In this episode, Dr. Carole Keim talks about what to expect from your two and a half year old. Your child is getting older, is super cute, and is now talking more, so Dr. Keim explains everything from motor skills to nutrition, and offers some parenting advice.

A child at two and a half will have enough language to communicate basics with you but their lack of full verbal skills can frustrate them and cause acting out. Their motor skills are more developed, they can run pretty well and wash and dry their hands. But they still don’t have proper awareness of dangers like cars, dogs, and especially water. Dr. Keim walks through all the ways in which two and a half year olds are advancing and all the things they need help with and that you may need patience for. It can be a tricky age but you’ve got this.

In this episode:

• Social development
• Motor skills
• Behavior
• Parenting
• Nutrition
• Potty training
• Safety
• 2.5 year checkup

Social Development 00:30

• Starting imaginary play
• Says “look at me!” to parents
• Starting to play with others 
• Phrases of 2-3 words
• Speech 50% intelligible to strangers
  • When they speak, repeat back with correct grammar and pronunciation
  • They can use pronouns correctly
• Many children start preschool around age 2-3
  • Types of preschools - Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia
  • Preschool vs daycare 
  • Expect them to play with other children but not be able to share or take turns yet
  • They may start to follow older children around and copycat them 

Motor Skills 03:02

• Stabs food with a fork 
• Walks up stairs alternating feet
• Runs well without falling
• Washes and dries hands
• Catch a beach ball 

Behavior 04:13

• Start testing boundaries and setting their own
• Praise/notice good behavior 
• Offer two reasonable choices as often as possible 

Parenting 05:55

• Maintain routines - meals, bedtime
• Have fun outings together - museums, zoos, library 
• Make time for learning through reading, talking, singing, exploring together
• Limit TV to 1 hour of high quality programming that you watch together
• Avoid TV during meal times and in bedrooms
• Be aware of your own screen use around child

Nutrition 08:09

• Pattern: eat 1 meal, skip 1 meal, pick at 1 meal
• Might graze throughout the day
• May start to get picky at this age; try to offer a variety and avoid falling into the trap of beige foods and sweets 

Potty Training 09:25

• plan for frequent potty breaks (up to 10x per day), relax during potty time by reading or singing to them 
• Teach them to wash hands with soap and dry with towel 
• Dress them in clothing that is easy for them to remove 
• For independence, must be able to remove/replace clothing, get on/off toilet

Safety 10:28

• Car seat - can be forward facing
• Use helmet for anything with wheels
• Remove firearms from home
• Supervise around dogs, cars
• Touch supervision near water - pools, toilet, bathtubs 

2.5 Year Checkup 12:43

• No vaccines other than flu/covid until age 4
• Ok to allow child to answer questions, but be ready to jump in if they feel nervous or give wrong answers (which they often do at this age)
• They typically feel comfortable during the physical exam 
• Ask your doctor if you have any specific questions about preschool, behavior, tantrums, nutrition, vitamins, potty training, constipation, and sleep routines 
• Regular dental visits 1-2x per year 

This guide should ideally help you enjoy time with your two and a half year old. For additional tips and advice on babies and toddlers, follow Dr. Carole Keim on her TikTok and YouTube channels. Her book, “The Baby Manual”, covers the first year of baby life and is the subject of Season One of this podcast. Remember it is always okay to call your doctor or emergency services if you have concerns about your child’s health.   

Resources discussed in this episode:

• The Baby Manual - Available on Amazon

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Dr. Carole Keim MD: linktree | tiktok | instagram

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