Toddler Skills: Ladders, Timing and Activities
Each skill page breaks one everyday ability into small steps, from the first sign to a flexible skill, shows when it typically appears, links the related CDC checklist items and lists the activities that practise it. Monitoring, not diagnosis.
34 pages in 5 groups: Cognitive (5), Receptive language (6), Expressive communication (8), Gross motor (10), Fine motor (5).
Updated
Cognitive
- Cause and effect 12–30 months · 16 activities Cause and effect in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Repeats a lucky action” to “Predicts the result”. Timing, 16 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Finding hidden objects 12–30 months · 10 activities Finding hidden objects in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Uncovers a peeking toy” to “Remembers where things live”. Typical timing and 10 activities to practise it.
- Imitating actions 12–30 months · 28 activities Imitating actions in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Copies a simple move” to “Adapts the copy”. Timing, 28 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Problem solving 12–36 months · 20 activities Problem solving in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Repeats one attempt” to “Plans a step ahead”. Timing, 20 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Using objects the right way 12–24 months · 8 activities Using objects the right way in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Explores everything the same way” to “Combines two objects”. Timing and 8 activities.
Receptive language
- Following directions with gestures 12–20 months · 7 activities Following directions with gestures in toddlers: 4 steps, from “Watches your hands” to “Smaller gestures”. Timing, 7 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Understanding names of things 12–24 months · 9 activities Understanding names of things in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Responds to own name” to “Understands in new places”. Typical timing and 9 activities to practise it.
- Body parts 14–30 months · 6 activities Body parts in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Enjoys touch games” to “Names parts”. Typical timing, 6 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Pointing to pictures 14–30 months · 8 activities Pointing to pictures in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Follows your point” to “Points to new pictures”. Timing, 8 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Following one-step directions 15–26 months · 10 activities Following one-step directions in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Routine phrases” to “Out of sight”. Timing, 10 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Following two-step directions 20–36 months · 5 activities Following two-step directions in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Does half” to “Two steps anywhere”. Timing, 5 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
Expressive communication
- Conversation turns 12–36 months · 10 activities Conversation turns in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Sound turns” to “Starts the talk”. Typical timing, 10 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- First words 12–24 months · 6 activities First words in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Tuneful babble” to “Words in new places”. Typical timing, 6 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Gestures and signs 12–26 months · 7 activities Gestures and signs in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Watches gestures” to “Gesture plus word”. Timing, 7 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Pointing to ask 12–20 months · 6 activities Pointing to ask in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Reaches and fusses” to “Points and says”. Timing, 6 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Pointing to show 12–24 months · 5 activities Pointing to show in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Follows your point” to “Points and names”. Timing, 5 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Naming things 14–36 months · 21 activities Naming things in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Names favorites” to “Names out in the world”. Timing, 21 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Asking questions 18–36 months · 4 activities Asking questions in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Rising voice” to “Follow-up questions”. Timing, 4 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Two-word phrases 18–32 months · 3 activities Two-word phrases in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Word plus gesture” to “Three words”. Typical timing, 3 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
Gross motor
- Climbing on and off furniture 12–30 months · 4 activities Climbing on and off furniture in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Crawls over low things” to “Climbs to get somewhere”. Typical timing and 4 activities to practise it.
- Pushing and pulling 12–30 months · 3 activities Pushing and pulling in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Pushes while crawling” to “Moves things on purpose”. Timing, 3 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Squatting to play 12–24 months · 3 activities Squatting to play in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Bends while holding on” to “Squats on the move”. Timing, 3 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Walking on their own 12–24 months · 8 activities Walking on their own in toddlers: 6 steps, from “Pulls up and cruises” to “Walks on uneven ground”. Timing, 8 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Balancing 14–36 months · 9 activities Balancing in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Steady on flat ground” to “One foot”. Typical timing, 9 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Throwing a ball 14–36 months · 3 activities Throwing a ball in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Drops on purpose” to “Throws to a person”. Timing, 3 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Walking up stairs 14–32 months · 3 activities Walking up stairs in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Crawls up” to “Alternates feet”. Typical timing, 3 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Kicking a ball 16–36 months · 4 activities Kicking a ball in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Walks into it” to “Kicks a moving ball”. Timing, 4 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Running 16–36 months · 3 activities Running in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Hurried walk” to “Runs in games”. Typical timing, 3 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Jumping 18–36 months · 5 activities Jumping in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Bounces in place” to “Jumps forward”. Typical timing, 5 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
Fine motor
- Posting objects 12–28 months · 8 activities Posting objects in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Empties containers” to “Posts with a purpose”. Timing, 8 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Pouring 12–36 months · 11 activities Pouring in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Dumps it out” to “Pours for a real need”. Typical timing, 11 activities to practise it and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Scribbling and early drawing 12–36 months · 8 activities Scribbling and early drawing in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Taps the crayon” to “Copies a shape”. Timing, 8 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Stacking blocks 12–30 months · 4 activities Stacking blocks in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Knocks towers down” to “Stacks for a purpose”. Timing, 4 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
- Turning pages 12–32 months · 5 activities Turning pages in toddlers: 5 steps, from “Pats the book” to “Turns paper pages singly”. Timing, 5 activities and when to ask the pediatrician.
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.