Toddler Development:Your 25-month-old

Oh, and did we mention that he will also be capable of opening cupboards and drawers? Children at this age are extremely resourceful and have no concept of danger. Therefore don’t wait for them to hit their 25 month old toddler development milestones before you decide to start childproofing. 

Always have a checklist on hand to ensure that your home is a safe place for your toddler to explore. Drawers and bookshelves should always be anchored to the walls to prevent them from toppling over should your toddler decide to climb up.

You may have noticed that as part of a 25 month old toddler development timeline, your child’s level of play has increased in complexity. All of a sudden he is able to stick with one activity for longer periods of time.

However, from 25 to 27 months of age, your toddler will still try to solve simple problems via trial and error. Parents might feel the need to offer assistance, but toddlers would probably refuse as a way of asserting their independence. But don’t worry because your stubborn little one will get there by practising over and over until he has perfected his game.

Tips:

• Do take your toddler outdoors so he can stretch his muscles and have a spot of fresh air. Give him some freedom to explore, but remember to keep a close eye on him to keep him safe.
• Give your toddler a variety of simple puzzles to help with eye-hand coordination. 
• Blocks, musical toys as well as push or ride toys are great for enhancing your toddler’s grip and other fine motor skills. Toys that teach cause and effect are great for mental development.
• Simple arts and craft projects are not only a great way to keep those little hands busy, they also expand a child’s creativity and innovation.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

• By this age, your child should already know how to use common things from his daily routine(like a phone or spoon) and from observing you. If he still doesn’t know what to do with these everyday objects, consult your paediatrician.
• Your child should be able to recognise pictures of familiar objects or people.
• If your child does not name pictures, this could be a red flag.

Social and Emotional Skills

Your toddler WILL test your patience – especially when he is trying to assert his independence at the worst times.

While his actions may seem intentional and deliberate, try to remember that at this age, he is usually motivated by curiosity and not malice. So as annoying as he may be, try to remain patient instead of losing your cool.

While he might seem like he wants to do everything himself now, you will still experience clingy episodes where they come running back to mum. After a quick cuddle and words of affirmation, he will be off to do his own thing again.

Don’t be surprised if your toddler is mostly self-centered at this age. He is still trying to grasp the concept of sharing and is yet to fully develop the skills needed to play cooperatively.

However, one thing parents can definitely look forward to is hearing cute and unrestrained bursts of laughter now that your little tot can understand humour a little better.

As part of 25 month old toddler development, he will start forming bonds with his favourite things. For this reason, he can be quite possessive about a favourite toy, for example, and refuse to share. 

Tips:

• It is normal if your toddler shows frustration and lashes out when he fails at building a block tower or completing a game when playing with others. This is because he has yet to develop empathy and understanding of other’s needs or feelings.
• Sticking to routines will help to reduce temper tantrums. But if he throws one in public, remember to keep your cool before taking him aside. Some toddlers can be really resistant to change sometimes, so be prepared to be flexible.
• Remember that everything he does at this age is completely driven by impulse (or curiosity). He is unable to reason yet, so patience is key.
• Even though he may not fully understand people’s emotions for a few more months, it is still important to teach him that lashing out physically is unacceptable.
• It would be good to start setting boundaries, but sometimes your toddler may respond better to humour and distraction rather than strict discipline or reason.
• Parents can lead by example when teaching toddlers how to share. By sharing your things while respecting his possessions, you’ll teach him to be less protective over their belongings. Role-playing is a great way to practice sharing. Show him that even when he shares something with other people, it will be returned back to him safely.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• If your child doesn’t imitate actions or words, that might also be cause for alarm.
• Some children are more outgoing than others, but children at this age should be interacting with others — showing, giving, and looking up for reactions. If your child does not seem responsive to others during play, consult your doctor.
• Also speak to your doctor if your child doesn’t engage in pretend play.

Speech and Language Development

By now, your little one can more or less understand just about everything you say. He is able to follow simple instructions and comprehend simple questions. But this does not necessarily mean he will follow everything you say.

Not every child can be expressive at 25 months. But there is no need to compare him to other children of the same age, as this skill varies from child to child.

However, one thing for certain is the huge leap in language skills. Some toddlers might start to say some favourite words on their own. And soon enough, they will start putting two words together to form simple sentences.

This sort of loving interaction cannot be replaced by educational videos or flashcards. Most of all, he wants to share his discoveries – including learning words – with you. 

Tips:

• To support your toddler’s budding language development, be diligent with daily reading.
• Let him chose a book to read. Then discuss what he sees in the pictures on every page.
• It is important for parents to maintain this sort of loving interaction with their toddler which cannot be replaced by TV or technology. Even five to 10 minutes a day of lap-time reading will be an enormous support to language refinement and overall brain development.
• He will be extremely inquisitive and may ask a lot of questions! Remember to always be patient even when he may not be able to express himself properly.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• If your child’s voice sounds unusual (raspy or nasal).
• By this age, your child should be saying words and phrases by himself, not just imitating you. If he still seems to be limited to imitation, ask your paediatrician about it.
• Though your child’s speech might be hard to understand now, you should be able to understand half of his speech at this age. Consult your doctor if he doesn’t use language to communicate more than his immediate needs.
• If your child can’t follow simple directions.
• If your child doesn’t listen to stories with pictures.

Health and Nutrition

Where has all that baby fat gone? Gone are his chubby arms and legs. Suddenly your little tot is lengthening and starting to look more like a preschooler (with preschooler sass to boot). Most toddlers this age are 83.1-89 cm tall, weighing 10.5-13.2 kg.

When it comes to food, don’t be too worried if on some days he devours everything, and on other days, he pushes his meal away. His caloric needs are lower now, so do not stress. He will be just fine if you continue to offer him nutritious meals and snacks. 

A 25 month old toddler should be getting around 1,000-1,400 calories a day from grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat & beans. Ideally, he should be getting 3 ounces of grains a day; one ounce equals one slice of bread, one cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or half a cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal.

Your toddler should have a cup of vegetables and a cup of fruits a day. Cut fruits and veggies into small pieces to prevent choking. 

As for milk, your child should have two cups a day, though you can substitute this with other dairy products like yoghurt and cheese. And of course, your child should be getting protein from meat and beans to help him grow — 2 ounces a day is ideal.

If you are worried about health issues later in life, you might want to consider switching your tot to low-fat options. But do not go overboard with restrictions because they still need healthy fat to grow. Your growing toddler will benefit from a boost in fibre-rich whole grains, legumes, fruits, and veggies, along with lean sources of protein such as poultry and fish. 

Parents with picky eaters can try cutting food into funny shapes or adding food that has natural vibrant colours (e.g. beetroot, carrots, dragon fruit) to make meals more appealing.

Because your child’s immune system is still getting used to the great big world, he will probably contract the common cold several times in a year. Treat this with fluids and rest, and consult your paediatrician if you want to administer medicine. Your child should recover after five to seven days.

Apart from your child’s annual flu vaccinations, there aren’t any immunizations that your child must get if his shots are up to date. But to be sure, consult your doctor.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

• If your child’s temperature goes above 40ºC (104ºF), you should immediately call your doctor. This is super important, especially when your child has other symptoms (vomiting, rash, etc.)
• In case of persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, you should consult your doctor to prevent dehydration.
• If your child has trouble breathing.
• If your child loses skills she once had.