Milestone chart: 25 to 30 months

Your toddler will reach a lot of developmental milestones between the ages of 25 and 30 months (or two to two and a half years old). You’ll see their independence grow, their language develop, and their big feelings take up a lot of space! Here’s what you can expect from this stage.

Your child will probably	Your child might	How to support their development
Child's age: 25 months to 30 months
Jump off the ground with both feet	Stand on one foot for a few seconds	Give them plenty of opportunity for physical play
Kick, throw and catch a ball more skilfully	Use their preferred hand to throw overarm	Play ball games with them
Walk up and down stairs on their own (holding the railing) with two feet flat and balanced on one step before taking the next step	Ride a tricycle	Let them try new things on their own while staying close by to offer reassurance
Twist door knobs and lids with their hands	Do "chores" around the house (such as helping you sweep or dust)	Make sure your home is child safe so they can explore
Use a spoon to feed themselves	Take some items of loose clothing off by themselves	Encourage them to do everyday tasks on their own and offer praise
Feel strong and complex emotions (like guilt and shame) and have tantrums	Look at faces to see reactions, may pause when they notice people are sad or hurt	Do your best to stay calm when your toddler’s emotions explode (this isn’t always easy!)
Say about 50 words (including "I", "you" and "me") and use sentences of two or three words, and follow two-step instructions	Be easier to understand	Repeat their words back to them before answering their question
Playing next to other children, sometimes joining them in play	Start learning to take turns	Organise play dates to boost their social skills
Start to understand opposites (big vs small) and match shapes and colours	Use simple problem-solving skills (such as standing on a stool to reach a toy)	Turn pages of a book and read, singing and painting are good for your child’s cognitive development
Be ready to start toilet training	Be toilet trained	Follow your child's cues to avoid unnecessary stress and frustration

(CDC 2023, Healthy WA 2019, Pregnancy, Birth & Baby 2021, Raising Children 2022)

Every child develops at their own pace, so these milestones are not set in stone. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, talk to your child health nurse or doctor. If your child goes to day care, you can talk to the staff there to get their input and find out how your child is tracking compared to the Early Years Learning Framework, or EYLF, developmental milestones.

Go to the next chart: 31 to 36 Months

Go to the previous chart: 19 to 24 Months