Two to Three Year Olds

Ages 2 to 3 years

Below are the program goals for children in our Toddler Program. Generally by the end of this stage, children may be able to do the following:

Emotional Development
  • Begin to assist with dressing self (e.g. Jacket, hat, etc.)- Care for some physical needs with supervision
  • Follow basic daily routines with staff assistance
  • Assist staff in putting some materials, toys and equipment in the proper place with supervision
  • Play alone and in small groups some of the time and with the total group occasionally
  • Deal with emotions in a way suitable for developmental level, most of the time
  • Respond to praise and suggestions from others
  • Make the transition from home to center with a minimum of anxiety
Social Development & Living
  • Participate in the total group some of the time
  • Share in a small group some of the time
  • Identify family members
  • Cooperate most of the time
  • Learn about some adult roles in the neighborhood (e.g. Doctor, firefighter, etc.)
Physical Development Gross Motor
  • Perform simple loco motor tasks, including walking forward and backward, running and jumping
  • Walk a few steps on a line on the floor
  • Throw a large ball at least two feet
  • Roll large and small balls
  • Perform simple somersaults with assistance
  • Manipulate large toys and wheeled equipment
  • Use some of the playground equipment (e.g. Slide)
  • Begin to participate in simple group games
Fine Motor
  • Construct simple block structures
  • Stack at least three small objects (e.g. Over two inches in diameter)
  • Complete 3-5 piece puzzle
  • Use crayons to create free-form designs
  • Practice turning book pages one at a time
  • Feed self using spoon and tumbler
  • Place pegs in pegboard, shapes into shape box, etc.
  • Begin to participate in simple group games
Cognitive Development
  • Use words "big" and "little"
  • Follow at least one direction
  • Recognize and name two colors
  • Identify familiar sounds in environment (e.g. Car horn, baby cry, etc.)
  • Identify major body parts on own body
  • Name some familiar animals and identify the sounds they make (e.g. Ducks quack)
  • Identify a missing part of an object in a picture (e.g car without wheels)
  • Identify functions of some familiar objects according to their use (e.g. Furniture, food, clothing, etc.)
Language Development
  • Recognize own name and the name of caregiver
  • Give simple answers to questions
  • Identify some common objects and familiar people when names are given by staff
  • Name some familiar objects in his/her environment
  • Pronounce most words correctly (except for some articulation errors)
  • Express own needs and wants
  • Repeat a few simple finger plays
  • Relate a simple activity or event
Reading Readiness
  • Begin recognizing some letters of the alphabet
  • Recognize simple, common story characters (e.g. The Three Bears)
  • Tell what is happening in a simple picture
  • Retell a part of a familiar story
  • Listen to short stories
  • Attend to films, filmstrips, puppet shows, etc., appropriate to developmental level
Science
  • Show concern and care for animals
  • Help plant and maintain simple plants (e.g. Indoors and outdoors)
  • Identify some textures (e.g. Hard, soft, fuzzy, etc.)
  • Identify some foods according to taste
  • Assist with a cooking experience
  • Learn about some insects (e.g. Butterfly, ant, etc.)
  • Give simple descriptions of the weather (e.g. it's raining, cloudy, hot, etc.)
Premath Skills
  • Use simple number songs, rhymes and finger plays
  • Indicate age in numbers of fingers and verbally
  • Rote count from 1-5
  • Sort like shapes (e.g. Triangles, circles, squares, etc.)
Art, Music & Movement
  • Assist staff with care of art materials
  • Use some art media including crayons, markers, paints and play dough
  • Use paste with supervision
  • Use various art techniques with supervision, including collage and painting
  • Listen to music
  • Participate in simple singing games and songs
  • Use rhythm instruments
  • March to music
  • Use free-form movement and perform simple exercises to music