What can your 2/3yr old do?

[Claire2009]

Just wondering really.

DS is 2.5yo, just about talking in one words, has two words that are more than one word (and me, i wanna bit) his pronounciation isn't great but we are awaiting S&L.

Other than his speech I'm not really sure what he should, or could be doing, he goes to nursery one morning a week and enjoys that, and we do lots at home, out of the home too.

DD is 2.5:

Talks normally, but has always been good with speech. Full sentences at 18 months.

Knows her numbers (but this is mere repetition), same with letters, knows them (repetition though), knows all colours (including gold, peach, turquoise etc)

Fully potty trained

Dresses herself, brushes teeth and hair, basic cooking (can chop things up, measure, mix etc), competently feeds herself with knife and fork

Likes opposites and comparisons atm (that's bigger than that, that's smaller etc and likes naming opposites to things)

Can throw and catch, kick, do forwards and backwards rolls, pull-ups (thanks dh), the splits (very funny)

Can write her name and can write 'mummy' too

Is very interested in where babies come from and understands the basics (know a lot of pg people)

Likes climbing, esp scramble nets at the park

Can throw an entire packet of cereal on the floor in .8 of a second

Never forgets anything and won't let you forget either

Just started understanding seasons, knows the basics of them

Obsessed with Father Christmas and how he'll fit in the chimney

Likes jigsaws too, no more than 24 pieces usually

Can draw a basic stick figure and basic shapes too

I think there's a huge range of normal at this age and a lot of them deciding they can or can't do something which can be misleading. I asked dd to put her shoes on this morning and she positively whimpered 'that's too complicated for a small girl, I don't know how'. She puts her shoes on every day.

DD is 2.9months can:

talk in sentances and is pretty chatty (though people sometimes need me to interpret)
feed herself with a spoon and fork/drink from a normal cup
pretty much toilet trained (only just) with the occassional wee accident
memorise stories in books and 'read' them (stuff like the gruffalo which is rhyming so I think easier to remember)
wash her hands and is getting there with drying them
put her shoes on (but on the wrong feet)
Very much into imaginary play
Has just started to scribble things and say that it is mummy/a cat etc
Count to 10 well sometimes 20 but does not know any letters

she cannot dress herself/brush her teeth/use a knife/open a box of raisins (much to her frustration)

I think it changes really quickly though and a month makes a huge difference.

My 2.9yo ds can:

Talk in simple sentences, still comes out with a whole load of babble at times. Gets confused with possessives but can make most things understood and carry out simple conversations.

Count to 10 but gets confused past that.

Recognise numbers

Has not got a clue about letters

Follow instructions

Put pants and trousers on and off but not tops or socks.

Put wellies on but struggles with shoes. Often struggles to get them off too.

Eat with spoon and fork but not a knife.

Is really confused about things like yesterday, this morning etc and looks blank if oyu ask him what he did at any point in the past. If told we will do something in the future spends the rest of the day going "time to go now mummy, bye!" "where's ?"

Loves simple puzzles

Scribbles, can sort of manage a circle but usually scribbles a thick layer of balck on everything.

Use a potty when naked but forgets with pants on

"He can (and this one freaks me out) memorise his story books and recite them fully so it looks like he's actually reading. This means you can't cheat and skip through because he stops you and tells you what you've missed!"
apparently I was doing that at 9months I think the lack of sleep addled my parents' brains, or the intervening 30 years have dulled their memories slightly!

Ds does that too. We go through his books reading the first bit of the sentence and he "reads" the rest He also reads some amazing Thomas stories from the back of Tesco receipts in the car.

DS was 2 last month.

Puts words together, but not in proper sentences (eg upstairs change nappy if he needs changing).

Knows all his colours, shapes, letters and numbers.

Can count to 12, and recite his alphabet.

Asks to sit on the potty but hardly ever does anything.

Tries to undress himself but can only manage trousers, socks and shoes/slippers. Tops are still a struggle!

Can draw a circle and a line (which he also says is a number 1).

Can throw and catch a ball quite well.

Still doesn't sleep through the night (picture me banging my head against a wall here) - 3 or 4 times a night I have to get up to settle him to sleep.

Oh yes, picking up bits of paper and reading to you. DD without fail starts with 'one day... [insert story usually involving father christmas and/or a dinosaur]' and ends with 'the end!' and a big flourish of her hand.

They memorise the stories so that when you're exhausted and try to miss bits out they can force you to go back to the beginning and 'do it properly'.

Ours all start "this is a story about...." Too many Thomas books in this house!