Children's development 1-2 years - what happens & when?

Are you curious to know a little more about what your child learns during his or her second year of life? That's a lot, and it can be fun to have a little idea of what children's development 1-2 years actually looks like.Here you can read about when the language comes, how the personality and the child's social ability develop, and you get a checklist of the skills that most children learn between 1-2 years. You also get some tips and advice on how you can help your child move forward in their development!If you have not already read about your child's development 0-1 years, you will find a month by month guide here!

Children's development 1-2 years - everything has its time

A child undergoes an incredible development during his first years of life. How and when a child goes through the different developmental phases is, however, very individual, and it is important to remember. Some children speak early, others wait with the language but take their first steps already after nine months - it's different. But one thing is for sure - a lot happens with a child's development 1-2 years!Even if the child's second year of life does not go quite as fast as during the first, it still goes at a furious pace. The child learns to walk, communicate and relate to other people in several different situations. The child goes from being a baby and constantly being dependent on others, to being able to move and make themselves understood on their own - your child is starting to become a little human for real!

Your own little person

The one-year-old likes to look at himself in the mirror, and begins to feel more and more like his own person. They are often happy and playful, and during the year their social skills develop so that they are more than happy to make contact with new people, and create relationships outside the immediate family.The child learns new things through constant exploration. They often put their own ability to the test to see where the line goes for what they can do. Some children can be very brave, and as a parent it can feel like the child does not have any self-preservation drive (which is true!). Other children are more careful and test themselves without any major accidents.

Tip!

Regardless of the child's behavior, it can be easy as a parent to hurry up to help the child up curbs or other obstacles, but the child gains a lot from overcoming difficulties on their own, and is often good at asking for help. really need it. Of course, you should be there as security and support, but you do not always have to be in such a hurry.

Repetition and routines

By doing things over and over again, repetitive behaviors, the child learns new things. It can be knocking with a spoon on the floor to see what is happening, or putting a block in your mouth several times to examine how it feels and tastes.

Tip!

Routines are instructive for the child at this age. Having the same evening routine with dinner, swimming and storytelling in the same order every night, gives the child a sense of security in knowing what is to come.

The child's thinking

At this age, the child develops both his abstract and his symbolic thinking. This means that the child not only understands things that are in the room, but also things that are not here and now. The child understands that words can be a symbol of a thing, and can, for example, play that a wooden block is a car. The ability to pretend also develops, and the child can therefore appreciate serving pretend coffee or feeding the stick horses with wooden carrots.

The language

When the child begins to approach the age of two, language development accelerates considerably. The child can now begin to put together several words in a row, and even though the child may not yet be able to say so many words himself, he understands all the more. And the vocabulary develops quickly, new words come every day, sometimes several words at once! This is something you as a parent easily get used to, and the time when the child could not talk is quickly forgotten.

Tip!

Even if your child is now starting to talk more and more, and understand most of what you say, it can still be difficult to bring up words, so it is best to continue to clearly show what is going on.

Realizes right and wrong, really

The child can now increasingly understand what he or she can and cannot do. Maybe above all what it is not allowed to do. It likes to test limits and try different things to see how the reactions will be. This, combined with the development of the child's humor, can often result in less fun situations for the parents, sometimes directly life-threatening. When the child tests how the reactions will be if he runs straight out into the street, for example. It is important to be on your guard - once the child has started to walk properly, it does not take long before he can run, and then things can happen very quickly.

Tip!

As a parent, it is good to be consistent in what you say, as long as it is about dangerous or other things that simply can not be thought differently about. If the child, for example, wants to play with something that is dangerous, you must clearly and firmly show that it is something you are not playing with. Be clear with both movements and voice, and do not worry if the child starts to cry, it means that the message has entered.When it comes to more "worldly" things, like you said that the child has to put on the jacket before you go out, and you realize that it may not be as cold outside as you thought, it is not as important to be consistent. As a parent, you can change a decision, without "letting the child win".

What skills do children 1-2 years have?

Based on himself and his own pace, the child learns more and more things all the time, and it is obvious that you as a parent are curious about your child's skills. But remember, never compare your child to another child - everyone is different.Below you will find a short checklist of the skills that many children develop during their first two years.

The child learns:

• Stack blocks on top of each other.
• His name and knows who "mom" and "dad" are.
• Give yourself a thing you ask for.
• Draw a line with a chalk.
• Get up in a standing position, with or without support.
• Put together two or more "real" words in a row.
• Go without support.
• See similarities and differences.
• "Right and wrong".
• Understand that a word is a symbol of something, and it can get a picture in their head when they hear a word, without the thing being in the room.
• That it has its own will, and how to show it.

Here you can read about children's development at 1177And here you will find information from the psychology guide

Preschool start

In Sweden, it is common for children to start preschool when they are between 1-2 years old. This means a big change for both children and parents. You should now leave your child who you have spent time with all day, every day for a long time. It can feel strange and for some the separation can be very difficult, but for most people this is something that passes quickly and becomes a positive experience for both children and parents.

Tip!

When a child has just started preschool and a lot of new things happen during the day, he can often sleep a little anxiously as he dreams more. This is also something that gets better with time, the child just needs to get into the new routines. But it is important as a parent to be there and give the child time and closeness.There are different options when it comes to childcare. There is a preschool and then there is a daycare center. Daycare was more common in the past, but it still exists in most municipalities in Sweden. Are you curious to know more about what a daycare is and what the difference is between daycare and preschool, you will find more information about it here!

Time for babysitting?

If the thought of leaving your child with someone else previously felt difficult, it can now begin to feel a little easier. The child can now communicate and form good bonds with people outside the immediate family. So having a babysitter who comes a little then can be a fun break from everyday life for the child. And at the same time, as a parent, you get the opportunity to do something on your own.If you want to know a little more about from what age you can start with a babysitter, or get tips on what to think about when choosing a babysitter, you will find more information about this:When can you start babysitting?Good to keep in mind when choosing a babysitterAre you interested in finding a babysitter, but do not know where to start looking? Here you will find a comparison of Sweden's most popular babysitting services!On our blog we have collected a lot of texts that have to do with children. You can read more about, among other things speech difficulties, CPR for children, and get tips on what to do if your child suffers eye inflammation, costipation or somebody else childhood disease.You will also find tips and advice on things such as barnkalas,rainwear, and how to prepare for one long trip with children.