Activities following your child's 2 year developmental review - Hertfordshire

At the 2 year developmental appointment the Health Visiting team will review your child’s health, growth, wellbeing and development. Should there be any indication that your child may need further review or assessment, a plan will be discussed with you.

This may include support you can offer your child in the home, local groups and activities that may benefit your child, timescales for further assessment or what referrals might be considered, either now or in the future

There are many ways you can support your child in their development, please look at the resources below for helpful suggestions and guidance. Remember, every child is unique and will develop and learn at their own pace with encouragement.

Communication

There’s a lot you can do as a parent or carer to support the development of your child’s understanding and communication skills, both listening and speaking. If your child is growing up learning more than one language, you might find this website helpful as a support.

Please visit the following links for lots of ideas how to support your child’s communication skills.

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust – Children’s Speech and Language Therapy

BBC Tiny Happy People have lots of fun activities to promote communication development

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills are sometimes also known as ‘hand and finger skills’ and involve working small muscles that the brain and nervous system control Developing fine motor skills helps children with eating, writing, manipulating objects and getting dressed.

Please visit for advice and guidance how to support your child’s motor skills development.

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust Children’s Occupational Therapy Service

CBeebies Easy Cooking will help develop utensil use and problem-solving skills.

BBC Tiny Happy People have lots of activities to promote fine motor development

Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are the big movements that you child makes as they develop and strengthen their muscles, learning to balance and coordinate their movements.

Please visit for advice and guidance how to support your child’s motor skills development.

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust Physiotherapy Service

BBC Tiny Happy People have some activities which encourage gross motor skills:

Personal and Social Development

Social skills are an essential part of a child’s development, especially in the early years and is key to preparing them for school and life. Social development plays a central role in helping children to understand and regulate their emotions and behaviour, build positive relationships and navigate the social world around them.

Here are some ways to help your toddler to develop their social skills:

Arrange playdates: Socialising with peers is one of the best ways to help toddlers develop social skills. Regular playdates with other children allow them to practice sharing, taking turns, and resolving conflicts.
Model good social behaviour: Children learn by observing the adults around them. Show your toddler how to interact politely and respectfully by using phrases like “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me.” Demonstrating empathy, active listening, and kindness in your daily interactions will encourage your toddler to mimic those behaviours.
Encourage group activities: Group activities such as arts and crafts, singing, or storytelling provide excellent opportunities for toddlers to engage with their peers. These shared experiences promote teamwork, cooperation, and communication, all of which are important for developing strong social skills
Help them to learn how to manage conflict: Toddlers may struggle with managing conflicts, such as sharing toys or expressing their emotions. Instead of stepping in immediately, guide your child through the process of resolving disagreements. Help them understand the importance of listening to others’ feelings, using words to express themselves, and finding a solution together.

Your local Family Centre has lots of activities which can help with socialisation, please find more information here

BBC Tiny Happy People have some great ideas how to develop your child’s social development.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is something that we all the time, we are constantly finding ways to solve issues. For your toddler it is a skill that they develop so they can make decisions themselves, solving problems will help them to be more confident and independent.

Shape sorters, simple puzzles and colour matching are great activities which can support their problem solving skills around the age of 2. Lining up toys is part of developmental play it helps them to understand their toy preferences, promotes problem solving skills and aid cognitive development, find more information here.

BBC Tiny Happy People have lots of ideas how to develop problem solving skills.

You toddler will be learning through play and taking the time to support them in their learning and play is more important than ever, here are some hints and tips to help.

Activities following your child’s 2 year developmental review

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