Discover the 8 milestones your child may be practicing this month!

Two years and one month brings a burst of confidence and personality. Toddlers at this age love trying to do things all by themselves, imitating the language and gestures they hear, and figuring out how everything works. You will notice them listening closely to how you talk, then copying your tone and implementing that into their own speech.

Your toddler will be exploring milestones across five areas including Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Cognitive Development, Social-Emotional Development, and Communication.

Is your baby up to the challenge?

Around now, children are learning how ideas, actions, and emotions fit together. Everything they do at this point is done with intention. They aren’t only playing, they're watching, comparing, and choosing when to join and when not to join in. You'll see them playing a lot more pretend, and notice that they want you to let them try things themselves before you intervene. Even though they most likely won't be sharing at this point, you'll notice lots of curious glances at what other kids are doing nearby. At this point, they are piecing together their surroundings, pretending during play, and testing boundaries.

Why this month matters?

This age is all about gaining control and expressing personality. Your toddler is learning how objects work, experimenting with language, and practicing independence, even when it means testing your boundaries to see what happens. You will see more pretend play, more emotional expression, and a growing desire to do things their own way. These moments, both calm and spirited, help them in shaping confidence and curiosity.

What are this month's milestones?

Gross Motor Skills:

At 25 months, your toddler is moving with increasing coordination and purpose. You might notice that their arms start to swing naturally, especially when they are hurrying across a room or are in a rush to grab something. Their steps look more controlled, even in a hurry, they'll run with confidence. These small changes show stronger balance, muscle control, and awareness of their body in motion.

Fine Motor Skills:

Their little hands are becoming more precise and intentional this month. Your toddler may be able to carefully thread large beads onto a string, stack objects, or explore tasks that require steady hands and focus. Their ability to control movements in their fingers and wrists continues to grow, and activities like feeding themselves, building towers, or placing objects into small spaces help refine these skills.

Cognitive Development:

Your 25-month-old is beginning to show a clearer understanding of how the world works. They may start matching everyday objects to their correct use; like brushing their hair with a comb, placing a spoon in a bowl, or handing you a cup to pretend drink. You’ll see them explore, experiment, and repeat actions to make sense of what they observe. Their play also reflects growing problem-solving skills and a deeper grasp of cause and effect.

Social-Emotional Development:

Social awareness continues to bloom at this stage. Your toddler watches you and others closely and might try to copy tone, facial expressions, and behaviors varying from the way you talk on the phone to how you react when something surprises you. They likely enjoy being near other children but still prefer playing next to them rather than with them, which is part of healthy parallel play. This is also a time when independence becomes louder as they are saying “no” much more often, hesitating before listening, or playfully testing boundaries as they continue to explore making their own decisions.

Communication:

Language skills are growing so much! Your child may try to mimic the rhythm and pitch of your voice, use new gestures to match their words, and begin adding simple connectors like “and” and “or” into short 3 word phrases. These little additions help them link thoughts and express more complex ideas. Their speech may sound more expressive and animated, showing how they’re absorbing communication patterns from the world around them.

At 25 months, your toddler is experimenting with independence, practicing new physical skills, and soaking in every word, gesture, and emotion they encounter. They’re continuing to learn through imitation, exploration, and repetition. Each attempt, whether successful or not, reveals just how much growth is happening behind the scenes.

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. 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 25 month milestones can give you a better sense of how they are developing and where they’re headed next. Each milestone is a step forward in building skills and independence. 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.