Hurrah! We're nearly at the end of the terrible twos now. Almost! But not quite there just yet – there's one more month to go before your 35 month old tot turns three! Incidentally, how are the birthday plans coming along?
How time flies! It almost feels as though it has only been a while since his or her last birthday and now you're already planning for the third one. Gone are the days where your child would sit quietly in the stroller. Now they are happily running ahead of everyone with eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement.
Their energy seems endless! In closing with the terrible twos, what's going to happen this month in terms of your bubba's 35 month old toddler development milestones*?
Will it finish with a bang or will they just be polishing up on their abilities? Let's read on!
*Please note that toddler development milestones vary from child to child. If you have any concerns regarding your little one's growth, do not hesitate to consult your pediatrician.
35 Month Old Toddler Development
Physical Changes
Remember how they used to cruise from one place to another while holding on to furniture? You really have to marvel at their progress. In such as short time, they've gone from crawling up the stairs to walking up with alternating feet and now descending confidently in the same way.
You might also see huge improvements in their climbing and running skills now that they have more fluidity in their movements.
Walking on a balance beam shouldn't too much of a problem as well, and they might even beat you at a game of balancing on one foot! Catch a ball? No problem! Especially, if it is a light and larger ball. Parents might also notice fewer toilet accidents now, which also means potty training is almost there.
While your little one is growing up really well, this might also mean some of them will start giving up their afternoon nap times right about now. So just re-plan your routine around that possibility, and your day should be able to carry on as usual.
Tips:
- Even if your little one has hit his or her 35 month old toddler development milestones, you should still constantly remind them to be careful and not to play on the stairs. Young children have no concept of danger, therefore, the importance of safety will need to be regularly explained and demonstrated to your toddler. Always keep a watchful eye on them and offer to help carry their toys so they can focus on going down the stairs safely.
- Now that they have progressed to ball catching, DO take them outside to play. A beach ball is a great option as it is safer and easier to catch. Being outside also means more freedom for both parents and child to play. Outdoors, there's no need to stress over all the things that could possibly break in the house.
- Signs of toddler developmental problems to look out for include always keeping to themselves instead of interacting with others, persistent drooling or speaking unclearly. Other warning signs include the inability to interpret non-verbal communication and not being able to maintain or make eye contact with people.
Social Skills
Your toddler might start to show empathy and care for others, such as comforting or offering something to peers who are upset. In addition, your toddler will also begin to build camaraderie with adults and children who they spend lots of time with.
They will still continue to copy what adults and friends do. So make sure you watch what you say! They are much better at sharing now and will take turns when playing with others. Upon reaching their 35 month old toddler development milestones they should understand the concept of "mine,” “his,” and “hers”.
Tips:
- Continue to stick to regular routines, because they really like routines and will easily get upset when you introduce major changes.
- Don't feel guilty about encouraging your toddler to play alone sometimes. This will help build independence, among other things.
- Allow plenty of time for play, including make-believe and running around. This will help them to learn and grow.
Emotional Skills
As part of your 35 month old toddler development, you can help them manage strong feelings and impulses by applying reasonable, clear and easy rules to follow. Use time-outs where applicable but continue to focus on praising the behaviors you want to see.
Tips:
- When reading to your toddler, show them how to relate to what the characters feel in the story.
- Talk and listen to your child. Ask them about what happened during the day with their friends or activities they did. This will also help them to better express themselves by putting forward their thoughts and feelings.
- Play pretend, make believe and dressing up are great activities to do with your toddler to expand their imagination too!
Fine Motor Skills
Advancements in their fine motor skills also mean that your toddler now should be able to screw jar lids on and turn doorknobs. Stacking more than six blocks is now a piece of cake. And their increased focus will allow them to play more structured games with others. Puzzles are still great but toys with levers, buttons and moving parts will probably pique their interest more.
Tips:
- Instead of turning the page when reading, why not let your toddler turn the pages since he/she can already turn pages in a book one at a time
- 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.
- A good tip is to keep some of your toddler's paintings and turn them into wrapping paper. Not only does it add a personal touch to the present you're about to wrap, it is also a lovely way to use them up.
Language
Although not all would have achieved their 35 month old toddler development milestones in terms of language, still, most children can follow more complex instructions by now. Your toddler would also have a vocabulary of 900 words and be able to use nouns, adjectives, pronouns, quantifiers and more.
But their all-time favourite word that gets repeated all the time is still "why?" So expect to keep hearing their persistent questions which will be here to stay for another couple of years more.
Your tot will also be able to listen and also repeat simple nursery rhymes and songs. You should also be able to make out at least 75% of your child’s speech by now. Children with a hearing problem and speech delays will require therapy as soon as possible.
Tips
- Continue to support their budding language development, by diligently reading to them every day.
- Make time to sing simple songs together and play rhyming games to encourage speech and better pronunciation.
- Do limit screen time to one hour a day and fill that time with quality educational programs.
- It is likely that most toddlers would be able to speak in full sentences, however not all of it would be using correct grammar.
- Remember to answer their questions patiently. Aren't you glad they are learning?
Cognitive Skills
If your almost three-year-old can distinguish one to three colours during this 35 month old toddler development phase, has a favorite color or even request for a specific color and can count to five, that is a really good sign that they are developing well intellectually.
Any opportunity to reinforce knowledge in a fun way will broaden your child’s development. So play tickle games where you get your toddler to name each part of her body. Or ask her to make the sound of an animal by pointing to a certain animal in a book.
Rest assured that television programs that foster learning such as Sesame Street or Play School are actually beneficial and not harmful to your child’s cognitive development. That is, provided she isn't watching television all day, every day.
Tips
- Help reinforce your toddler knowledge by playing games that get their brains ticking like naming parts of their body or making animal sounds.
- Try not to compare your toddler's progress with other 35 month old toddler development milestones other kids might display. Remember every child is different and it is ok if they are a little bit behind. Just continue to allow them to develop at their own pace as long as no red flags are raised.
After these 35 month old toddler development milestones, are you ready to handle a threenager? Don't fret, the key point remains the same which is to continue to nurture their progress in a loving and patient way.
You might even be pleasantly surprised when your little one end up teaching you a thing or two!
Source: WebMD
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Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore