Adaptive 2 Years Old
Adaptive Development - A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Adaptive development is development associated with self-care and personal responsibility. Self-care measures the child’s ability to perform daily tasks associated with daily routines such as eating, dressing, and toileting.
Personal responsibility assesses a child’s ability to assume responsibility for performing simple chores such as putting away toys, and being respectful to others. Difficulty in any of the areas of self-care and personal responsibility would suggest a delay in adaptive development.
For more information please contact, Martha Fugate, ESS Preschool Coordinator (928) 373-3453.
What to Look For
Your child’s adaptive development is mainly measured by their ability to perform daily tasks associated with daily routines. The ability to show personal responsibility, such as performing simple chores, is also a measure of your child’s adaptive development.
Developmental Milestones
Two-Three Years Old
In every area of development children may vary according to their age and the specific milestones they may achieve. Here are some things to expect in a child age two-three in the area of adaptive development as well as a few activities that you can do to help your child in this area:
- Participates in dressing self with help
- Independently takes off shoes
- Uses a spoon or fork independently while eating
- Communicates when needing to use the bathroom
- Independently takes off one’s clothes
- Demonstrates control of bowels
- Expresses need to use the toilet
- Knows the difference between food and non-food items
- Picks up toys when requested to do so
- Begins to understand basic safety principles
Suggested Activities to Encourage Adaptive Development
- Practice / model the steps in washing hands
- Read appropriate-aged books about potty training
- Play games with your child (i.e. dress-up)
- Encourage the use of a spoon and fork during eating
- Model setting the table
- Model appropriate cleaning up of toys, books, etc.
Encouragement
Encourage self-esteem and a positive self-image in your child by using positive reinforcement and frequent praise for the things that he/she has accomplished. Encourage your child to be curious, explore, and take on new challenges.
If your child seems to be regressing or losing skills that he or she was able to do previously, please be sure to discuss these concerns with your child’s pediatrician.