Gross Motor Physical Development

Gross motor skills are the movements that use big muscle groups and your toddler may already be using these to get the balance and strength to get on the move.

This stage is all about developing confidence and strength. Give them plenty of chances to see what their body can do.

• Your child may enjoy playing alone but with you nearby. Get down to their level when you can. Let them clamber and climb on you. Help them learn how to use push and pull toys along.
• Teach them how to turn round and get down ‘backwards’ from the sofa or chair. This will save on bumped heads and help their confidence too.
• Take them to the park and let them play on the equipment. Stay close by to keep them safe. They might enjoy some dancing with you at home too.
• Once your baby starts toddling steadily let them have a go at walking when you go out. They may not be keen on being in their buggy for too long!

Fine Motor Physical Development

Fine Motor Skills use the small muscles in the hand and wrist. Over the next few months with practice your child might start to control their hand movements more.

Your toddler is now able to use their hands to manage lots of things independently. They will be getting good at feeding themselves and will be learning how to use cutlery too. You can help your child keep learning more about how they can use their hands.

• Have mealtimes together as much as you can so they can watch you. Let them feed themselves even if it gets a bit messy! Give them child safe cutlery to try.
• Let them take off their clothes and shoes, and start practising at putting them on too!
• Help them explore toys that they can roll, poke, twist, bang and build with.
• They may become little artists now and will enjoy drawing and painting.

Problem Solving Skills

Problem solving skills describes your toddler beginning to think about and understanding their world. They will already know a lot! They will love spending time with you and the other important people in their life. They will have got used to the routines of your family and will understand a lot of what you say to them.

• Talk to them about what they are doing and what they can see. Look at books together, point and name the things you see.
• Give simple instructions – like ‘get your cup’ or ‘find your shoes’. Give lots of praise when they manage it.
• Let them ‘help’ you with jobs around the house. They will love to copy you.
• Play ‘pretend’ with dolls and teddies – cuddles and kisses and putting them to bed.

Your little one won’t concentrate on one thing for long to begin with but will slowly be able to pay attention for longer.

Personal & Social Development

Personal and social development is your toddler learning more about themselves, their feelings, their likes and dislikes. They have learnt to feel confident that you will keep them safe and help with their wants and needs. This gives the confidence to try new things and meet new people. They may know how to charm you and other people to!

Your toddler might be getting very sure of what they do and do not like. They will find some feelings like frustration and being cross really hard to deal with. They will need help when they find it too much and they have a tantrum. They know they can come to you for comfort and will look at your for praise when they manage something new.

Everything is an adventure for your toddler. Give them lots of chances to share new experiences with you and others.

• Give your child the chance to be around other children. They may not play ‘together’ to begin with but they will learn a lot from each other. Toddler groups are a good chance for this and so is going to the park or meeting with family and friends with children.
• Talk about their feelings and the feelings of those around them to help give them the words for their emotions.

When things get too much and your little one is frustrated or having a tantrum stay close by, calm, kind and reassuring – having such big feelings is hard to cope with when you are little.