Developmental milestones are checkpoints in an infant’s life that will help you track their growth progress. You can understand this by different categories such as:
- Physical development
- Cognitive development
- Communication milestones
- Emotional development
Knowing the milestones can help you enhance the development process of your baby. If you want to know more about the progress between 19 to 24 months, you’re on the right platform. Below we have detailed everything about it.
Key Notes
- Infants can climb stairs with assistance at the age of 19 months
- Babies can sort objects easily within this age range
- Your infant can start asking questions by 23 months
- The kid can maintain balance better by two years
Developmental Milestones – 19 To 20 Months
It is easier to understand your baby’s progress using the key categories of development. So here are the milestones your baby can achieve during 19 to 20 months:
Physical Development
Physical developmental milestones are easier to track because of higher visibility. At age 19, your child can start to walk with some help. You can also teach them how to climb stairs.
Some babies can also move up and down the stairs using a rail to maintain balance. The best thing is that the infant will have a stable gait, reducing the chances of falling.
However, it is still good to keep an eye on your baby when they are walking or climbing stairs.
Another thing that your baby can do at this age is jump completely. They can also throw a ball with relative ease.
Cognitive Development
This is the skill of thinking and reasoning in your infant. Your child will be able to identify familiar pictures.
For example, you may have been showing your family images to your kid. They may be able to recognize you in the picture by the age of 19 to 20 months.
Babies can also identify objects easily due to better cognitive development. The primary milestone under this development is that your child will be able to understand simple instructions.
If you ask them to sit on a chair, they may do so without any resistance. Other things your kid can do is:
- Pretend play
- Point to a dog in a picture if you say the word to them
- Know when they have to go to the washroom
Many kids also enjoy mimicking actions around this age, so your baby may follow you around the house constantly.
Communication Development
Babies can communicate in different ways using actions and words. It will be easy for your infant to understand at least 20 to 50 words that you have taught them. They will also start combining words to form small sentences.
Remember, the structure of the sentence may not be complete, but your kid can speak phrases of up to two words.
Your infant will also start to understand what your facial expressions are indicating. This is mainly true for simple emotions such as joy or sadness.
Emotional Development
Many people associate this development with social development because of various common features. Your child will be able to express more emotions in this age range.
For example, they can show frustration through facial expressions or by throwing things around when upset.
They can also interact with you and other family members using hand gestures or sounds. The baby may also be able to form a few words. Most kids of age 19 months can also start to empathize with people who are sad around them.
Sometimes your baby may also reach you to comfort you if they notice you’re upset.
Developmental Milestones – 20 To 21 Months
Here are things you will notice in your baby’s behavior by 20 to 21 months:
Physical Development
Your infant’s progress will be more evident because they will be able to walk more confidently. Running without falling will also be a breeze for your kid. They will also be able to kick a ball with good force and play with other children.
A baby can also climb different structures in a playground with ease. The kid will also need only a little help to take off their clothes. Most kids of this age range can walk up the stairs without any trouble. However, they may face difficulty while using the stairs to climb down.
Cognitive Development
The top thing your child can do in this category is sort things using common features. For example, your kid may organize their toy blocks using similar colors. They can also recognize the common shape of different objects.
Another thing your infant can do is follow instructions that involve two steps only. A child of 20 months can also identify different body parts such as hands, feet, nose, and eyes. Half of the kids in this age group can also look for hidden objects.
Communication Development
Your kid can understand a vocabulary of up to 100 words under this development. It will also be a breeze to form short sentences with better structure. A baby with advanced skills will also use pronouns such as me or mine for different things.
For example, if someone takes away your kid’s toy, they may use different sentences, such as:
- Give me my toy
- This doll is mine
The language usage will mainly depend on the words and things you have taught your 20-month-old baby.
Emotional Development
Kids start to observe others more as their age increases. Your baby will also be able to imitate more complex actions, such as throwing rubbish in a bin. Their emotional capability will also increase, so you will notice them expressing more emotions.
Developmental Milestones – 21 To 22 Months
Let’s look at the progress your kid will achieve by 22 months:
Physical Development
There is little physical development during these months. Your child can climb onto low furniture without needing help. They can also wash their hands and brush their teeth with some assistance.
The most noticeable thing your kid will be able to do is walk down the stairs. Most children can also create a tower of five or more blocks.
Cognitive Development
The main thing your kid can do after more development is understand the concept of time. This means they will be able to distinguish between day and night. Problem-solving skills of your infant will also improve with age.
Your baby can solve simple puzzles with ease. It will also be easy for them to fit shaped objects into different holes.
Communication Development
The vocabulary of your infant will improve to at least 150 words by 22 months. Your kid can also start forming sentences with three words. They can also name family members more easily.
This means the memory retention of your kid will improve. They will also be able to name various objects.
Emotional Development
Your kid will become more independent and start to build preferences. This is especially true for food and toys. Interaction with other children at play dates will also increase by 22 months.
Developmental Milestones – 22 To 23 Months
Following are the things your kid will be able to do by 23 months:
Physical Development
It is no secret that physical skills improve faster than other things. Your kid will be able to move up and down the stairs using alternating foot movements. They can also run and coordinate movements better.
This is why your child will be able to start using tricycles with pedals and your help.
Cognitive Development
Thinking skills will improve a lot, so your kid can name pictures in a book easily. Completing bigger puzzles with more than three pieces can also be done by your child. The best thing is that your kid can also start counting numbers.
Communication Development
Communication and language skills will enhance because your kid will be able to use 50 words from their vocabulary easily. They can also start singing familiar tunes.
Your kid can also start asking simple questions such as:
- Where is my toy?
- What is that?
- Why?
Some kids with faster development will also be able to talk about the things they like or dislike.
Emotional Development
Your kid will be more aware of the feelings of people around them. They may also come to you and ask you why you’re sad if they notice an upset expression on your face.
Developmental Milestones – 23 To 24 Months
Here are the checkpoints for ages 23 to 24 months:
Physical Development
Kids can start jumping stairs or obstacles at a low height. They can also extend their arms more to catch a ball. So the balance and coordination skills will be better.
The best thing is your kid will be able to maintain their balance better if someone pushes them a bit during a game.
Cognitive Development
Your kid can start organizing items into different categories. It will also be easier to understand abstract concepts. For example, your kid can differentiate between terms such as:
- Sooner
- Later
- Now
- Hot
- Cold
- Big
- Small
Some kids also start making up stories to enjoy their playtime better.
Communication Development
Longer sentences are easier to form by most children using six words or more. Your kid may also start answering simple questions. They can also respond to different requests.
For example, you may ask your kid to give you a peck on the cheek. Half of the speech of your child will also be understandable.
Emotional Development
Cooperative play with other kids is one of the top emotional milestones by 24 months. Your infant may also show more affection by using hugs and kisses. Some kids also start to talk about themselves by this age.
Conclusion
These are the important developmental milestones from ages 19 months to 24 months. As a parent you should be aware of these milestones as they will help you understand how well your baby’s physical and mental development is progressing.
If you feel that there is a lack of progress, you may consult a healthcare specialist to accelerate the growth process. However, there is no need to be alarmed because every child develops differently.