
Your child’s developmental journey takes one other thrilling leap at 21 months as they proceed to develop and study at a powerful tempo. At this stage, your toddler is probably going hitting some key 21-month-old milestones, from speech and language improvement to gaining extra management over their motion. Together with these developmental milestones, it’s vital to be conscious of your 21-month-old’s meals and sleep wants and their each day routine. On this article, we’ll discover what to anticipate when it comes to their feeding and sleep schedules and their general improvement, together with useful tricks to hold your toddler wholesome, completely satisfied, and protected.
By 21 months, your toddler is making important strides in each bodily and cognitive improvement. Whereas each youngster develops at their very own tempo, there are some widespread developmental milestones for 21-month-olds that many dad and mom and specialists observe:
Your 21-month-old ought to proceed to refine their coordination and huge physique actions. Listed below are some gross motor milestones at 21 months previous:1
- Climbing up on an object, like a chair or stool, to succeed in one thing they need
- Strolling and rarely falling
- Strolling down the steps whereas holding your hand or a railing
- Making an attempt to kick a big ball by transferring their leg ahead (they could begin to accomplish this with out holding something for assist)
- Operating nicely and having the ability to cease with out falling or bumping into one thing
- Strolling up or down at the least two steps by themselves, even when they have to maintain a railing
- Could begin having the ability to leap with each toes leaving the ground on the similar time
As your youngster’s giant muscle tissues strengthen and coordinate, so do their small muscle tissues and motor management. Listed below are some nice motor milestones at 21 months of age:1
- Making a mark on paper with the tip of a writing instrument when making an attempt to attract
- Stacking three to 6 small blocks on high of one another independently
- Turning the pages of a ebook independently, even when it’s multiple web page at a time
- Getting a spoon into their mouth right-side-up in order that not a lot meals spills
- Turning or screwing open jar lids, doorknobs, or twist toys with their hand
- Could begin flipping a swap on and off
- Could begin stringing smaller objects like dry macaroni or wood beads onto a string or shoelace
Language and Communication
By 21 months previous, your youngster could possibly say 15-50 phrases or extra! Listed below are another thrilling communication and language 21-month-old milestones to look out for:1,2
- Imitating a two-word sentence
- Independently pointing to the proper image when requested one thing like, “The place’s doggy?” or “Present me the ball”
- Accurately naming a number of acquainted objects (like a cup, ball, hat, or canine) once you level to them and ask, “What’s this?”
- With the ability to observe a one-step route, corresponding to “Seize your coat” or “Put the toy within the bin,” with out you utilizing gestures
- Stringing collectively two to a few phrases with completely different concepts into brief phrases, like “Need cookie” or “Extra juice”
- Accurately pointing to a few to seven physique components (corresponding to hair, eyes, toes, or ears) when requested the place they’re
- Starting to make use of and perceive pronouns, corresponding to “me,” “I,” “mine,” and “you”
- Making animal sounds
- Requesting acquainted meals by identify
At this age, toddlers are studying to have interaction extra with others, together with imitating grownup behaviors, exhibiting affection, and enjoying easy fake video games. Listed below are some milestones on this area to look out for:1
- Copying you once you full duties like wiping up a spill, shaving, sweeping, or brushing hair
- Feeding self with some spilling
- Making an attempt to eat with a fork
- With the ability to drink from an open cup with restricted spilling
- Pretending to deal with a stuffed animal or child doll, corresponding to feeding, rocking, and altering its diaper
Cognitive milestones signify studying, pondering, and problem-solving. Listed below are some markers that your 21-month-old’s cognition is growing on observe:1,3
- Scribbling on paper utilizing a writing instrument (with out demonstration)
- Drawing a semi-straight line in any route after watching you draw a vertical line from the highest of a web page to the underside
- Imitating your gestures, like opening and shutting your mouth, blinking your eyes, pulling in your earlobe, or patting your cheek
- Turning an object like a bottle, pencil, or spoon right-side-up if you happen to hand it to them the other way up
- Imitating you lining up two to 4 objects aspect by aspect
- Trying to find a stool or chair to succeed in one thing
- Could begin holding an object in a single hand whereas manipulating it with the opposite, corresponding to holding a jar whereas twisting off the lid
- Beginning to use switches, buttons, and knobs on a toy
- Incorporating a number of toys at one time into their play, corresponding to putting play meals on a play plate and maybe “feeding” it to a doll
- Steering a small stroller or cart round objects and having the ability to again it out of corners if they will’t flip it round
All these milestones point out that your youngster is on the fitting developmental path. Nevertheless, remember the fact that there’s a variety of “regular” on the subject of 21-month-old milestones, and you need to all the time speak to your pediatrician you probably have any developmental issues concerning your youngster.

