Toddler milestones from 1 to 3 years: what to expect and when to get help in Singapore

Between their first and third birthdays, most children go from first steps to running and from single words to short sentences. Each of these toddler milestones has a range of ages, and SGH gives many as a window of a few months, such as walking alone at 12 to 16 months. In Singapore you track them with the checklist in the Child Health Booklet, and the doctor reviews it at the 12, 18 and 30-month checks. If you spot one of NUH's red flags below, or your child loses a skill they had, tell your polyclinic or GP straight away.

How to check and support your toddler's milestones, step by step

1. Fill in the developmental checklist in the Child Health Booklet before each check-up, as HealthHub asks.
2. Book the toddler checks at 12, 18 and 30 months. HealthHub's windows are 15 to 22 months for the second check and 24 to 36 months for the third; our child health screening guide explains what happens at each.
3. Ask grandparents, your helper or the infant care teacher what your toddler does with them all day. HealthHub says other caregivers and preschool teachers help you understand how your child behaves and learns in different settings.
4. Get your toddler moving for at least 180 minutes a day, spread out, once they can crawl or walk (HealthHub). The playground downstairs counts, and so does a lap of the void deck.
5. Talk through routines in short phrases and build on your child's words: if your toddler says "ball", SGH suggests you say "bounce the ball".
6. Leave blocks, a shape sorter, chunky crayons and board books within reach. Draw a line and let your child copy it (SGH).
7. Let your toddler feed themselves with a spoon and cup, spills and all, which SGH encourages.
8. Book a hearing check if your toddler doesn't seem to follow what you say. HealthHub's advice is to have a doctor screen their hearing as soon as possible.
9. Raise a red flag or a lost skill with your polyclinic or GP before the next check is due. NUH's Child Development Unit says to seek help early for both.

Toddler milestones by age, 12 months to 3 years

The 12 to 24-month ages come from SGH's two milestone guides, with HealthHub's word count at 18 months. The 3-year row is CDC's list of what most children do by their third birthday. For babies under 1, see baby milestones month by month.

Everyday play that builds each skill

Most of what SGH and HealthHub suggest fits into a normal day at home, at the playground or on the walk to the market.

• Moving: roll a ball for your toddler to catch, and put on music to dance to (SGH). From 18 months, pass the ball back and forth until they're ready to kick it and run after it. HealthHub suggests walking on sand or grass for balance. When it rains, try a covered void deck or an indoor play area; toddler exercise and active play has more ideas.
• Hands: blocks, shape sorters and crayons all help (SGH). From 19 months, HealthHub suggests turning book pages one at a time and building a tower up to 4 blocks high.
• Talking: name body parts and toys during play and daily routines (SGH), and on a walk round the estate, name what you pass. Our guide to toys for speech development lists toy types for each stage.
• Pretend play and people: take turns in games and in conversation, and bring out a toy phone or a cooking set (SGH). Folding the laundry together counts too, with you watching (HealthHub).

SGH suggests keeping screens to video calls, and HealthHub's limit for 18 to 36 months is no more than 1 hour a day. For more ideas by skill, see learning through play.

Grandparents, helpers and two languages

Plenty of toddlers here spend weekdays with grandparents or a helper. They often see skills you miss, like a first climb up the playground ladder or new words in Hokkien or Tagalog, so ask them and jot it down for the check.

If your toddler hears two or more languages, look at all of them together. An NHS speech therapy service says there's no evidence that bilingual children are slower to talk. Another notes that a child's skills in each language may not be equal, and that the concern is a child who struggles in every language. Raising a bilingual child covers how families split languages at home.

HealthHub counts sleep and a balanced diet among the basics behind development. Our toddler sleep guide covers how much your child needs, and managing toddler tantrums helps with the big feelings of this age.

When to get help

NUH's Child Development Unit publishes red flags by age. Each one means it's time to talk to your child's doctor, who decides whether anything needs a closer look. These are the ones for 18 months to 3 years:

• By 18 months: not walking on their own, no single words, not saying mama or papa with meaning, not pointing to show you things, not copying others, or not noticing when you leave or come back.
• By 2 years: not running, not scribbling, no 2-word phrases like "drink milk", or not following a simple instruction like "give me the ball" without gestures.
• By 2.5 years: not kicking or throwing a ball, not jumping off a low step, no pretend play, poor eye contact, or speech that familiar carers can't understand.
• By 3 years: falling a lot, not climbing stairs one foot to a step, no 3-word sentences, not following a 2-part instruction, or not playing with other children or toys.
• At any age: losing a skill they had, limited or inconsistent eye contact, or using one arm or leg much more than the other (NUH), and walking only on tiptoes (SGH).

For more on these, see our guides to early signs of autism and toddler speech milestones and delay.

In Singapore, the route starts with your family doctor, the polyclinic or your paediatrician, any of whom can do a developmental assessment (HealthHub). If needed, they may refer your child to NUH's Child Development Unit, which sees children from birth to 7, or to KKH's Department of Child Development, where the first visit is with a paediatrician and may include a hearing test. Support, if your child needs it, comes through ECDA's early intervention: Development Support or Learning Support inside your child's own preschool for lower needs, and EIPIC for medium to high needs.

At 4, NUH's red flags include a child who can't pedal a tricycle, stand on one foot for 5 seconds or use scissors. It also flags a 4-year-old who doesn't speak in 4 to 5-word sentences, or who still needs help to use the toilet, eat or get dressed. The booklet's next check is at 48 months, with a window to 60 months. If toileting is your question, start with potty training readiness signs.

Frequently asked questions

What are the toddler milestones in Singapore, and who checks them?

The Child Health Booklet groups them into four areas: personal-social, fine motor-adaptive, language and gross motor (HealthHub). You fill in the checklist for your child's age, and a polyclinic doctor, GP or paediatrician reviews it at the 12, 18 and 30-month checks. Between visits, our milestone tracker covers up to age 2.

What does 2 year old toddler development look like?

SGH's 24-month list: a child runs, kicks a ball and builds a tower of 6 blocks. Talking has moved on to 50 words and 2-word phrases, and they can follow a 2-step instruction. If your 2-year-old isn't running yet, or isn't putting 2 words together, NUH lists both as red flags, so book a visit instead of waiting for the 30-month check.

My toddler isn't talking at 18 months. Should I see a doctor?

Yes. HealthHub says to talk to a doctor if your toddler can't say any meaningful single word by 18 months, and NUH lists the same red flag. Ask about a hearing check too, since HealthHub links not following instructions with hearing. Start with your polyclinic or GP.

Does hearing two languages slow down a toddler's talking?

NHS speech therapy services say there's no evidence it does, though your child may be stronger in one language than the other. A KKH speech therapist told HealthXchange that word-count norms for bilingual Singapore children have yet to be set. So count words across all your toddler's languages, and see the doctor if they're behind in every one.

How do I get my toddler's development checked at KKH or NUH?

Start with your family doctor, the polyclinic or your paediatrician, as HealthHub advises. They assess your child and may refer them to NUH's Child Development Unit or KKH's Department of Child Development. Bring the Child Health Booklet and any notes from grandparents, your helper or the preschool teacher.