hands. Play Hide and seek: Child will run, hide, and tiptoe or peek to watch as you look for them.

*Remember Developmental delays are often outgrown. Developmental delays often occur when there were complications during pregnancy. Maybe there were external factors such as poor nutrition or trauma or medical conditions.
ALWAYS consult with your doctor first!

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"Aren't kids usually talking by now?"
People may not mean to be insensitive when they ask you questions like these. But it can still be upsetting to see other kids passing milestones before your child does.

Not meeting these types of milestones isn't always a sign that your child has a developmental delay. If it turns out he does have a delay, however, getting supports and services early may help him catch up more quickly. What follows may help you figure out whether it's time for early intervention.

Basics About Development and Delays

Kids don't develop skills on a strict timetable. For example, some babies start walking as young as 9 months, while others don't take their first steps until 15 months. Both of those babies are within the range of typical development. And minor differences in when kids perform a skill usually aren't cause for concern.

But a developmental delay is more than just being "slower to develop" or "a little behind." It means your child is continually behind in skills other kids his age have.

For example, a baby who isn't rolling over by 4 months may be just a little behind in that one skill. But if he also isn't able to hold his head up and push up when lying on his tummy, he's behind in more than one motor skill. That's a sign of a developmental delay. (If you're noticing this in your child, there are many ways to help.)

The Difference Between a Developmental Delay and a Developmental Disability

Doctors sometimes use the terms "developmental delay" and "developmental disability" to mean the same thing. They're actually not the same thing, but it is sometimes difficult to determine whether a young child has a delay or a disability, or why.

Developmental disabilities are issues that kids don't outgrow or catch up from, though they can make progress. They aren't the same as learning disabilities, but they can make learning more difficult. Some conditions that can cause developmental disabilities include Down syndrome, Angelman syndrome, autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and brain injuries.

Developmental delays may be caused by short-lived issues, such as a speech delay being caused by hearing loss from ear infections or a physical delay being caused by a long hospitalization. Delays may also be early signs of learning and attention issues. While it's not always clear what is causing the delay, early intervention can often help kids catch up. Some kids still have delays in skills when they reach school age. In that case, they may be eligible to receive special education services.

If a child isn't catching up as quickly as expected, a specialist may suggest doing an evaluation to get a better sense of what's going on. It could also help guide the types of services and supports that would meet his needs.

Five Areas of Skill Development and Possible Delay

A developmental delay can occur in just one area or in a few. A global developmental delay is when kids have delays in at least two areas.

Kids develop skills in five main areas of development:

1. Cognitive (or thinking) skills: This is the ability to think, learn and solve problems. In babies, this looks like curiosity. It's how your child explores the world around him with his eyes, ears and hands. In toddlers, it also includes things like learning to count, naming colors and learning new words.

2. Social and emotional skills: This is the ability to relate to other people. That includes being able to express and control emotions. In babies, it means smiling at others and making sounds to communicate. In toddlers and preschoolers, it means being able to ask for help, show and express feelings and get along with others.

3. Speech and language skills: This is the ability to use and understand language. For babies, this includes cooing and babbling. In older children, it includes understanding what's said and using words correctly and in ways that others can understand.

4. Fine and gross motor skills: This is the ability to use small muscles (fine motor), particularly in the hands, and large muscles (gross motor) in the body. Babies use fine motor skills to grasp objects. Toddlers and preschoolers use them to do things like hold utensils, work with objects and draw. Babies use gross motor skills to sit up, roll over and begin to walk. Older children use them to do things like jump, run and climb stairs.

5. Activities of daily living: This is the ability to handle everyday tasks. For children, that includes eating, dressing and bathing themselves.

There is no one cause of developmental delays, but some risk factors include:

Complications at birth: Being born too early (prematurely); low birth weight; not getting enough oxygen at birth.

Environmental issues: Lead poisoning; poor nutrition; exposure to alcohol or drugs before birth; difficult family situations; trauma.

Other medical conditions: Chronic ear infections; vision problems; illnesses, conditions, or injuries that have a significant and long-term effect on a child's day-to-day activities.

Sometimes parents worry that they might have contributed to their child's delays. That's usually not the case. For example, teaching a child more than one language does not lead to speech or language problems. And as one mother shares, even though it can be "heartbreaking" to hear the results of an evaluation, in the end, it's better to focus on next steps and ways to help.

The Link Between Developmental Delays and Learning and Attention Issues

In young kids, delays can be the first sign of learning and attention issues. For example, speech and language delays may point to a learning issue or a communication disorder.

It's not always easy to make the link between delays and learning and attention issues until kids start school. That's when teachers can see how kids do in areas like math, reading and spelling. They can also see how well kids focus in class.

The school can also do formal testing to find out more about your child's strengths and weaknesses. The tests show how kids' skills compare to those of their peers. They also show how kids think and solve problems. The results can help to determine whether a child has a learning or attention issue.

Are you concerned about your child's development? If so, speak with your child's doctor about a referral to an early intervention agency in your state for further evaluation and help for your child. And learn more about:

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What You Need to Know About Developmental Delays

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"Aren't kids usually talking by now?" People may not mean to be insensitive when they ask you questions like these. But it can still be upsetting to see other kids passing milestones before your child does. Not meeting these types of milestones isn't always a sign that your child has a developmental delay.