As your toddler grows, their urge for food and consuming habits will evolve. Between the ages of 1 and a couple of, your toddler’s development slows down in comparison with infancy. You would possibly discover each day fluctuations of their urge for food. Do not forget that what they eat over the course of per week is extra vital than what they eat in a single day.4,5
A 21-month-old sometimes eats three meals a day with one to 2 snacks in between. Nutritionally, their weight loss plan ought to embody a stability of dairy, grains, fruits, greens, and meats. Their whole each day energy ought to common 40 energy per inch of their top.5,6 Right here’s a pattern each day menu on your 21-month-old:
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast: 1 slice of wheat toast, 1 hard-boiled egg, and 1 cut-up pear
10:00 a.m.
Morning snack: Banana with peanut butter
12:00 p.m.
Lunch: Cooked carrots, strips of grilled rooster, cheese squares, and whole-grain crackers
3:00 p.m.
Afternoon snack: Yogurt pouch and berries
5:30 p.m.
Dinner: Grilled fish, mashed candy potatoes, and peas
At 21 months, many toddlers might grow to be pickier with meals, and it’s widespread for them to be extra concerned with finger meals or easy meals. Stick with a routine and proceed to supply much less favored meals usually and in new methods, even when they reject them. Eat alongside your youngster each time potential to make mealtime a optimistic social expertise.7 Additionally, encourage your youngster to feed themselves, as this helps develop their nice motor abilities.1
Your 21-month-old’s sleep schedule has in all probability condensed from two naps to at least one nap per day by this level. At 21 months, toddlers sometimes want about 11-14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour interval, together with each nap and nighttime sleep.8 This usually breaks down into:
- Nighttime sleep: Your 21-month-old ought to sleep between 10 and 12 hours per night time. Assist them quiet down with an easy and acquainted bedtime routine, corresponding to bathing, brushing their enamel, studying books, rocking within the chair, and going to mattress.8
- Daytime nap: At 21 months, your toddler ought to have one each day nap within the early afternoon. It ought to final one to a few hours.8 For my 21-month-old, I do an abbreviated model of our night bedtime routine earlier than her nap.
Many dad and mom discover a 21-month sleep regression round this time. This could manifest as difficulties falling asleep, frequent night time wakings, or nap resistance. New developmental milestones, modifications in routine, dangerous goals, teething ache, or separation anxiousness might set off the regression. In case your toddler goes via a sleep regression, persist with a constant bedtime routine, restrict their display screen time (particularly earlier than mattress), and attempt to be affected person and reassuring as they work via this part.8

Becoming meals, snacks, and naps right into a complete each day schedule will be complicated and overwhelming for folks of toddlers! Nevertheless, a constant each day schedule helps create a way of safety on your toddler and helps their bodily and emotional well-being.9 Right here’s a pattern each day schedule for a 21-month-old:
7:00 a.m.
Get up and dress
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Out of doors stroll
9:00 a.m.
Storytime
10:00 a.m.
Morning snack
10:30 a.m.
Artwork or craft time
11:15 a.m.
Free play
12:00 p.m.
Lunch
12:30 p.m.
Naptime
3:00 p.m.
Afternoon snack
3:30 p.m.
Out of doors play
4:30 p.m.
Music and dancing
5:30 p.m.
Dinner
6:30 p.m.
Tub time
7:00 p.m.
Books, songs, prayers, and snuggles
7:30 p.m.
