What does the average two year old know?

Question

My sister and I are doing a project for Child Development and are focusing on the benefits of pre-school. My two year old cousin is the focus of this project since he has been in pre school for a while, but I'm looking for a way to see that he is advanced for his age.

Answer 1

As a preschool teacher (my kids in my class are all just turning three), I have to evaluate them several times a year. There are several forms that we use, because kids all develop at different rates in the different areas of development (motor, language, self-help, social/emotional, and cognitive). Here is a continuum of things in each of the areas, with the first ones being more "toddler-y" and the end being more "preschooler-y". The more things a child knows/can do, the more advanced he/she is. Everything on this list is something that at least one of the children in my class does.

Self-help skills...
-feeds self with utensils
-undresses self
-washes hands
-serves and pours (from appropriate sized pitchers)
-begins to show an interest in the toilet
-dresses self
-attends to all toileting needs

Language skills...
-repeats words back and adds them to vocabulary
-puts 2-3 words together into phrases/sentences
-talks to peers and adults
-says name of self and others
-can follow simple directions (receptive language)
-listens to stories (receptive language)
-speaks in sentences
-sings songs on own
-tells stories
-combines different thoughts into sentences (and, but, because, etc.)
-asks questions (who, what, where, why, how)
-has true give and take conversations with peers
-can use words to solve conflicts

Social/Emotional skills...
-engages in parallel play (next to but not with other children)
-begins imitative play (such as 'cooking' or taking care of dolls)
-recognizes feelings of self
-recognizes feelings of others
-begins true fantasy/imaginative play
-engages in cooperative play
-shows beginning empathy
-starts true turn taking
-can resolve own conflicts
-initiates play with others
-can read social cues of others

Cognitive skills...
-shows curiosity and interest in learning
-tries new experiences
-recognizes colors
-classifies objects by use
-can count
-recognizes shapes
-asks "why?"
-understands sequence/routine of day
-uses one-to-one correspondence (not only can count, but knows one=one object)
-uses information already learned in novel ways
-understands cause and effect
-compares objects
-recognizes at least a few letters, especially those in name
-experiments, trying different ways to get different results, using knowledge of the past to predict the future
-can follow multi-part directions

Small motor skills...
-easily picks up small objects
-manipulates small objects (putting pegs in a board, stringing -beads, etc.)
-colors easily
-successfully completes piece in form puzzles
-builds block towers (young can do 3-4 blocks, older can usually get over 10 blocks)
-uses scissors (usually first makes a fringe cut, then true cutting, later, controlling the cuts)
-uses a finger grip instead of a whole hand grip on markers/crayons
-draws objects instead of scribbles
-does puzzles that aren't one piece in one space
-draws representational figures (faces, letters, etc.)

Large motor skills...
-walks up and down stairs two feet per step
-successful at throwing and kicking balls
-jumps in place
-climbs up ladders
-bends down and touches toes (instead of squatting)
-jumps over objects and off of low objects
-catches balls
-walks up and down stairs alternating feet (one foot per stair)
-stands on one foot
-gallops
-can run without looking at feet, stopping and starting easily
-hops in place
-can pedal a tricycle
-hops forward

This is by no means a definitive list. There are many skills not listed, although I think I hit a pretty good range of skills for a 2-3 year old. Also, as I said above, children tend to focus on one area of development over others; a child that is really advanced verbally, might not be as skilled in the large and small motor areas, so different children might be equally advanced, but in different ways. Typically children in preschool settings are more advanced in social/emotional skills than children who aren't, just because of exposure. The quality of care either in the school or at home is more important than where it is, however, for the majority of the skill areas.


Regarding preschool and daycare. Yes, there is some interchanging of the terms. I call myself a preschool teacher because I teach in the preschool cluster (rather than toddler or infant ones) of my daycare. However, my school offers typical half day preschool programs for 4 year olds, 3 year olds, and, yes, 2 year olds. Official preschool programs might be typically for older children, but there are some for 2 year olds.

Answer 2

Usually a toddler should know how to walk, and say a few words. They understand what you are saying, they know how to put away things. And at toddlers they should begin to potty train. So a toddler dose not have blatter control yet but they should be starting to get use to going to the potty. They also should learn how to bring their cup and silver wear to the teacher after eating. They should know how to hold a cup and drink out of it. They do know what no means and potty means. They should know how to follow basic orders such as come here, no don't do that, and bring it here please. They won't be able to follow completely on what the teacher is doing. Like if the teacher is playing a song and it requires hand and feet movement they won't be able to follow it completely. I think I covered everything that a toddler should know. But i'm not for sure on everything about what they should know but this is the basic of what they should know. I do have a certifacte in early childhood and this is what I observe in the daycare. And for those that do not know what ages kids can go into a daycare. A day care has children from 2 or 3 months to 4 to 6 years old.

Answer 3

My sister is 2 and a half and has been in pre-school since she was 2 and will go on to nursery when she is 3 as we live in Wales. My sister when she was 2 went for a check up to check her metal development and the results revealed that she had the metal ability of a 3 year old. At the moment she only speaks English but knows some Welsh, french and Spanish.

Go on sites such as www.pampers.co .uk, www.huggies.co.uk
As they include info on child development through different stages!

Good Luck :)

Answer 4

You probably should be looking to a ped for this information. While each child is different there are some things that a child should be able to do by two years - some can talk - carry involved converations, know their age, recognize their parents, siblings, know by voice if someone is angry, know strangers or unfamiliar people and might not go to them freely, very involved in play and toys, knows when he or she wants something and can often go after it, able to display a variety of emotions. There are other things involved, but I'd check with a ped to get more details.

Answer 5

Keep in mind 2 is very young for preschool. Usually they are atleast 3 or 4. My daughter is 2 yrs 4 mths. and she seems advanced in her speech. She says complete sentences & asks many questions. She can identify many animals, some colors & her counting can be perfect one day and other days she says random numbers together. I also have some nephews not as advanced. They still only put two words together most the time.

Answer 6

being advanced for age is easy to see. he will have a much bigger vocabulary than average and typical 2 yr old milestones will be long past for him. most 2 yr olds know basic colours, shapes and may recognize several letters and numbers. vocabulary is still fairly basic but they will be putting short sentences together instead of using one word at a time. if your nephew was mastering all that a long time ago and seems to know more than you think he should, he may be above average. a pediatrician or therapist can confirm that for you.

Answer 7

why would a 2 year old be in pre-school? usually it's for 3-4 year olds. how do you know he's just not average. usual requirements for preschool are that they are potty trained. come up with a simple test that you can administer to a group of 2 year olds.

Answer 8

I think you guys are confusing preschool for daycare b/c I have never heard of preschool for 2 yr olds either

Answer 9

average year

Answer 10

Try these