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11.01.2024

Positive Parenting Tips: 2 and 3 Year Olds

Young girl sitting in-between two young adults with warm weather clothing on

Developmental Milestones
Skills such as taking turns, playing make believe, and kicking a ball, are called developmental milestones. Most children achieve these milestones by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like jumping, running, or balancing).

The “terrible twos” is a term used to describe this stage as toddlers begin to assert their independence. However, this can be an exciting time as toddlers undergo huge changes in their thinking, learning, social, and emotional abilities. These changes help them explore their new world and make sense of it. 

At this stage, toddlers should be able to follow simple instructions and sort objects by shape and color. Additionally, they should be able to imitate the actions of adults and playmates, and express a wide range of emotions.

Visit the Developmental Milestones page on First 5 Nevada to learn more!

Positive Parenting Tips

Following are some of the things you, as a parent, can do to help your toddler during this time:

Get more tips to help your toddler with Vroom!

Child Safety First
As your child is moving around more, they will come across more dangers as well. Dangerous situations can happen quickly, so keep a close eye on your child. Here are a few tips to help keep your growing toddler safe:

Keeping Toddlers Safe Around Water: Drowning is the leading cause of death for children. Do NOT leave your toddler near or around water (for example, bathtubs, pools, ponds, lakes, whirlpools, or the ocean) without someone watching them. Ensure backyard pools are fenced off.

Healthy Bodies

Here are a few tips to help keep your growing toddler healthy:

Screen Time & Toddlers: Keep television sets out of your child's bedroom. Set limits for screen time for your child to no more than 1 hour per day of quality programming at home, school, or afterschool care and develop a media use plan for your family. Click here to learn more about screen time for  young children and making time to unplug!

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/toddlers-2-3-years.html

Resources for Parents and Families

First 5 Nevada includes a wealth of resources for parents and families to help their toddlers grow and thrive! You can also use the First 5 Nevada Eligibility Portal to find out what programs and services you may qualify for.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has additional resources available:

CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." Program has more details on how to track your child's developmental milestones, and what to do if you're concerned about your child's development.

CDC's Parent Information (Children 0–3 years) has information to help you learn how to give your child a healthy start in life.

CDC's Essentials for Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers has ways you can help build a safe, stable, and nurturing relationship with your child.

CDC's Breastfeeding Information has answers to frequently asked questions about breastfeeding.

CDC's Information on Infant and Toddler Nutrition has tips for parents to help children maintain a healthy weight.

CDC's Protect the Ones You Love has information on how you can protect your child from drowning and other common causes of injury.

CDC's Information on Vaccinations View the immunization schedule for infants and children and find out if your child's vaccinations are up to date.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides information on health and nutrition, My Plate for Infants and My Plate for Toddlers.

AAP's Healthy Children website provides information on feeding, nutrition, and fitness for all developmental stages from infancy to young adulthood.

Just in Time Parenting (JITP) has quality, research-based information to families at the time it can be most useful.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has information on safety recalls and safety tips for children riding in motor vehicles, walking, biking, playing outside, waiting at school bus stops, and more.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Visit to learn how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and safe sleep environments.


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