Toddler Development:Your 31-month-old

Picky eating, shyness, and a blossoming imagination are common characteristics of your 31 month old. Get to know your toddler more, below!

Physical Development

At this age, your toddler is ready to take part in group activities that involve more physical exertion, like running, galloping, crawling, rolling over, and twirling around. His balance should have also developed to the point that he is able to walk on a narrow beam. 

It is also the beginning stages of his monkeying around. He will want to climb ladders and any short furniture he can get his hands on. 

This is also where you will start seeing more nimble usage of his hands and fingers. He will pick up a crayon or pencil to with ease and start drawing circles, lines and swirls. You can also test his dexterity by giving him a small pair of safety scissors to cut craft paper with. With his newfound grasp, he should also be flipping pages of a book one at a time.

Tips:

• Be more physically active with your toddler. Start going out to the playgrounds or even a kid’s rock climbing gym, to get him excited about climbing. 
• Don’t worry about getting your toddler to draw in a straight line or cut out a certain shape. He’s still in the learning stages of using these tools. The complicated stuff comes later!
• It is the perfect teaching opportunity for you to get your little one to learn about safety in the playground as well as when using craft scissors. Teaching him to be careful is crucial at this age! 

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

He should be able to do basic things like turn a doorknob by now, so if you notice there is slow development in this area of gross motor skills, then it is best to consult a doctor or an expert. 

Cognitive Development 

As your 31 month old’s fine motor skills start to blossom, so too does his ability to recognise certain shapes. By now, he should be able to spot a circle and cross, and he can also draw these shapes.

He also might start to ask difficult questions like, “Where do babies come from?” When this happens, try to be patient with him and keep things simple and straightforward. It is up to you how to answer these tricky questions. 

The important thing is to be appreciative of your child’s increasingly inquisitive mind. Nurture his learning by welcoming every question with understanding and patience.

Tips:

• It’s time to stock up your kid’s toy chest with role-playing props like costumes and other items they can use to play pretend. It will spur his imagination! 
• If your child is asking too many questions, have patience. Answer each and every one of them, so he never loses that curiosity! Others outside of home might lose their patience, so be sure not to lose yours!
• Do you think your child could be the next Picasso based on his abstract drawings? Maybe it might be good to hone his artistic skills by signing him up for a children’s art class. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

At this age, your toddler should be asking a lot of questions and making a lot of noise. If he seems to be very quiet and unresponsive to learning for long periods of time, you should take him to see a doctor.

Tips:

• Sign him up for fun classes and take him out for group play session as much as possible. 
• Every moment now is an opportunity for teaching your toddler how to socialise well with others. Whether it is teaching him how to share with others or to wait for his turn to do something, the time to do it is now!
• Playing make-believe games is their idea of fun. Not only is this a great way to play, it’s a way for them to be more self-aware and socially engaged.
• In the same way that they use make-believe to test and explore possibilities, they can also become receptive to rules set by mom and dad. As such, they’re familiar with how things are done, like daily routines, and set patterns of household activities.
• Take things one at a time and don’t pile on activities onto your child’s day. Give them some opportunities to make decisions, like what to wear or where to keep  toys.
• Your kids can now transition from crib to bed, but there might be some struggle. Don’t make a fuss or coddle them too much by leaving the lights on.
• It might take time before they choose not to get up during the night to snuggle up between mum and dad, but cherish these moments all the same!

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

It is normal for a child around this age to have tantrums, but if the emotions seem to be out of control most of the time, then his behavioural issues be a sign of deeper problems. Consult a doctor if you think your unhappy tot might have deeper emotional problems.