Your child is always learning! Here's what 8 new skills they'll gain this month.

At 29 months old, your child is becoming more aware of the world around them and they're excited to show you what they can do! You’ll notice that they'll start asking questions when they're curious about new words and remembering things you didn’t even realize they were paying attention to. This month marks a time where you'll get to watch their personalities grow a little bigger everyday.

The milestones this month fall into six areas: Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Cognitive Development, Social-Emotional Growth, Communication, and Sensory Development. Together, these skills help your toddler learn to move their bodies, think and ask questions, express themselves, and make sense of their surroundings.

Is your baby up to the challenge?

At this age, your child is eager to try things for themselves; sometimes before you get the chance to step in to help. They might rush over to climb something on the playground or run to investigate something they're curious about. Without the capacity to think through their actions before they do them, they'll be looking to you for support when things don't go their way. That mix of trying, checking in, and trying again is such an important part of your toddlers growth.

Why this month matters

This month is all about perfecting some of the skills they’ve already started building during the past few months. Their movements are much smoother now, their language is steadily growing, they’re learning how to engage in parallel play, how to express feelings through imagination, and how to communicate what they want with a little more clarity. All of these things allow your toddler to navigate their surroundings, build confidence, and show off their big personalities.

What are the 29 month milestones?

This month, Gross Motor development involves lots of climbing. Many toddlers will be excited to attempt to make their way up ladders or other playground structures. During this, they are putting their balance and strength to the test. These attempts help them feel more in control of their bodies and give them a sense of accomplishment when they make it to the top.

Their Fine Motor skills continue to grow. Last month, they learned how to pull up a zipper and this month, they are learning to pull zippers down. Once they figure it out, many toddlers repeat it over and over, which helps them in strengthening their hand coordination.

In Cognitive development, you’ll notice them asking questions more intentionally. When they hear a new word, they may repeat it back to you, or ask you what it means. If you point out an object, they'll be able to find it much easier now. This shows that they are getting better at connecting language, memory, and understanding.

As for Social-Emotional growth, parallel play remains the main way they interact with other children. They might sit near another child and play separately, as they are still very protective of their belongings and most of the time, are not willing to try to share. They're imaginations are getting bigger and bigger. Sometimes they mix pretend moments with real moments, which helps them in understanding themselves, their feelings, and the world around them.

Communication development this month involves your child showing off their memory skills. Many toddlers are recognizing some letters and may even be able to sing along to the alphabet song. Your toddler's vocabulary will keep expanding through having daily conversations and allowing them to ask questions about the things they may be curious about. At this time, their sentences are still around 2-3 words in length.

In Sensory development, textures become even more interesting to your child. They might enjoy to play with materials like playdough, water, sand, or slime after several exposures to them, becoming more confident with every try. These repeated interactions help them learn how to process new sensations and develop preferences.

The 29 month stage is full of discovery and expanding on existing skills. Your toddler is learning through movement, play, questions, and imagination, Each part of their day is a new opportunity to learn something new! With your support and encouragement, they’ll keep building the skills that they need to carry them into some exciting stages ahead.

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

Your toddler is growing fast! Being aware of the 29 month milestones helps you celebrate progress as it happens and keep track of what your child should be working on. Each new skill helps in building confidence 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 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.