Months 31-33 Development & Milestones

Watching your child grow between 31 and 33 months is a rewarding experience filled with new milestones and achievements! During this period, your toddler continues to develop, showing greater independence and curiosity. They’re mastering self-expression, understanding their surroundings more, and making meaningful interactions with others! Knowing what to expect during these months can help you support and nurture your child’s development effectively.

Knowing what to expect between months 31-33 and how to nurture your child’s development during this heartwarming time helps to make the most out of this stage and understand some of the reasoning behind your little one’s behaviours. By understanding these milestones, you can create a supportive environment that fosters your child’s growth and helps them thrive!

Physical Development

31 Months: At 31 months, you can expect girls to typically weigh around 12.9 kg with a height of approximately 91.4 cm. Boys might weigh about 13.5 kg and measure around 92.7 cm tall.

32 Months: By 32 months, girls are likely to weigh about 13.1 kg and reach 92.2 cm in height. Boys may weigh around 13.7 kg and stand 93.4 cm tall.

33 Months: At 33 months, it’s common for girls to weigh about 13.3 kg and stand about 92.9 cm tall. Boys typically weigh about 13.8 kg and reach a height of approximately 94.1 cm.

Cognitive Development

Between 31 and 33 months, your little one’s cognitive skills are really taking off! During this time, they start to understand more complex concepts, improve their communication abilities, and engage in more sophisticated pretend play. Here are some key cognitive milestones your child is likely to reach:

• Play Pretend: Watch as your toddler transforms everyday items into tools of wonder and imagination. A simple spoon becomes a magic wand, a cardboard box a majestic castle. This kind of play not only ignites their creativity but also teaches them about different social roles and scenarios in a fun and engaging way!
• Concentration: During these months, your child will begin to show remarkable improvements in their ability to focus. Whether they are building a towering stack of blocks or piecing together a puzzle, these activities enhance their concentration skills and prepare them for more complex tasks.
• Understanding Size Differences: Your little one’s growing cognitive abilities will lead them to explore and understand size differences. Watch them as they choose the bigger apple over the smaller one or sort their toys by size. These activities are fantastic for developing their ability to make comparisons and understand attributes!
• Cause-and-Effect Relationships: Discover the joy as your child learns that their actions can lead to exciting outcomes. Pressing a button to make a toy light up or play music teaches them about cause and effect. This realisation helps them make sense of how the world works!
• Self-Identification: Your child will refer to themselves using the word “I,” showing an increased sense of self-awareness and individuality. It’s a big step as they move away from referring to themselves in the third person!

Suggested Activities

Encourage imaginative play by providing props like toy kitchens, dress-up clothes, or a simple set of toy cars and blocks. This helps your child explore different roles and scenarios, fostering their understanding of social norms and roles in a fun and engaging way.

You can also set up small challenges, such as asking your child to find the biggest apple in a fruit bowl or to help you sort laundry by colour. These activities promote logical thinking and attention to detail, making learning both fun and practical for your little one.

Emotional & Social Development

Between 31 and 33 months, your child’s emotional and social skills are truly shining! This is a key time when they are actively learning to understand their feelings, interact with others, and grasp the basics of social etiquette.  Here are some key milestones in emotional and social development for this age:

• Decision Making: Observe as your toddler begins to experiment with making choices, perhaps deciding between two snacks or choosing what to play next. Your little one may want to try both before making a final decision. This shows their growing independence and eagerness for autonomy.
• Temper Tantrums: It’s common for toddlers to experience temper tantrums, especially if they feel forced into or restricted from doing something. While they may test our limits, these outbursts are normal and important for learning how to express and manage those big feelings.
• Getting Along with Others: This is a critical period for developing key social skills such as sharing and taking turns. Although it may be a bumpy road at times, these skills are important for their future social interactions.
• Mimicking Adult Behaviour: You may notice your child beginning to mimic adult behaviours to express various emotions, from happiness to frustration. This mimicry is an important part of learning how to communicate their own feelings effectively.

Suggested Activities

Playdates with other toddlers can help your child practice sharing and cooperation. Role-playing games, where you take turns acting out different scenarios, can teach empathy and emotional expression.

You can also read books about emotions and discuss the characters’ feelings to help enhance their emotional literacy. Finally, maintaining a consistent daily routine provides a sense of stability, helping your child feel more secure and confident in navigating their ever-expanding world!

