Dependence and Independence

• The toddler stage is a period of increasing physical and psychological independence. As the child learns to walk, talk and manipulate the world, he desires the freedom and agency to do things for himself. A toddler may dart away or drag his feet when walking with a parent, indulging his desire to go his own way. Temper tantrums are common, and the word "No!" is a well-used part of any toddler's vocabulary. At this age, children are curious and want to explore the world around them. This exploration is tempered by clingy behavior. A toddler in a new environment may hide behind a parent's legs or experience separation anxiety.
  
  

Language

• Much of a child's social interaction is mediated through language. Toddlers learn new vocabulary quickly, moving from dozens to hundreds of words in a few short months. Generally, young children understand many more words than they can speak. A toddler can identify a picture based on a spoken word and follow one-step directions. However, though he can understand a parent's complex sentences, a toddler's grasp of productive grammar is limited. Mostly he speaks in short two- or three-word sentences with a limited vocabulary. At this age, children often are frustrated with their own verbal limitations and inability to express their desires clearly.
  
  

Peer Interaction

• Young toddlers between 1 and 2 years of age lack the social abilities necessary to interact with their peers. While these children can imitate a parent, recognize themselves in a mirror and enjoy company, they cannot truly play with other babies. Around 2 or 3 years of age, a toddler begins to show interest in other children. Two toddlers may play together, use the same toys or babble at each other. However, subtler social skills such as sharing and empathy are still lacking. A toddler cannot truly put himself in another person's shoes and imagine the world from a different perspective.
  
  

Healthy Parental Support

• During the toddler years, the most important social influence on a child's life is his caregiver. Sensitive and responsive parenting helps create healthy attachments and encourage the toddler to explore, learn and develop new social skills. Hostile, rejecting or inconsistent behaviors in a parent can confuse a toddler and create insecurity. An insecure child experiences more anxiety and fear, demonstrates more clingy behaviors and experiences delayed socialization. To assist with the proper development of language, provide a toddler with a language-rich environment. Toddlers delight in songs, rhymes and verbal repetition games. Introduce toddlers to other babies, even if the children do not seem to interact. Growing comfortable with peers and exploring others is the first step towards truly social behavior.