Two Years

Welcome to the terrific twos! Your child will be learning more independence and getting new skills every day. Keep up the great work you are doing as a parent.

Playing Together

Your child’s imagination is growing every day!

• Play dress up, telephone, and other pretend games with your child.
• Help your child do puzzles, paint, and build with blocks.
• Take your child on walks. Look and listen to the world around you.
• Allow your child to make some choices (“Do you want an apple or a banana?”)
• Let your child play with a pan of water or sand. Help her pour, scoop, and dig.

Keeping Your Child Healthy

Don’t miss those well-child checks.

• Your child will need a two-year checkup with the doctor. The doctor will weigh and measure your child and look in your child’s eyes and mouth. Your child may need shots.
• Your child will also need a dental checkup.
• Brush your child’s teeth two times a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
• When you brush your child’s teeth, look for white or brown spots.
• If you don’t have health insurance, contact the Children’s Health Insurance Program at 1-877-543-7669 (1-877-KIDS-NOW) to find out about low-cost programs.

Potty Training

Now is a good time to start introducing your child to the bathroom. You can read books about using the potty, let your child follow a bathroom routine with a parent or brother/sister, or go to the store to pick out underpants. It might be a year or more before your child is ready to start using the toilet. Your child may be ready if he can:

• Stay dry for a few hours after using the bathroom.
• Tell you if she is wet or needs to use the toilet.
• Pulls his pants up and down.
• Understands when you say, “Go to the bathroom,” “Wipe,” or “Pull up your pants.”

Keeping Safe

As your child explores his world, you can help him stay safe.

• Keep your child away from moving machinery, lawn mowers, garage doors, driveways, and streets.
• Put bags and purses out of reach in case there are medicines or other items in there your child should not touch.
• If there is a gun in your home, it should be stored unloaded and locked. The bullets should be separated from the gun.
• Be sure to childproof doors, especially ones that could lock.
• If your child has a bike or tricycle, be sure he wears a helmet when riding.
• Teach your child to wipe her nose with a tissue and to wash her hands with soap.

Watch Baby Grow

Watch for your child to:

• Use two-word phrases like “want food” or “go home.”
• Throw a ball overhand.
• Make a tower of 5-6 blocks.
• Point to a picture in a book when you ask him to.
• Use at least 50 different words.
• Kick a ball forward.