2 – 3 year old

Fine Motor

• Holds items in fingertips (not in their palm) with slight extension in the wrist (wrist doesn’t sag)
• Points to items in a book with index finger straight and other fingers away in palm
• Uses both hands together (eg. One hand holds paper while other hand draws)
• When drawing does not press too heavily or too lightly
• Hand preference is emerging
• Can turn over a page of a book, one at a time
• Can turn a knob to open a door
• Can unscrew loose lids from jars
• Inverts jar to obtain contents from inside
• Can build a tower of 5 – 8 medium-sized cubes/blocks
• Can reach with either hand across the middle of their body (eg. Right hand crosses over to left side)
• Can pick up small objects with tip of thumb and tip of index finger (pincer grasp – eg. Sultanas)
• Can release a small object into a small container
• Holds the pencil with the fingers (not in a fist)

Visual Perceptual

• Can post circle, square and triangle correctly into posting toy
• Completes single piece jigsaw puzzles with cut-out shapes
• Matches shapes, objects and colours
• Understands concepts such as in, on, under

Visual Motor

• Makes spontaneous scribble on the paper at least 2 inches long
• Imitates a vertical line (ie. Copies you as you draw the line)
• Imitates a horizontal line (ie. Copies you as you draw the line)
• Imitates folding paper (ie. Copies you as you fold the paper) – produces a crease

Sensory Motor

• Makes eye contact
• Enjoys messy play (eg. Sand, finger paint, play-doh)
• Does not avoid touch
• Is able to turn the head to look at you without having to turn the whole body
• Has age appropriate endurance and does not tire easily
• Is aware of pain and temperature

Self-Care

• Can put hat on, remove socks and shoes
• Positions body to help with dressing (eg. Pushes arms into arm-holes of shirt)
• Feeds self neatly with a spoon
• Feeds self finger food
• Beginnings of toilet training (toilet trained by 3 years of age)
• Drinks from a normal cup with one hand (open cup – not a sipper cup)

Play

• Plays alongside other children
• Watches other children and imitates what they do in play
• Play actions are simple with no planned story line
• Play themes relate to daily life (eg. Dressing, feeding, sleeping, bathing and shopping)
• Use a variety of objects in play
• (eg. Doll, teddy, cardboard boxes, cars and plastic containers)
• Begins to enjoy dress-ups
• Simple role play begins (eg. Pretends to be asleep, pretends to be Mummy or Daddy)
• Enjoys playing with a willing adult play partner
• Can play on their own with a toy of interest for up to 10 minutes

Social Skills

• Use sentences with 2 – 3 words and say I, you, me
• Starts to understand turn-taking and begins to have short conversations with you
• Shows their feelings (tantrums are normal)

Gross Motor

• Walks smoothly with alternating arm movements
• Throws and kicks a ball without losing balance (may have stiff arms)
• Throw a ball overarm
• Walks up stairs with alternating feet (ie. One foot on each step)
• Walks down stairs (may have 2 feet on each step)
• Jump on the spot
• Can walk tip-toe for a few steps
• Enjoys rough and tumble play