{"id":52893,"date":"2018-10-09T00:06:45","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T00:06:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/your-toddler-21-months-old\/"},"modified":"2018-10-09T00:06:45","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T00:06:45","slug":"your-toddler-21-months-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/de\/your-toddler-21-months-old\/","title":{"rendered":"Your toddler: 21 months old"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"EBIKES\"<\/a><\/div>
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\n Photography by Nicole Duplantis\/Clothing provided by babyGap and Joe Fresh <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

So, what kind of toddler personality are you looking at today? There\u2019s the wild dancer who puts their socks in the fridge or the kid who\u2019s having a screeching freak-out because you won\u2019t let them hide in the dryer. There\u2019s the toddler singing loudly (oh so loudly) and happily in their crib at the crack of dawn, the one who brings you that bunny board book to read on the couch, or the quiet one that intently piles up stuffies and knocks them down with a giant grin. Or how about the naked little person stomping like a dinosaur in the hall, dragging a blankie and wearing a firefighter hat? Well, it\u2019s a trick question: It\u2019s easy to see all these sides of toddlerhood<\/strong> and more within an hour or two. Never a dull moment.<\/p>\n

21-months-old development & milestones<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Move, dance, read and play<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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\nHow to encourage your toddler to play by himself<\/span>
\nWhenever you can, try to help your toddler combine their new motor skills and fierce independence<\/strong> (\u201cMyself! Self!\u201d) by taking some time and letting them flip on the switch for the bathroom fan, stir the pancake batter, pick out a shirt or soap up their hands. Other surprising things toddlers can totally (OK, slowly and messily) do on their own or with minimal help include pouring themselves a drink using a small pitcher, eating with a spoon and putting on their own coat and shoes. All of this usually requires superhuman patience on your part, but developing the \u201cMe do!\u201d skills is an important part of them feeling confident and developing a positive self-identity<\/strong>.<\/p>

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Active songs, where you tie together words and actions, are usually a winner, too, plus they help your toddler develop coordination, language and memory, all in one fun energetic package. With or without music, they love to repeat actions that they\u2019ve already got down, like turning in circles, jumping off a low step and bending at the knees.<\/p>\n

Other fave toddler activities at this age include stuff that develops their fine motor skills<\/strong>, like stacking blocks, using play tools (like a sieve or plastic squeeze bottle) and manipulating objects (especially things that produce sound, like the volume dial on your speakers). Toddlers love to interact with books, so look for those with mirrors, different textured surfaces and flaps that lift (yep, those flaps are going to get ripped off). Simple books that talk about concepts like parts of the body, colours, shapes, letters and numbers and ones with lots of simple rhymes and rhythm tend to go over well, too.<\/p>\n

When it comes to language skills, kids this age are starting to develop associations between words<\/strong> and what they notice around them, like walking over to the fridge when they feel hungry or yelling \u201cPhone!\u201d when they hear it ring.<\/p>\n

Dealing with tantrums<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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\nWhat\u2019s the difference between a tantrum and a meltdown?<\/span>
\nIt\u2019s normal for toddlers to get frustrated, but it\u2019s also how they learn. Through trial and error, they figure out what works and what doesn\u2019t. But when you combine this with having emotions that feel really big and not being able to communicate clearly, you\u2019ve got a meltdown in motion<\/strong>. How to deal: Let them scream and stomp while you stay close by (some toddlers won\u2019t want to interact with their parents but want to know they\u2019re there, while others are more receptive to a calming cuddle), but don\u2019t give in to their demands because that teaches them how to get what they want. Don\u2019t punish them with a timeout or something similar either because this is a normal toddler deal. Plus, it can\u2019t hurt to put up an imaginary force field if you\u2019re getting the stink eye in public.<\/p>\n

Thinking about a child care change? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Around now, you might start to think about changing up child care or spending more time in a playgroup. Between 18 and 24 months, kids are bursting with creativity and energy<\/strong> and might thrive around more kids and more activity options rather than with a one-on-one caregiver. Still, you know your kid best and attachments can be strong<\/strong> at this age, so you may decide to stay where you are.<\/p>\n

Dealing with wriggly diaper changes <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Speaking of \u201cstay where you are,\u201d how are those wiggly diaper changes working out for you? Trying to change a toddler who doesn\u2019t want to be changed can be a gross Olympic event. Use some toddler-approved strategies<\/strong>, like offering them choices (do they want to get changed in the bedroom or bathroom?), having them stand during a change for a wet diaper or using the face-to-face time to ask them to point out different colours in the room or tell them a funny story.<\/p>\n

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Finger-food safety<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Your toddler loves finger foods they can pick up and control. It\u2019s crucial for you to make sure the pieces are small enough to be safe and that the texture is appropriate for little kids, too. Be aware of these top choking culprits<\/strong>.<\/p>\n