Toddler Month by Month: 23
Hi everyone and welcome to Month 23 with your toddler and Month 23 with my toddler Bracey. In this article, and in my videos, you’ll be able to fill in pretty much any and all doubts you might have in your personal “ages and stages questionnaire.” Having been there six times, I try to cover every aspect of your 23-month-old baby’s growth and development, so that everything you need to know is in one place. So stay tuned and stick with me as we walk through this. You’ve got this, mama and papa.
Growth and Development of 23-Month-Old-Toddler
Since Bracey was born prematurely at 30 weeks of gestation, I’m still paying close attention to his growth and development. Here are the statistics for a typical 23-month-old baby when it comes to growth and development, and how my now 23-month-old baby is measuring up.
Average Height and Weight of 23-Month-Old
How Much a 23-Month Old Should Weigh?
The average weight for a 23-month-old is 26.3 pounds for boys (11.9 kilos) and 25.9 pounds for girls (11.7 kilos).
How Tall is the Average 23-month-old?
The average height of a 23-month-old is 33.7 inches for girls (85.6 cm) and 34.2 inches (86.9 cm) for boys. That said, as long as your toddler maintains a healthy rate of progress, your doctor will be happy.
Bracey’s Growth and Development
At his 23 month appointment, Bracey weighed 11.450 kilos which equals 25.2 pounds, so he was slightly under the typical 23-month-old baby’s growth. Bracey held steady on the Spanish growth charts for weight, height, and head circumference, which was wonderful to see.
How Many Years Old is a 23-Month-Old?
A 23-month-old toddler is 1 year and 11 months old. In 1 month, your toddler will be 24 months old or 2 years old.
23 Month Developmental Milestones
Let’s talk about what your 23-month-old should be able to do when it comes to the key milestones: speech, physical activities (and gross motor skills) and intellectual activities (and fine motor skills). Moms and dads, we are getting very close to the two year old milestones!
How Much Should my 23-Month-Old be Talking?
One of the developmental milestones parents worry most about is speech. Experts say that toddler’s this age have between 50-100 words. None of my kids had anywhere near this many words at this point and there is a huge range of normal. Try to look for changes, developments, in your toddler’s speech. Bracey continues to say “moon,” “no,” and animal sounds such as “neigh, neigh” and “baa, baa.” He has added to his vocabulary with short one-syllable words like “sky,” “car,” and “shoe.” During month 23, he started to say the names of his siblings, many of which he pronounced with two syllables: “Mar-elle” for Marielle and “Lak-lan” for Lachlan. Many toddlers this age are linking together two words and you might be able to understand what they are expressing. I’ve heard Bracey say “go-side” for “go outside.” Listen up because even when your toddler appears to be babbling, they might be getting pretty close to saying really sophisticated things. Most toddlers this age are able to respond to basic commands, including two step commands, like “please get me that ball and bring it to me,” that sort of thing. I don’t think you’ll find your toddler setting the table, but we are getting there. Some resources say you should be able to understand about half of what your toddler says to you, but I would estimate I understand only 20% of what Bracey says (the one-syllable words) and not his babbling. I checked with my pediatrician and he thinks Bracey is on track for speech. If you are concerned about your toddler’s speech, check with your doctor.
How Can I Encourage my 23-Month-Old to Talk
Keep engaging in language-rich activities: talking, playing games, and explaining what you do. Read as much as you can, repeat words, and make talking and learning fun for your toddler. Limit TV time and try not to give your toddler an i-phone or IPAD other than during emergencies!
Why does my Toddler Seek my Approval?
When your toddler does something and looks back at you with open eyes and a smile, wanting to show you what they are doing and get some positive feedback, this is actually an important developmental milestone. This shows that your toddler is aware that you are observing their behavior, that they appreciate that they are accomplishing something with their behavior, and that they are seeking emotional affection from you (versus physical affection). So seeking approval shows emotional maturity. Make a big deal out of everything your toddler does and really cheer them on. I probably say “way to go Bracey” a couple times a day, while smiling at him and giving him hugs, and I could do it even more.
Handling Teething with your 23-month-old?
Your toddler’s lower second molars and upper second molars might be breaking through, causing some teething discomfort. Bracey hasn’t had too much of an issue with this and I have not noticed much drooling, thankfully!
How to Brush a Toddler’s Teeth
When it comes to how to brush your toddler’s teeth, get ready for a challenge. Brushing a toddler’s teeth can be tricky. Most toddlers will want to grab the toothbrush and do it themselves, and are more interested in chomping down on the toothbrush and tasting the toothpaste.
