2-3 years old
Children of this age…
- Will have all their milk (primary) teeth by the time they’re about 2½
- They’ll have 10 teeth on the top and 10 on the bottom
- Will probably be sleeping 11-12 hours at night - sometimes with a nap during the day
- Between the ages of 2 and 3, will grow, on average, about 8cm (just over 3”) and gain about 2kg (just under 4½ lb) in weight
When they’re good, they’re very very good, and when they’re bad…
We’ve all heard about the ‘terrible twos’ and this can on occasions be a very demanding time. But it’s also a magical age, when your toddler takes such great strides in talking, growing up and going through many physical and emotional developments. They will be learning to play imaginatively, may be going to nursery, perhaps have learnt colours and begin to start counting - so much is happening!
Encourage imaginative play by happily ordering and accepting (again and again!) imaginary cups of tea or plates of food. Play shops with your little one, or help to look after dollies, help them to master puzzles or join in vroom vrooming cars. And don’t forget the pleasure of reading and talking about books together.
Review
Around the age of 2-2½, your toddler will have a third health and development review, carried out by your health visitor or children’s nurse. This is a good chance for you to talk about how things are going and air any queries or concerns you may have.
Do you have a few moments to spare?
Spend the time making new online friends and find out what the topics of the day are on the HiPP Chat Forum.
Extra information
What is one serving of dairy food?
Toddlers need less milk than babies - a total of 3 servings a day. But what represents one serving for a toddler?
- About 120ml (4 fl oz) of whole cow’s milk or Follow on Milk or Growing up Milk
- 60g pot of full fat yogurt or fromage frais
- Cheese on a pizza or in a sandwich
- Cheese sauce, eg in macaroni cheese
- 60g of custard
How big is a toddler-sized portion of food?
| Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or other carbohydrate food - offer one portion at every mealtime and at some snack times | ½-1 slice of bread
3-6 heaped tablespoons breakfast cereal
1-3 heaped tablespoons cooked pasta
2-5 tablespoons cooked rice
1-3 tablespoons mashed potato |
| Fruit and vegetables - offer at every mealtime and as a snack. Aim for 5 portions a day | 40g any vegetable or fruit is equivalent to one portion |
| Dairy foods - 3 portions a day | 120ml (4 fl oz) whole cow’s milk or Follow on Milk or Growing up Milk
60g pot of full fat yogurt or fromage frais
Cheese on a pizza or in a sandwich
60g of custard |
| Meat, fish, eggs, beans, lentils etc - 2 portions a day | 2-4 tablespoons minced or chopped meat or fish
½-1 egg, well cooked
2-4 tablespoons pulses (beans, lentils, hummus, dahl) |
HiPP's Expert Baby & Nutrition Blog
Read the latest advice from our team of experts
Posted by Helen 02.05.2012
Hi everyone,
As parents we have many responsibilities. One that shouldn’t be underestimated in this day and age, in my opinion, is teaching our children about healthy food choices and...
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