Bedtime
After all, you’ll be able to alter this schedule to suit your household’s wants. Simply keep in mind that consistency is vital to serving to your 21-month-old really feel safe and rested.9
Whereas your 21-month-old is reaching new milestones, there are additionally just a few well being issues to remember. For those who’re involved about any of those points or your youngster’s general well being, it’s all the time a good suggestion to seek the advice of your pediatrician for steerage. Frequent points at this stage embody:
Many 21-month-olds are nonetheless chopping their molars, which might trigger discomfort. Indicators of teething embody interrupted sleep, elevated crankiness, gnawing on laborious objects, extreme drooling, pink or swollen gums, and decreased urge for food. To appease their aching gums, provide your 21-month-old a frozen moist washcloth to chew on, feed them comfortable and chilly meals like applesauce, and hold their face dry to stop drool rash. Don’t give numbing medicines to kids this younger, and keep away from teething necklaces that pose a danger for strangulation.10
With elevated social interactions at daycare or playdates, your toddler could also be uncovered to extra germs. Hold an eye fixed out for indicators of colds, fevers, ear infections, or abdomen bugs. Wash your and your youngster’s arms continuously, get rid of soiled diapers correctly, guarantee your youngster’s immunizations are updated, and keep away from publicity to clearly sick folks when potential. If in case you have any well being issues, contact your youngster’s pediatrician.11
Separation anxiousness, tantrums, and defiance can all be regular components of your toddler’s emotional improvement. Nevertheless, if tantrums continuously last more than 10 minutes or any of those points intrude along with your regular each day routine and actions, attain out to your youngster’s physician. Your pediatrician can refer you to the suitable therapist or psychologist if any of those issues require remedy.12

At 21 months, toddlers are stuffed with vitality and curiosity. Encouraging inventive, bodily, and cognitive play is vital for his or her improvement and may help them attain their 21-month milestones.1,13 Listed below are just a few enjoyable and academic actions on your toddler:
- Constructing blocks: Encourage nice motor abilities by letting your youngster stack blocks or construct towers with giant wood blocks or constructing bricks.13,17
- Fake play: Provide dolls, toy animals, or toy kitchen units to advertise imaginative play.18 It’s also possible to fake that you simply and your youngster are animals in numerous settings, corresponding to a farm, ocean, or jungle. Apply making animal noises — and abandon all self-consciousness — to make this playtime foolish and enjoyable!
- Artwork and crafts: Allow them to shade with crayons or do easy actions like sticker placement to boost their nice motor abilities.13
- Out of doors play: Actions like working, kicking a ball, climbing on a playground, or enjoying in a sandbox are nice for gross motor improvement.1,13
- Observe the chief: Act because the chief and instruct your toddler to imitate your actions and actions. This sport will encourage direction-following, imitation, and gross and nice motor improvement via completely different motions and directions.13
For folks of toddlers, some days fly by whereas others drag alongside. Having a repertoire of actions to tug out on wet days or when issues get boring may help hold you and your youngster engaged! Many youngsters at this age love repetition, so attempt to keep in mind that when your youngster asks you to learn the identical ebook for the twentieth time that day. 😉
As your 21-month-old turns into extra cellular and impartial, security is extra vital than ever. Contemplate these tricks to hold your youngster protected:
Hold the next out of attain to stop accidents or poisoning:14
- Sharp objects
- Choking hazards
- Strangulation dangers like cords for window blinds
- Harmful substances like cleansing merchandise
As well as, safe heavy furnishings to the partitions to stop tipping, and set up child gates on the high and backside of any staircases.14
At all times supervise your youngster throughout outside actions, particularly in the event that they’re working or climbing. A watchful eye and fast intervention can stop falls and hold your youngster from chasing a ball or wandering into the road. (Additionally, educate them to by no means stroll into the road with out accompaniment!) Be additional vigilant when round water, and guarantee there’s all the time at the least one grown-up watching your youngster and inside arm’s attain. Come indoors when it’s raining or thundering, and by no means allow them to eat unfamiliar vegetation or substances discovered outdoors. Lastly, all the time have your youngster put on a helmet and security gear when using a motorcycle or scooter.15
Ensure that your toddler is correctly secured in an acceptable (and accurately put in) automobile seat. Have them keep rear-facing for so long as allowed by their particular automobile seat, and hold them in a automobile seat till age 5-7 once they outgrow it. Don’t put your youngster of their automobile seat of their winter coat, as it may be too cumbersome for the straps to safe them correctly. It could possibly additionally trigger overheating.16
At 21 months previous, your youngster is probably going reaching key developmental milestones, together with language improvement, motor abilities, and socialization. That is an thrilling stage of development, but it surely additionally comes with new challenges, corresponding to navigating the 21-month sleep regression and managing extra unpredictable consuming habits. Protecting a constant 21-month-old sleep schedule, establishing wholesome feeding routines, and guaranteeing security throughout each day actions will assist your toddler’s improvement. With the fitting care and a focus, your toddler will proceed to thrive!