PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE TODDLER!AGES: 1-3

Unit 3- Toddlers

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Genes determine height which influences weight

(heredity)

However, the environment (diet, exercise, health, and even emotions) affect a person’s weight more than genes

Because of these factors, toddlers grow at different rates

YEARS ONE AND TWO

Body growth begins to slow after the first year

Babies grow about half as much in height during the second year as compared with the first year

Most babies triple their birth weight in a year, then gain only ¼ that amount during the second

Some babies grow a little faster than these norms because they may be “catching up” to norms after a premature birth of first year illness.

AFTER YEAR TWO

Growing a slower but steadier rate Tend to gain 2-3 inches and about 6 pounds

per year throughout childhood This rate of growth continues for girls until age

11 and 13 for boys

OTHER BODY CHANGES At 24 months, the head is ¼ of the total

height. An adult’s head is 1/10th of his or her height.

The child’s body-build type will become apparent during the toddler years

BONES AND TEETH

Bones are becoming harder The degree of ossification is not the same

throughout the body Due to the cartilage, the toddler’s bones are

more flexible and less likely to break than an adult’s.

However, the softer bones are more prone to disease or deformation

Shortly after 2 years, a child has the full set of deciduous teeth (baby teeth!!).

THE BRAIN

Brain is 4/5 of its adult weight The brain is closer to maturity than any other

organ. The other body organs continue to mature,

but they do so at a slower rate than the brain. This is an example of the head-to-foot principle–

development is completed from the brain down the spine!

FAT AND MUSCLE TISSUE

Fat deposits under the skin decrease rapidly between 9 and 30 months.

The chubby baby becomes a slender child! Muscle development (the lengthening and

thickening of muscles) is slow during the toddler stage.

MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

LARGE-MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT Refers to the development of the trunk, arm

and leg muscles The following movements depend mainly on

the large muscles: Crawling Walking Jumping Running

WALKING

Begins within two to three months before or after first birthday

Girls tend to walk before boys Babies learn to walk in their own time and

way. To do so, they need: Warm adult support Positive reaction to attempts Safe Area

Pushing a baby to walk early… will not help!

BEGINNING WALKERS

Stand with their feet wide apart (gives them a wider base of support)

Turn their feet outward and slightly flex their knees

Some children walk on tiptoes because they have not learned to lower their heels yet

Arms are often held up or out (they do not swing alternatively with foot movement)

WALKING AT TWO YEARS

A child’s walk may look like a run, but it is not a run

Toddlers take about 170 steps a minute Their stride is half the length of an adult’s

stride

THAT’S WHY THIS HAPPENS! Can you imagine doubling your steps, taking

170 steps per minute, and having someone hold on to your hand above your head?

No wonder walking tires young children before adults

WALKING AT TWO YEARS

Toddlers rarely go around small obstacles on the floor such as a toy or book, they simply walk over it= which increases their chances of falling

Toddlers must watch their foot placement while walking until almost age 3 (They must watch every step the same way you

would if you were walking on stones across a creek)

Being distracted is another reason toddlers fall

RUNNING

Begins around age 2 Toddlers can not start or stop quickly

JUMPING

Stepping off low objects about 18 months is the way children learn to jump!

At two years, children can jump off low objects with two feet

CLIMBING

Begin climbing as soon as they can crawl or creep

Between 15 and 18 months, babies will climb onto furniture

They will walk up and down stairs with help Going up stairs is easier for them then going

down Toddlers do not change feet while climbing until

after their second birthday A courageous baby is more likely to try climbing

than a timid baby A toddler’s environment also encourages or

discourage climbing

THROWING AND CATCHING

Infants begin throwing by accident because they forget to hold onto an object while swinging their arms

They enjoy seeing the object move and hearing the sound it makes when it lands

Then, babies start to throw on purpose Planned throwing begins around age 1 Children under age 3 are not skillful throwers When they “catch” an object, they squat and

pick it up, until about age 2

SMALL-MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT Refers to the development of small muscles,

especially those in the hands and fingers The movements that depend on these

muscles are called fine-motor skills. Fine motor skills depend upon a child’s level of eye-hand coordination!

Eye-hand coordination = the ability to coordinate what a person sees with the way the person moves his or her hand

By the end of the first year, babies can hold objects between the thumb and index finger

Between 12 and 18 months, toddlers can hold spoons in their firsts.

They can feed themselves and drink from cups

By 15 months, they can fill and empty containers

They can also make marks on paper by holding a pencil or crayon in their fists

They can also: Remove a hat and socks Insert rather large objects into holes Turn pages of a book (several at a time) Begin to fit objects together Build a tower of two to three soft blocks

Between 18 months and 2 years, fine motor skills improve even more!

They can: String large beads on cords They can turn the pages of books one at a time They can open doors by turning knobs They can hit pegs with a hammer

By age 2, most show a definite hand preference

95% of all children are right-handed and use their right hand for most activities

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