Skills
Communication Skills
- Directs your attention to an object/action
- Chooses familiar objects upon request
- Understands new words rapidly
- Uses single words frequently; may begin combining
two words (mama go) - Uses babbling that sounds like adult speech
- Names familiar objects, may imitate small
phrases
Fine Motor Skills
- Can draw an up and down line pretty well
- Likes to use hands for messy art activities
- May start to show hand preference, but may
switch hand when holding pencil or spoon
Gross Motor Skills
- Can run without falling too often
- Climbing continues to be a favorite activity,
provide safe places to explore - Can stand on one foot while holding on to something
- Can kick a large ball well
Personal Social Skills
- Likes to be around other children, but may still
prefer to play alone - Wants to be more independent, doing things without
adult help - Wants to keep toys for self, even hiding so others
can’t play with them - May start to let you know diaper is wet or dirty
Problem Solving Skills
- Play is important, it’s how your child learns
- Follows a 1-step command without any gestures
- May start imagining and creating through pretend
play
Activities
Communication Activities
- Play naming games with your child
- Give your child simple directions to follow (“Get the
big ball.”) - Play matching games with socks, blocks, stuffed
animals; talk about how they are the same/different - Look at pictures of different animals; act out how
they walk/sounds they make
Fine Motor Activities
- Use an easel or tape paper on a wall to allow child to
draw while standing - Play-Doh is a great way to build muscles in hands
- Use short golf pencils or broken crayons for greater
control while drawing - A Magnadoodle is a great way to encourage drawing,
especially during time spent in the car - Use a cookie sheet for finger painting activities, using
pudding or mashed potatoes is fun
Gross Motor Activities
- Put masking tape on the floor to practice jumping
over with both feet - Move to music, give scarves, streamers, noise makers
to use during the dancing - Offer riding toys that allow child to push with feet on
the ground
Personal Social and Problem Solving Activities
- Plan outings with your child to stores, playgrounds,
zoos - Sing songs with actions, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Where is
Thumbkin, Wheels on the Bus - Give old clothes to button, zip, and snap
- Use cereal boxes to make a 3-4 piece puzzle
- Add simple props to pretend play—purse, shoes, hats,
empty food boxes - Use pairs of objects around the house to find big and
little—spoons, socks, books - Turn objects upside down to see if your child notices
they are the wrong way, they like playing silly games
at this age
