Months 28-30
Mental Development
- Start to understand simple explanations that you give when you say “no”
- Talk to themselves sometimes, because it is easier to formulate their thoughts that way
- Practice their language and understanding skills through ‘make-believe play’
- Use sorting to classify things by size, number or colour
- Be able to apply general principles to solve practical problems
- Know some nursery rhymes
- Play purposefully with dolls, cars, and other toys
- Start to learn to count
Visual Development
- Develop their visual skills as they continue to play with blocks or finger paints
- Watch their hand while scribbling with crayons, which improves their eye-hand coordination
- Know some colours
- Recognise intricate details in pictures
Growth
28 Months
- Weigh about 12.3 kg if she’s a girl or about 12.9 kg if he’s a boy
- Be about 89.1 cm tall if she’s a girl or about 90.4 cm tall if he’s a boy
29 Months
- Weigh about 12.5 kg if she’s a girl or about 13.1 kg if he’s a boy
- Be about 89.9 cm tall if she’s a girl or about 91.2 cm tall if he’s a boy
30 Months
- Weigh about 12.7 kg if she’s a girl or about 13.3 kg if he’s a boy
- Be about 90.7 cm tall if she’s a girl or about 91.9 cm tall if he’s a boy
Motor Development
- Enjoy their ability to move around so much that they may be unhappy when you restrict them
- Like to turn knobs
- Be able to play games and sing songs that require actions
- Be able to unscrew lids
- Be able to bang on a drum with a stick or make music with a xylophone
- Start to walk downstairs with a little help and both feet on each step
- Be able to climb on basic playground equipment such as slides
- Hold a pencil in the preferred hand
- Copy a circle and a simple line
- Not yet have good control of all their muscles—they may squeeze too tightly or let go too suddenly
Social and Emotional Development
- May be fearful of some things or situations, but unable to express their fear
- May sometimes be jealous and show signs of anger or frustration toward a sibling
- Be very interested in having some control over situations and experiences
- Respond well to “order” in their environment
- Be able to practice simple good manners, such as saying “please” and “thank you”
- Start to understand the concept of time—that certain events occur at a particular time of day
- Still rely on parents for reassurance
- Shift from one emotional extreme to another, sometimes without warning
- Still be too inexperienced to be able to make choices well
- Not yet be able to unwind or relax easily before going to sleep
