By three years of age, preschoolers have made great progress with cognitive and communication skills. The preschooler gains greater independence in daily routines such as dressing, toileting, and feeding. At this age, children begin to have greater interest in play alongside other children.

Below are typical milestones for development in children from two to three years of age:

Gross Motor and Sensory Development

• Climbs well
• Kicks a ball without loss of balance
• Jumps from the floor
• Progresses to jumping off the second step
• Balances briefly on one foot
• Runs with good coordination
• Begins to pedal a tricycle and propel ride–on toys
• Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet on each step
• Progresses to jumping forward four or more inches
• Begins to hop on one foot
• Jumps over a two-inch-high hurdle or obstacle

Fine Motor and Vision Development

• Turns doorknobs
• Throws a ball forward and begins throwing overhand
• Towers blocks eight to ten blocks tall
• Begins to use a tripod grasp
• Can imitate drawing horizontal and vertical lines and circles
• Snips with scissors
• Strings beads
• Screws and unscrews jar lids
• Catches a bounced ball with some consistency
• Recognizes fine detail in pictures

Cognitive and Behavioral Development

• Understands how mechanical toys work
• Sorts objects by size
• Sorts objects by primary colors and shape
• Starts to use more reasoning skills as well as trial and error
• Engages in pretend play with dolls or toys
• Matches objects to pictures
• Understands the concept of two
• Uses imaginative play with people, dolls, etc.

Communication Development
By 30 months:

• Follows two- to three-step commands
• Understands the difference between big and little
• Likes to listen to stories
• Begins to use some plurals, for example, “cars”

By 36 months:

• Identifies almost all common objects
• Understands most adult sentences
• Understands the purpose of most objects
• Recognizes the names of smaller body parts such as elbow
• Understands the difference between the concepts one, more, and all
• Understands concepts of over, under, in, and on
• Understands the genders boy and girl
• Uses two- to four-word phrases
• Uses pronouns such as I, me, you, they, and we
• Expresses possession such as, “My book.”
• Expresses location such as, “I want up.”
• Expresses action such as, “Go outside.”
• Repeats two numbers in sequence
• Uses commands
• Increases vocabulary to about a thousand words
• Is understood by others seventy to eighty percent of the time

Social and Emotional Development

• Imitates adults and children
• Shows affection for other playmates
• Objects to major changes in the routine
• Separates from the parents more willingly
• Begins to take turns with other children, although not consistently

Daily Routines Development

• Eats most foods without choking or coughing
• Eats with utensils without much spillage
• Has favorite and less favorite foods
• Sleeps about twelve hours total (one hour during the day; eleven hours at night)
• Assists with taking off shirts and pants
• Is able to take off jacket
• Takes off shoes and socks
• Assists with unbuttoning, zippering, and snapping
• Expresses needs to use the bathroom
• May be ready to start potty training

Signs of Possible Developmental Delays: Two to Three Years
Helpful article if you suspect your child may have developmental delays.

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