At 30 months old, your child is likely a mass of contradictions. She might be super independent one minute, then clingy the next. She may chow down her steamed broccoli one day only to turn her nose up when you dish it out the next. It’s all par for the toddlerhood course.

She’s also eager to help. Toddlers love to feel useful, and you can turn toy cleanup and other toddler-friendly chores into a game as you teach your tot some lessons in responsibility. She’ll also be able to show off her growing ability to follow simple directions as she lends a hand. 

Now that she’s 2 ½ years old, your toddler is due for another well-child visit, known as the 2 ½-year or 30-month checkup. At this appointment, your child’s provider will perform a physical exam and also ask about developmental milestones. Here’s more on what you can expect to happen at this visit.

The physical checkup

At this checkup, the pediatrician will do a thorough physical exam just as they did at your child’s 2-year appointment. The provider will measure your child’s weight and height to confirm that she’s growing at a healthy rate, using a growth chart to check the results.[1]

If your toddler hasn’t visited the dentist yet, the provider might also put fluoride on those baby teeth to prevent cavities.[2]

All the while, the pediatrician will be noting your toddler’s vocabulary and how coordinated she is as she moves around the room. Another thing your provider will be watching: How your tot interacts and plays with people around her (including you). 

In addition to observing your child’s development, your provider might give your little one a more detailed developmental screening test at this checkup, especially if you raise concerns.[3]

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Developmental milestones

Your 30-month-old might be into pretend play now. Her games won’t be complicated. Instead, she might wheel her toy grocery cart around the room as if she’s shopping, pick up her pretend phone and talk to Grandma, or feed blocks to her favorite stuffed animals. They’re all clues she’s using her imagination, so the pediatrician will ask about this.

The pediatrician might also check if your little one is playing next to or with other toddlers, either in a playgroup or at day care. There’s no right or wrong answer here. Most toddlers do their own thing alongside other kids, but sometimes they might play ball or do a puzzle together around the 30-month mark.

Besides these social and emotional milestones, the pediatrician may ask if your 30-month-old has reached these language, cognitive and movement milestones:[4]

  • Says about 50 words, including pronouns like “I” and “me”
  • Uses two- (or more) word sentences, such as “I juice” (or even “I want juice”), or “Mommy smile”
  • Can name objects in a book (such as a cat or baby) if you point and ask “What’s this?” 
  • Can follow two-step directions (“Pick up the truck and put it in the bin”)
  • Knows at least one color, or can point to one color when asked (“Where is the blue ball?”)
  • Takes off some clothes by herself, like a jacket
  • Uses her hands to twist a doorknob or the lid of a jar
  • Jumps off the ground using two feet
  • Can turn the pages of a book one at a time while you read to her

The pediatrician may also ask about your little one’s personality as well as her eating and sleeping habits. So you might get these questions at the 30-month checkup:

Of course, all toddlers are on their own developmental timelines, so rest assured that there’s a wide range of “normal” when it comes to most milestones. But if you feel your tot has lost some skills or is lagging in certain areas, bring up your concerns. Your child’s provider is only too happy to answer your questions.

30-month vaccines

Unless your cutie needs to play catchup with some vaccines, she won’t be needing any during this checkup. But if your toddler’s half birthday comes in the fall or early winter, the pediatrician will want to give her a flu shot (or the nasal spray). You’ll also want to ask about the COVID-19 shot, which is now recommended for everyone 6 months and up.[5]

Questions to ask the doctor

Your child is growing up fast, and your list of questions about what she’s doing (and what to expect next) is likely growing too. A few topics to consider bringing up at the 30-month appointment:[6]

Don’t forget to book your child’s 3-year checkup on the way out. And enjoy these last six months of toddlerhood. Before you know it, you’ll have a sturdy preschooler who will continue to amaze you with all the amazing things she can do.