Isn’t it amazing how kids grow and develop so quickly particularly between the ages of 1 and 2 years? Little things they couldn’t do one month they’re great at the next! Blink and you miss it!
The developmental milestones or norms of development are a really useful indication of the age at which most children reach certain stages. It’s important that we check and know the physical milestones of development so that we can keep an eye on our children’s progress, provide the best activities and toys to stimulate and challenge their developing skills and learning and seek help if things aren’t progressing as expected.
It can be upsetting when our children don’t meet the expected “norm” but identifying delays or difficulties early allows the correct support to be put into place for children to catch up and reach their full potential.
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What Do We Mean By Physical Developmental Milestones?
There are two areas of physical developmental milestones that we need to be aware of – Gross Motor Skills and Fine Manipulative Skills.
- What are Gross Motor Skills?
It’s where children are using their large muscles such as when they are walking, running and catching balls. - What are Fine Manipulative Skills?
It’s where children are using precise hand and finger movements such as when they are picking up small objects, doing up buttons or turning pages in a book.
Physical development progresses through recognisable stages that we can use to check that our children are making the progress they should be and to help us provide the best toys, activities and challenges to let them practise and develop their skills to reach these developmental milestones.
Below you will find some of the core physical developmental milestones that you can expect to see between the ages of 1 and 2 years old. It’s important that we use these as guidelines only to provide the best opportunities for our kids. We must remember that each child develops uniquely and kids don’t all reach these milestones at exactly the same age. Some children may accomplish them quickly while others take a little longer. If we are ever unsure of our child’s development we should always seek professional advice.
Core Physical Developmental Milestones For 1 – 2 Year Olds
Developmental Milestones Around 12 Months
Your baby has reached their first birthday and how wonderful it is to see how much they have changed during their first year. Here are some of the core skills and competences you can expect to see around 12 months.
Fine Manipulative Skills
- Picks up objects with thumb and finger
- Picks up and holds toys
- Points to objects
- Holds a cup with help
- Puts small objects into a container
Gross Motor Skills
- Sitting unaided
- They are mobile – crawling, rolling or shuffling
- May stand up with assistance
- Tries to crawl upstairs
Popular Toys To Promote Physical Developmental Milestones At 12 Months
Developmental Milestones Around 15 Months
Most children are toddlers now and are walking. They love to follow you around and be involved in everything you are doing. This very active age will keep you on your toes as they explore everything around them. Developmental milestones we can support at 15 months are:
Fine Manipulative Skills
- Holds and drinks from a cup using two hands
- Builds a tower of 2 blocks
- Makes marks with crayons
- Tries to turn pages of a board book
Gross Motor Skills
- Crawls downstairs feet first
- Walks independently with feet wide apart
- Can sit themselves in a small chair
- Squats to pick up toys from the floor
Popular Toys To Promote Physical Developmental Milestones At 15 Months
Developmental Milestones Around 18 Months
Your little one is starting to lose their “baby look”. Your busy toddler will want to be on the go and will enjoy activities inside and outdoors that burn off energy and allow them to stretch their skills. We can provide toys and opportunities that allow them to develop the following skills:
Fine Manipulative Skills
- Turns door handle
- Manipulates Snap Lock beads or similar
- Pulls off their shoes
- Puts small objects into large containers
Gross Motor Skills
- Moves between squatting, running, standing to play with toys
- Rolls and throws a ball
- Bends down from waist to pick up toys
- Enjoys push and pull toys while walking
- Carries a teddy bear when walking
- Rides a simple sit on toy
Popular Toys To Promote Physical Developmental Milestones At 18 Months
Developmental Milestones Around 2 Years
Your two year old is really on the move now and will be very energetic and enjoy being physically and mentally active. They enjoy having lots of space to play both inside and out to practise and develop their skills. They are wonderfully adventurous and into everything but have very little sense of danger so we must still supervise our busy two year old at all times and never leave them to play alone.
Fine Manipulative Skills
- Uses a spoon to feed themselves
- Will enjoy attempting fasteners like velcro, zips and poppers
- Puts on shoes
- Draws circles and dots
- Builds a tower of 5 blocks
- Begins to use a preferred hand
Gross Motor Skills
- Climbs on furniture
- Kicks a stationary ball
- Walks up and down stairs
- Puts together and pulls apart snap together toys like Duplo
Popular Toys To Promote Physical Developmental Milestones At 2 Years
The time between 1 year and 2 years of age is full of wonderful changes in your child’s physical development. We can take great pleasure in each new thing our children can do and enjoy their determination to master new physical skills.
We can do a lot to support our children in reaching their physical development milestones through the toys, activities and opportunities that we provide them with. When choosing toys remember that children are learning new skills very rapidly, so look for toys that will challenge and will retain their interest over time.
Remember all children are different and each will master the physical developmental milestones in their own time. You know your child best and can choose the toys and opportunities that best support their needs. If you ever have any concerns about your child’s development speak with a professional.
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