- Discuss your child's development and early verbal skills at their 2 year old review.
- Visit the library, join in with things in your area like toddler and parent groups or at Children's Centres.
- Eligible families can enjoy 2 year old free childcare and early education.
Child development
All children develop at their own pace as they learn about themselves, their family and their world.
For information on how your child will grow up to being aged two years:
- Visit: Your baby's development milestones (UNICEF).
By the age of two your child may:
- Talk and learn lots of new words, maybe in more than one language.
- Walk, climb, jump and run.
- Begin to show an interest in patterns, shapes and colours.
- Begin to show an awareness of self-care needs, such as potty/toilet training.
- Explore the world around them and begin to show their determination and ability to control their world.
Visit: West Yorkshire Healthier Together. A free website developed by local healthcare professionals to help parents and carers keep their children safe and healthy. It has advice on common childhood illnesses and includes when and where to go for help.
Parental support to child
- Find lots of chances to play with your child and chat to them.
- Play turn-taking games together, such as rolling a ball to one another.
- Talk to them often and tell them the name of the things you can see.
- Enjoy stories, books, songs and rhymes together, as much as possible.
- Play make-believe games.
- Help them to build towers with blocks and make marks with chunky crayons or chalks.
- Encourage them to turn the pages of the book you are enjoying together.
- Kick a large ball to each other.
- Find a safe space for your child to practice to walk, run and jump!
Advice and support
For general health and learning, see: Advice and support. (New born to 5 years old).
Calderdale School Readiness Statement
Calderdale’s Starting Well Board and partners have made a school readiness statement. This is to support the Calderdale wellbeing strategy ambition of children being ready for school. It is for providers/professionals and incorporates the key Early Years Foundation Stage statements. It sets out:
- What we in Calderdale mean by 'school ready';
- how to promote school readiness;
- and how parents can be engaged and supported in preparing their child for school.
Families are welcome to read the statement too. It has already been shared with early years settings.
If you want a copy, please email: fis@calderdale.gov.uk.
Any other key information and useful websites
Things to think about
If you think you need urgent help (day or night), before you go to any other health service, phone: 111.
- You will be directed straight away to the local service that can help you best.
- It is available anytime, everyday and is free to call from a mobile or landline.
You should phone: 111:
- When you need help fast, but it is not life threatening.
- When you think you need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent care service.
- When it is outside of your GP's surgery hours.
- When you do not know who to call for medical help.
- If you do not have a local GP to call.
Important note: For serious and life-threatening emergencies, phone: 999.