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30 To 33 Months - Your Child Develops More Control Of His Body

Your baby is becoming a child. He will be less fussy and easier to manage in the months to come. He will be tasting, smelling, touching, and enjoying his growing world. He will control his body while walking and picking up toys. He will show more skill in doing daily chores like dressing and eating.

 

SAFETY FIRST

Supervise the use of blunt-edged scissors during creative play.

Supervise playtime with other children.

Teach him to wash his hands after using the restroom and before eating meals or snacks.

Teach him how to safely turn the faucets on and off when washing his hands after using the toilet and before eating snacks.

Provide positive role models. He will begin to recognize the differences between boys and girls.

Show him how to treat others with respect.

Spills will occur frequently, so supervise him and let him help in cleaning up.

Playground areas must be supervised.

He does not yet use logical thinking even though he is developing more mature thinking.

Always buckle your child in a car seat when riding in a car.

Things Your Child May Do At This Age

Jump about 8" from a standing position (Broad Jump)

Open and close scissors (Use only blunt nose type and please, supervise!)

Drink from a small cup or glass without help, though she may still spill a lot

Drink from a cup using a straw

Use the toilet without help, seldom having bowel accidents, but for several months may still have wetting accidents AVOID SCOLDING!!

Follow directions having no more than two steps, such as "Find your shoes and get your coat."

Understand size concepts such as big and tall

Begin to use many different parts of spoken language:

  • add plurals "cookies"
  • prepositions "in the jar"
  • use modifiers "some, a lot"
  • use possessives "mine, his"
  • describe with adjectives "pretty"
  • begin adding "ed" to verbs to show past tense

Draw horizontal (—) and vertical lines (|) and circles (o)

Homemade "Monster Bubble" Solution

  • 2 cups Water
  • 2/3 cup of dishwashing liquid
  • 1/4 cup of light corn syrup

Mix together in a large bowl and stir gently. Makes big, long bubbles.

Things You Can Do Everyday To Help Your Child Grow

Bubbles are another way to teach your child about air and space.  Bubble solutions may be purchased at a drug store or you can make your own by following the recipe provided above.

Counting skills increase at this age. Help her practice counting. For instance, ask her to give you two objects or give her three objects and ask her how many objects you gave her.

Teach your child about air by blowing up balloons. (You should supervise him closely if you do this; balloons can be dangerous. If the child sucks in the balloon, it could choke him).

Whenever possible, let him do things on his own.  Remember the words "I can do it!" and "Let me do it" are healthy signs of gaining independence.

Let him spend time with other children so he can practice sharing and other social behaviors. If possible, enroll him in a pre-school.

Give him cooking utensils, plastic tools, telephones and small suitcases to play with as well as clothes for pretending to be different people doing different jobs.

Use positive statements such as "You can do it!" to encourage him to do things.  When he does something well, tell him.  Be specific - you could say, "I like the way you picked up your toys."

READ!! READ!! READ!! to him every day. Reading is a good time to give positive attention and affection.  Introduce books that show traditional jobs: fireman, teacher, hair dresser, doctor, nurse, veterinarian, policeman, mechanic, carpenter, store clerk -- as well as many other careers.