Language & Communication

As you get closer and closer to your child’s third birthday, language and communication skills may seem to expand in the blink of an eye. They are becoming more capable at both expressing themselves and understanding others. Some milestones during this time that you may notice include:

• Holding Conversations: Your toddler’s ability to hold short conversations should continue to show improvement! This enables them to engage more meaningfully with others and is essential for their social skills and self-expression.
• Expressing Needs and Wants: They will become increasingly adept at speaking up about their wants and needs, whether it’s requesting a favourite toy or asking to visit the park. This progress in verbal communication is exciting to witness and supports their autonomy!
• Naming Friends: As their memory and social awareness get better and better, they will start to identify and name familiar faces and friends.

Suggested Activities

Engage in frequent storytelling and interactive reading sessions to foster language skills. Incorporate new words into your daily conversations to enhance their vocabulary. Encourage them to describe their day or recount a recent event, which helps build narrative skills and confidence in their speech.

Sensory & Motor Skills

Between 31 and 33 months, your child’s sensory and motor skills are becoming more and more refined. They are gaining better control over their movements and becoming more coordinated. Here are some key milestones to look out for around this age:

• Kicking a Ball: Watch as your toddler shows off their newfound skills in kicking and throwing balls with gusto! These skills highlight their developing coordination.
• Throwing a Ball: They are getting better at throwing a ball overarm, which helps develop both their upper body strength and hand-eye coordination.
• Fine Motor Skills: Your toddler will likely be full of pride as they are able to wrap up objects, thread beads, or use child-safe scissors. These activities are great for enhancing their dexterity and hand-eye coordination, essential skills for more precise and deliberate movements!
• Food Preparation: With supervision, your child will be able to mix ingredients and do other simple food preparation tasks, which helps in developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Plus, it involves them in the cooking process, making mealtimes more engaging!

Suggested Activities

Offer crayons, markers, and paper for drawing and pretend writing. Play games that involve kicking or throwing balls to improve coordination. Engage in crafts that require wrapping or manipulating small objects to enhance fine motor skills. Involve them in simple cooking tasks, like stirring or mixing, to practise their hand movements and coordination!

Feeding & Nutrition

Involve your little one in meal preparation when possible, as this can make them more interested in trying new recipes – it may even work on your fussy eater! Supervising them as they set the table, wash veggies, crack eggs, or mix cake batter is sure to have them feeling engaged and involved.

Remember to keep mealtimes relaxed and stress-free to create a positive eating environment. If you have any concerns about your little one’s eating habits or nutritional intake, consult with your paediatrician or a nutritionist for specific guidance.

Sleep Patterns

Most toddlers at this stage still need 11-14 hours of total sleep, which typically includes a daytime nap. To promote restful sleep, try to keep their bedtime and wake-up times consistent, even on weekends. A soothing bedtime routine that might include reading a story, dimming the lights, and some quiet time can help signal to your toddler that the day is ending and it’s time to sleep!

Health & Safety

Between 31-33 months, children are highly active and curious, which can sometimes lead to bumps and bruises. It’s important to teach your child basic safety rules, such as not touching hot surfaces, looking both ways before crossing the street, and not talking to strangers to prevent accidents and injuries. Always supervise your little explorer closely during playtime and activities, whether you’re indoors or outdoors, to keep an eye on their safety and well-being.

While specific immunisations may not be scheduled for this exact age range, it’s necessary to keep up with recommended vaccinations and boosters per the Australian National Immunisation Program Schedule. Discuss with your paediatrician about flu shots, especially during flu season, as little ones are particularly vulnerable. The shot is free under the age of 5!

When to Speak to Your Paediatrician

While it’s normal for toddlers to experience developmental changes at different rates, there are certain signs that warrant a visit to your paediatrician. If your child shows any persistent symptoms or behaviours that concern you, it’s important to seek medical advice to ensure their health and development are on track.

One reason to consult your paediatrician is if your toddler is not meeting expected developmental milestones at all. Early intervention is important in managing developmental and behavioural challenges, ensuring your little one receives the support they need to thrive.

Need to talk? Our Careline is always here to support you with any questions or concerns you may have. We’re just a call away!

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