THE TWO AND A HALF YEAR VISIT

The Two and a Half Year Visit

At this visit we will:

• Take your toddler’s height and weight.
• Administer the last Hep A shot.

GUIDANCE

Children this age are only able to view the world through their own needs and may not be responsive to the desires of others. This also means that they see events as a direct result of their actions, which can lead to both guilt and confusion. The more you understand about what your child is going through, the easier it will be to guide them through this time and come out on the other side with glowing compassion and an increased understanding of the world around you both.

Development: At two and a half years old, your kid’s sentence structure should consist of about 6 words. They’re also using pronouns, such as “I”, “We”, and “You”, and for better or worse, they fully understand the concept of “mine”. Keep up the reading, and as their attention span increases, incorporate longer or multiple books.

Motor Skills: Though consistent exercise is still very important at this age, this is also a great time to sharpen their fine motor skills and encourage creativity. Drawing is a fabulous activity for you both, and you should notice that their grip and control over that crayon is vastly improving. .

Social Life: If you haven’t already, now is a great time to get them involved in a small playgroup, ideally with 2-3 other toddlers, and let them do their thing. Too much involvement from you could prove a distraction, so just sit back and enjoy the cuteness and scuffles that arise as your child learns to play with others.

Safety: And, as always, make sure your child is protected both in the home and when they’re tearing it up at the playground. Depending on their level of coordination, it may seem like they’ve got the whole jungle gym thing down, but it’s still a good idea to follow them around with hands at the ready.