Toddler development

[Zoono]

Please no judgement, as I'm just curious. At 26 months what do your or could your children do? My DD seems advanced in some areas and on track in others but i don't what else I could be doing to support her learning?

Have you had your 2 year health visitor check yet or are you due it soon? My son’s 26 months and just had his and they go through all this with and offer support! Key things they were interesting in was does he use a fork / spoon, can he jump with 2 feet off the ground. Does he point things out, recognise people, look at people when they’re talking to him other things he does, he can speak in sentences, seeks comfort, falls asleep easy and stays asleep, jump, run, climb. Count to 10, recognise numbers and some letters, helps me clean 🤣 the only area he was behind in was fine motor skills like threading something onto a string but they weren’t concerned as he was doing everything else. Hope this helps!

Don’t know where you but Scotland all toddlers should have a developmental assessment around 27 months.
If this isn’t the case where you are then your health visitor would be the best person to advise. There are also lots of resources about this online.
But off the top of my head, at 26 months my LG was doing the following:
Walking, running and jumping confidently.
Kicking a ball.
Walking up and down (with help) steps.
She had a pretty good vocabulary, not sure how many words but enough to have started forming simple 2/3 word sentences. She could understand pretty much everything I was saying and following simple instructions with maybe 2 parts to them.
Not toilet trained for another few months, but many kids will be well on their way by this time.
Playing alongside (not necessarily with) other kids.
Holding a crayon in her fist, turning pages of a board book, picking up small objects.
Making some attempts at self care like trying to brush hair but not yet able to dress.
Feeds self using cutlery (fork better than spoon at this age, and not using a knife yet).

But yeah, health visitor is best port of call.

Thank you both. I'm still waiting for the 2 year check. DD can do most of these activities, which is a relief but she can't recognise written numbers and letters yet. She can recite up to the number 10 consistently and can properly count up to 4. Is that in the normal range?

Sorry I’m confused. Why are you teaching your a 2 year old to read numbers and letters? Surely there are much more fun and age appropriate activities you could be doing?

I haven't been. I just mentions numbers in games and songs

At 26 months my eldest (now 7) was talking in full sentences, able to identify colours, animals, potty trained.

My youngest is only 18 months but is saying 2 words together, babbling away as if we understand her 😂 and can problem solve to an extent….ie she realises if she throws the quality street tin on the floor that the lid comes off and she can get chocolate 🙄

Recognising letters comes in preschool/reception age. At 26 months please just let your toddler be a toddler. Focus on sharing, turn taking, potty training, taking little risks such as climbing frames etc. counting games etc again number recognition comes in time, usually between 2-4. Every child develops differently and at different speeds. Don't judge your child or compare yours to others. What yours may be better at, other children may be progressing in other areas further than what yours is. But please don't make your toddler grow up too soon, plenty of time for that!

Thank you. I do struggle with anxiety around giving my DD a happy childhood and her development. I am very proud of her too. I just want her to have fun and enjoy life more than anything else.

I may have confused things with my son recognising numbers and letters! That's just what HE can do, I haven't actively taught him this he has just picked it up himself tbh from books we read and our letter magnets on the fridge. This isn't something that is necessary at their age!
I work in early years and it sounds like your little one is right where they should be! There is no need to compare but from what you have said they're doing great!

It’s natural to want to give your DC a sense of contentment during childhood but the best way you can help your DD is to address your anxiety if you’re finding that it is affecting how you parent

As others have said, at her age i would be working on things like using cutlery, maybe potty training, taking physical risks at the park or in the garden, some things to encourage fine motor skills, using a scooter and socialising. She will also learn a lot by seeing you socialise with family and friends.

Orchard games do a couple of board games that are suitable from 2 which she might enjoy.

If she enjoys numbers then take her for a walk and talk about the numbers on bins, cars and doors and collect things whilst you’re out to count and play with at home.

The library is always good too as she can choose some books and they usually have a story session or singing session for toddlers.

It does sound as though she’s doing fine though

Don't even think about enhancing learning at this age just let her have fun, conversing is the most important thing, she'll learn so much chatting away and being out and about with you. It's all variable anyway, my dd was mid covid at this stage, she could recognise all the alphabet and was beginning to blend but had zero confidence, rarely played with anyone except her older brother and got separation anxiety as we were all stuck home together with just a daily walk (as a result she was doing his reception stage phonics because it was easier for me to get them both doing it) - I'd rather she have had a sociable toddlerdom and wasn't reading at 2.5 tbh! She's probably slightly above average now at school but not really, it's not a pre indicator I don't think so don't stress about it. Girls and boys, only children vs siblings all changes things up too so there's little help found in comparing them. She sounds amazing, bright and happy and loved which is the main thing.

My 26 month old DS can..

speak in 3/4 occasionally more word sentences, lots and lots and lots more single words although not well understood but people not close to him.

decent understanding and can follow instructions well.

uses pronouns like me, I, mine.

can run

jump with both feet off the ground, although this is very new in the past few weeks.

uses cutlery (messily) but also his hands to eat a lot.

can do 5 piece jigsaws with minimal help.

points at things he sees (aeroplanes, trucks etc) and for things he wants, although this is reducing as his speech improves which I think is fairly normal.

can ride a balance bike, although still not brilliant.

this is just off the top of my head but I think he’s fairly average and on track with his development and I have no concerns.

OP, honestly give yourself a break and enjoy your wee one. She doesn’t need you to support her learning at this age, she just needs you to love and nurture her. In doing that - stories and songs and games and chat - you’re giving her all the learning she needs at this stage

I have 3 healthy, happy and well balanced DC’s who are late teens and early twenties. I honestly couldn’t tell you any more what age they developed skills at and, more importantly, neither could they. What we all remember is that we had fun, and that they felt loved and secure. That’s what really matters

Generally I think she sounds fine. Biggest stages are asking why? Imaginative stories and play. Social skills. Remembering daily activities and reciting them back to you. Dressing themselves. Using the potty. Numbers and AbC are fine and normal to remember at this age, just not as important as other things

Hmmm, I think the only thing you remember is if you know someone who is unusually ahead of milestones like early walking at 10 months which my brother did or an early talker like my daughter as it’s highlighted and talked about. Just rolled out as a random anecdote like ‘oh you were an early walker so your child might be too!’