2025 – PAGE 191 – DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES & ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE
SURVEILLANCE MILESTONES – 2 YEARS OF AGE
| AGE | LANGUAGE &
COMMUNICATION |
MOVEMENT & PHYSICAL | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL &
EMOTIONAL |
| 2 yo
“spOOn” |
Points at something on a page when asked where something on the page is located; can point to at least 2 body parts; has more gestures than a simply waving or pointing (e.g., can nod to say “yes” and can blowing kisses) | Kicks balls; runs; walks up stairs with or without help; uses a spoon to eat | Can take a lid off with one hand while using the other hand to hold the container, attempts to use switches, buttons, and knobs; plays with more than one toy at once | Notices and reacts to others’ distress; observes your face for help on how to react in a situation |
MNEMONIC STORY: Imagine a 2-year-old child in his “Terrible Twos” RUNNING all around the house and PUSHING ALL THE BUTTONS, SWITCHES, AND KNOBS he can find. He then WALKS UP THE STAIRS and goes into the kitchen to KICK A BALL into the dog’s food dish to make a mess. He then proceeds to make an even bigger mess by OPENING ALL OF THE LIDS of the kitchen storage containers. His mom finally catches him, but then she starts to cry in distress. He REACTS TO HER DISTRESS BY PAUSING. He then LOOKS AT HER FACE TO SEE HOW TO REACT. She asks him politely if he would stop and he NODS YES and BLOWS HER A KISS. He feels bad for what he did, so he brings his mom a story book to read together. She asks what the story is about, and he POINTS TO THE MAIN CHARACTER ON THE COVER PAGE who is juggling MORE THAN TWO TOY SPOONS.
2-YEAR-OLD MILESTONES TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR
| AGE | LANGUAGE | GROSS MOTOR | FINE MOTOR | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL | RED FLAGS |
| 2 yo | 2- to 3-word phrases | Tosses ball overhead; rolls ball; walks backwards (feet apart) | Drinks from a straw; stacks 6 cubes | Sorts objects by color; refers to self by name; verbalizes feelings, wants, and toileting needs | Takes turns to play | No phrases |
MNEMONIC: TWO-year-old children SAY TWO-word phrases.