Having your little one being a little chatterbox, you can really look forward to his twenty-six-month-old developmental milestones. On top of being chatty, he is going to be very energetic—he may always run around wherever he is.
Throwing tantrums can occur at times due to hunger, boredom, over-stimulation and lack of attention too. On top of this, you might be bombarded with lots of questions due to his curiosity.
Read on to discover more about your 26-month-old in terms of growth and development, sleep routines, feeding essentials and more!
Twenty-Six-Month-Old Developmental Milestones
26-month-old Sleep
In the midst of your sleep, you might be awakened by your 26-month-old at midnight. What you ought to do then is to teach him how to fall back asleep again without any help. This is does not only assure your quality of sleep, it also helps him learn to drift off by himself if he wakes up in the middle of the night.
So, how much sleep does a 26-month-old really need? He needs around 13 to 14 hours of sleep: 11 to 12 hours of night time sleep, along with 1.5 to 3 hours of daytime nap.
26-month-old Feeding
By 26 months, your little one should have three main meals with two snacks daily. In addition, your 26-month-old’s daily diet should include:
Always have meals together with your toddler and let him decide how much he wants to eat. Serve him with small portions and don’t insist on cleaning the plate. With this, you can reduce the occurrence of your toddler having a strong aversion to new food as he enjoys his meals.
Key Milestones in Growth
While looking at your toddler learning to balance himself, you will equally be proud of his improvement in language skills. Besides his motor and language development, you can also look into his physical growth. How should your 26-month-old toddler grow in terms of weight and height? Here are the averages that you can expect from your twenty-six-month-old toddler.
- Weight: Around 12.43 kg for a 26-month-old baby girl and 13.02 kg for a 26-month-old baby boy
- Height: Around 87.12 cm for a 26-month-old baby girl and 88.39 cm for a 26-month-old baby boy
Key Milestones in Skill Development and Senses
Key Milestones in Movement
- can kick a ball while standing
- can throw a ball overhand without falling
- can build towers with blocks
- can play with more than one toy at the same time (e.g., putting toy food on a toy plate)
- may show signs of potty-training
Get ready to keep up with your 26-month-old! He will have tonnes of energy to play and run around smoothly in both indoor and outdoor settings. Thus, do expect that you are going to have long days of playing and running around with your toddler too.
On the other hand, you might wonder whether your 26-month-old is ready for potty-training. Here’s the key: watch out for his readiness signs to be potty-trained. If your toddler shows two or more of the following signs, it’s a good indication that he is ready for potty-training.
Key Milestones in Five Senses
- can master words up to 50 words and more
- can combine two words into a simple sentence
- can follow simple actions
- can point to the objects you name
- can recognise the names of familiar people, objects and body parts
- can solve simple puzzles
- loves to ask questions
- has a longer attention span
As seen in the previous months, your toddler enjoys asserting his sense of independence. Besides setting clear and consistent limits for his behaviour, you should encourage him to try new things on his own.
For instance, you can get him to put on his own pants. Though he might wear it backwards, simply encourage him to try again. This is going to help your toddler to build his confidence and learn a life lesson: never give up during any challenges.
While mastering milestones and learning new skills, you might notice that your little one starts to portray some bizarre behaviour like getting naked, biting or dumping things out. Worry not, these are developmentally normal as he is experimenting with his actions and emotions.
Instead of feeling embarrassed or frustrated, you can react to each behaviour as below:
26-Month-Old Toddler Activities
Your toddler is going to enjoy exploring the world through play. Thus, spend more quality time with your little one on fun activities that spark both excitement and imagination.
Nevertheless, create opportunities to encourage your toddler to play with their peers. This can really help to develop their social skills.
Here are some fun activities which you can enjoy with your 26-month-old:
Additionally, you should observe your little one during his play to understand how he behaves with objects and people around him.
Extra Attention Needed While Working Through the Twenty-Six-Month-Old Developmental Milestones
At the stage in your 26-month-old’s life, you can help to develop a more relaxed and calm personality with more attention and care. So, remember to listen to what he has to say and you will be able to develop a deeper bond with your little one.
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