Once your toddler starts walking, it’s just a matter of time before she’s living life in the fast lane. It all happens in the blink of an eye — soon after those first steps, she’s just a hop, skip and jump away from running, jumping, climbing and more.
Mastering these gross motor skills, or skills that use the large muscles of the body to perform activities (from sitting up unassisted to throwing and kicking a ball), are an important part of your toddler development.
Here’s what to expect — and how to help her master these exciting skills.
When do toddlers learn to run?
Somewhere between 18 and 24 months old, your toddler will begin to pick up the pace from walking to running — though you can expect a few spills along the way. By the time she turns 3, running should come easily to her.
Use these strategies to help fuel your toddler’s need for speed:
- Up your toy game. Push toys can help motivate your little one to pick up the pace during practice laps. Once she’s gained confidence on her feet, give her a pull toy to drag behind her, or “chase” her.
- Be active together. Play games like hide and seek and Simon Says to encourage your toddler to put some pep in her step.
- Get outside. Encourage your child to run around your grassy yard, or take her for walks (or runs), letting her quickly stroll on her own two feet instead of always riding in her stroller.
- Head to the park. Let her run around the playground or chase butterflies on nature trails while you supervise.
When do toddlers learn to jump?
Around the 2-year mark, your tot will start jumping in place — and she’ll take off from there (usually starting with a one-foot jump and then slowly getting both feet off the ground). Somewhere between ages 2 and 3, your courageous toddler will get more air when she hops, jumps down from small heights and jumps forward to land on her own two feet.
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Here's how to help your toddler take the leap:
- Go step-hopping. Holding your child's hand, stand next to her on a curb or a low step and say, "One, two, three, jump!" then jump down together. Wait until your little one is a preschooler to jump up onto steps (and even then, make sure you have her back).
- Practice jumping like a frog. Show your child how to get down into a squat position and throw her arms up while she hops. Some froggy-style practice will eventually help her learn to jump while upright.
- Act it out. See if she can imitate animal hoppers. Try a bunny (fingers on her head for ears), a chick (arms folded in close, like wings) or a kangaroo (have her hold a lovie near her tummy like a mama kangaroo pouch).
- Give her a hand. Have her lean on you for her first jumping attempts. As your jumping bean gets better, ask her to stretch her arms out to the sides or put her hands on her hips when she takes the leap. These moves help with balance.
When do toddlers learn to kick?
No, we don’t mean people (though that kind of kicking is a normal toddler phase). Your future soccer star can get a lot out of kicking a ball. Not only will a ball game boost your toddler’s gross motor development, it can also help fine-tune hand-eye coordination.
Somewhere between 18 to 24 months, your little ballplayer will start to show interest in kicking a ball, and by age 2, most toddlers can kick. While that first kick or two may be more involuntary than intention, once cause and effect become clear, she'll be attempting to deliberately score goals in no time.
Here’s how to practice kicking with your tot:
- Have a ball. Start by simply providing your tot with a ball to roll, throw and eventually kick. From there, start kicking the ball back and forth together.
- Meet new friends. Enroll her in a toddler sports class if she needs a little extra encouragement from her peers (or if you don't have much room at home to set up your own soccer field).
How to prevent aggressive kicking
If your toddler is displaying aggressive kicking and hitting behaviors, it’s important to set boundaries.
- Set verbal boundaries. When your tot swings at another child at the playground, speak up, “Don’t hit! Ouch — it hurts!” When your child is the victim, comfort her and say, “Yes, hitting hurts, and that’s why we don’t hit.”
- Take action to back it up. Supervise play dates closely and stop aggressive behavior the moment it starts by removing the offender from the victim and quickly distracting both with a new activity.
Whatever you do, don’t respond to toddler aggression with adult aggression — keep your temper in check when dealing with hers.
When do toddlers learn to climb?
Once she’s mastered walking, your tot will feel more confident taking on this new challenge, eager to explore great heights and experience life from a new vantage point.
By 12 months, your newly minted toddler may start climbing up stairs, and she'll continue exploring her environment between her first and second birthday. By age 2, most toddlers can climb up and down on furniture without help.
Help your toddler (safely) rise to the occasion with these tips:
- Provide a safe climbing environment. Let your tot climb away on a small plastic slide or play gym, and invest in a sturdy step stool to help her access any out-of-reach toys or books safely.
- Get to the playground. Outdoor playgrounds (or indoor versions for bad weather days) are great places to help your tot safely channel her climbing skills.
- Set boundaries. With your toddler’s newfound love for movement, be sure to tell her where she’s allowed to climb. Tables, countertops and all furniture should be off-limits for your budding mountain climber. Remind her of this early and often.
- Give feedback. Support your tiny climber by modeling the skills she's working on and offering simple, clear feedback ("Grab on here to get up the ladder!").
When to talk to your doctor
Toddlers have a high-energy reputation, but for every Energizer Bunny there’s another tot who is content to sit and watch the world go by. So if your toddler isn't winning playground races or prepping to summit Mount Everest, it's not necessarily a cause for concern.
Though at the end of the day, you know your child best. If you have any concerns about your child's gross motor skills, talk to the pediatrician for guidance.
Meanwhile, even if your toddler prefers sedentary play, continue to offer plenty of opportunities for gross motor play. Encourage her to get-up-and-go by being active yourself (perhaps a dance party?) and by trying lots of different activities that'll entice your child to move that little body.
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