Explore the 19 milestones that your child is exploring this month!

At 20 months, your toddler is moving with purpose and showing more confidence in everything they do. They’re likely to be climbing higher, running faster, and communicating more clearly than ever before. You might notice that they are testing limits, opening doors, and exploring even more. This stage is all about discovery, independence, and growing coordination.

Every day brings something new as your toddler continues to grow across five key areas including Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Cognitive Development, Social-Emotional Development, and Communication. Each milestone builds on earlier achievements and prepares them for exciting challenges ahead.

Is your baby up to the challenge?

At this time, toddlers are getting better at blending movement, thought, and emotion into everything they do. Their actions are now more deliberate, and playtime becomes more meaningful. You may notice them pretending to feed their toys, or simply bringing you something they’ve discovered. These simple gestures reflect deeper understanding and growing imagination.

Why this month matters?

20 months marks a period where your toddler is beginning to connect physical confidence with emotional awareness. They’re getting much better at recalling routines, recognizing familiar people and objects, and expressing their preferences more clearly. Children this age are eager to try things themselves, which is a key step toward autonomy and self-trust.

What are this month's milestones?

Gross Motor Skills:

By 20 months, your toddler's movement feels much more coordinated. They may start walking backward and will now be able to stepping over low obstacles without falling over. They'll become even better at climbing and may be able to climb up small ladders at the playground. You'll notice that they enjoy testing their balance, like walking along a curb or low beam while holding your hand. As always, your child is full of determination. They'll be carrying bigger and heavier toys and even attempting to jump!

Fine Motor Skills:

Fine motor control at this point is going from exploration to having more of an intentional purpose. You might see your child turn small dials or flip light switches, which shows that they are testing how they could use their hands and fingers. They’re starting to use their hands in unison when doing things such as stabilizing a piece of paper with one hand and coloring with the other. This is also when some toddlers show early signs of hand preference and might begin to favor one side, although their dominant hand won't be completely established till around age 4.

Cognitive Development:

Your 20-month-old is becoming more organized and even more imaginative. At this point, you'll notice them beginning to plan ahead. An example of this might be them arranging cars in a line before playing with them. They also start to show signs of problem solving doing things like dragging a stool to reach something or trying different ways to open a container. Their memory is expanding too; they remember where favorite toys are kept or what happens next in familiar songs. You’ll notice they’re beginning to link actions in sequence which is a sign of early reasoning and understanding.

Social-Emotional Development:

Toddlers this age are learning that both their and other's emotions have power. Your child may comfort a friend, laugh or cry to get your attention, or clap for themselves when they're proud. Sharing might still a work in progress, but they’re beginning to understand the concept of taking turns. At this time, your baby will love to make you laugh. They enjoy repetition; things like making silly faces or repeating words and noises. Through these exchanges, they’re practicing empathy, patience, and connection.

Communication:

Language at this point can vary. Toddlers understand more than they speak. Many toddlers start combining descriptive words with nouns (“big truck,” “cold juice”) or adding early verbs (“go park," “want snack”). They may answer simple questions with gestures or short replies. They also may understand concepts like “under,” “on,” and “in.” Their speech patterns start reflecting tone and emotion; they'll whine when frustrated or use an excited tone when they're happy about something.

At 20 months, your toddler’s curiosity seems endless. They're eager to see what happens when they try things their own way. Their growing vocabulary helps them express their needs, and share their ideas and emotions. Each day brings something new, and they're moving fast! Every gesture, sound, and giggle shows just how much they are learning everyday.

Work Cited:

1. “The Development and Shaping of the Brain.” Discovering the Brain,

2. “Understanding why your child’s brain is so amazing!” Parenting. Give it Time, Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh Government,

3. CDC, Developmental Milestones

4. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Developmental Milestones: 18–24 Months.

5. Brown Health. Children’s Developmental Milestones: Gross and Fine Motor Skills.

   
   

How many of this month's milestones has your baby mastered?

Tracking your toddler’s 20 month milestones can give you a better sense of how they’re developing and where they’re headed next. Each milestone is a step forward in building independence and personality. With a Basic Membership for just $2 per month, you can track all 812 milestones your child is expected to reach by age 4. Stay on top of your baby’s progress and celebrate every exciting new skill along the way!

Create a free account with Fledglings' Flight and get access to 4820 screen-free, play-based exercises. That is 100-200 exercises each month that you can start doing with your baby from the day that they are born to help them to develop into the best version of themselves. In addition, your free account gives you access to 1200+ articles on child development to keep you informed while you help to navigate your child's developmental journey.