What to Expect: Your toddler at 18 months – 2.5 years

At this stage, your toddler is very stable. They will engage in conversation as their language skills increase and their independence will grow dramatically as they practise everyday skills. Remember to enjoy your little one, this is an amazing time in their development 

Feeding 

Your little one should be getting all of their nutritional needs from their meals by now, and you may move away from milk feeds/bottle as a result. Some will find this transition easy, while others may find it more difficult. 

A great way to do this is, is to replace the night bottle with a small cup of milk at storytime/bedtime. 

Sleep 

Whilst your little one will still be on a day nap at this stage, as you near the 2.5- 3-year mark, you may notice them starting to fight their day nap. Whilst a lot of parents will desperately try to hold onto this, be mindful that if your toddler oversleeps during the day, it may affect their night sleep. 

If you notice this happening, you can look to reduce the day nap to one hour and ensure it doesn’t fall too late in the day. This isn’t always easy to avoid, especially if you are travelling in a car late in the day! 

Toilet Training

Whilst your toddler will start becoming body aware around 18 months, they will need the cognitive development to be able to stop what they are doing and get to the toilet in time. This is generally somewhere between 2.5-3 years (or even later for some).

So don’t rush it just because you feel the pressure to do what everyone else is. It is important to look out for developmental cues that they are ready – each child will be different. 

Related articles
Toddler night ritual
The funniest things toddlers do when transitioning from cot to bed
The Toddler Diaries