2-3 Years
Developmental Milestones
This resource is for educational purposes only and does not replace individualized medical, developmental, or therapy evaluation. If you have concerns about a child’s development, please consult your pediatrician or a licensed therapist.
Milestones:
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Walks with heel-toe pattern (no persistent toe-walking)
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Runs with good coordination
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Climbs well on playground equipment
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Throws ball overhand
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Catches large ball against body
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Jumps with both feet off ground
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Begins to balance on one foot for 2–3 seconds
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Uses hands together for play (e.g., holding container and putting objects in)
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Snips with scissors
Milestones:
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Self-feeds with utensils with minimal spilling
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Wipes mouth/face with napkin
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Eats the same foods as family
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Drinks from open cup without spilling
Milestones:
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Vocabulary expands to ~200–300 words by age 3
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Uses 2–3 word phrases (“I want ball”)
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Uses plurals and simple prepositions (“in,” “on”)
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Asks simple questions (“Where dog?”)
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Speech understood by familiar adults most of the time
Milestones:
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Shows interest in other children’s play
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Begins cooperative play with familiar peers
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Shows awareness of other people’s emotions
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Can be calmed after brief upset without adult carrying
Pathways.org. (2021). Milestones & Abilities. Retrieved from https://pathways.org
Folio, M. R., & Fewell, R. R. (2000). Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (2nd ed.). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
Parham, L. D., Ecker, C., Kuhaneck, H., Henry, D. A., & Glennon, T. J. (2007). Sensory Processing Measure (SPM). Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). Learn the Signs. Act Early—Developmental Milestones.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). (n.d.). Developmental Norms for Speech and Language. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org