Tips for Brushing Toddler Teeth
One thing that works for me is to give my toddler one toothbrush and then to use another toothbrush to brush their teeth. This distracts Bracey. I try to get the front and back of the teeth and the tooth surface. It doesn’t always go as planned. Ideally, you should brush your toddler’s teeth after each meal. Try at the very least to brush your toddler’s teeth after breakfast and before bed and do not give your baby milk after that point. I have also tried lying my toddler on the ground with a stuffed animal on their tummy (my doctor’s recommendation) and placing them safely on the bathroom counter with me blocking them. This helps to prevent your toddler from running away during teeth-brushing sessions. Another great tip regarding tooth hygiene that I’ve always heard my children’s dentist offer is to skip the juice and give real fruit.
Your 23-Month-Old’s Emotional Life: Separation Anxiety
Your toddler might start to cry and scream when you leave and resist going into someone else’s arms. Just try to stay calm and do what you need to do. Don’t let your toddler think that they control the routine, just stick with what you need to do and try to reassure them, saying things like “Mommy will be right back after your nap, goodbye.” And then just walk out. You’ll often find that the second you leave, they stop crying. If your child appears to be experiencing extreme separation anxiety, check with your doctor.
What Should my 23-Month-Old be doing Physically
In terms of gross motor skills, your 23-month-old should be walking forwards and backwards, pedaling a tricycle with training wheels (Bracey is pushing himself around the house on a little plastic bicycle), scooting around on a scooter, and balancing on one foot while holding onto a chair or the wall.
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Joovy Tricycoo 4.1 Kids Tricycle with 4-Stages Featuring Extra-Wide Front Tire, Removable and Adjustable Parent Handle, Safety Harness, Machine-Washable Seat Pad, and Retractable Canopy (Blue)
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Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll Ride-On Trike, Tricycle For Toddlers Age 2-5, Toddler Bike, Red
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23-Month-Old Toddler Activities to Develop Gross Motor Skills
My doctor has recommended simple, practical physical activities during the course of Bracey’s day. I think the smartest thing we’ve done with Brace is to skip the stroller and get him walking as much as possible and doing things alongside us. That means having him walk up and down the stairs, climb on and off the sofa and chairs. Bracey often crawls under the bed to find his ball, dances, skips, runs and pretty much spends the entire day doing something physical.
23 Months Recommended Physical Activities
Here are some activities to try with your 23-month-old toddler.
- Climb onto and off of sofa
- Crawling (great for upper body and ab strength)
- Wobble activities/pillow walk (have your child balance while standing on pillows or walk around pillows)
- Kick and throw balls
- Pedal a bike or use legs to move forward
- Crouch down to get a toy and walk while holding toy or ball
- Run with toy or ball
- Climb up and slide down the slide
- Climb jungle-gym at playground
- Play with sand
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23-Month-Old Toddler Activities to Develop Fine Motor Skills
What should a 23-month-old be doing to keep the wheels of their brain churning? Try the activities below while remembering to talk, talk, talk so as to stimulate language development.
- Messy drawings (pencils, crayons, markers)
- Building blocks (wooden blocks, magnatiles, stacking blocks, the smaller the better)
- Puzzles (wooden puzzles with animals, colors, figures)
- Painting with sponges (can also hold sponges with tongues)
- Shape, color sorters
- Books (read and allow child to leaf through, start explaining letters)
- Hide and seek with objects (and describe where they are hidden)
- Singing nursery rhymes (ABC, Wheels on the Bus, London Bridges)
What my 23-Month-Old Toddler Eats
Let me walk through what my 23 months old toddler eats in a day. I try to keep introducing a variety of foods from the four basic food groups — dairy, protein, grains, and fruits and vegetables — opting for whole grains (stay away from white rice, flour and pasta), low sugar, and non-processed foods. Stay on top of what your baby eats in a day and over the course of a week and make sure to insist on variety and pure, fresh, wholesome foods. If you are breastfeeding, make sure to also offer whole milk and water. Offer a panoply of fruits and vegetables. Please refer to my prior shows for food ideas!
23 Months Schedule for Breastfeeding or Milk Feeding Babies
How Much Sleep Does a 23-Month-Old Need?
If you’re wondering how many naps your 23 month old should have, it’s a pretty simple answer: one! Hopefully, by this point, your child has settled into the transition to one nap and is energetic throughout the morning. Children this age need 12.5 hours sleep per day (some experts say slightly more). This usually amounts to 11-12 hours of nighttime sleep with naps of 1.5 to 3 hours. This is actually exactly what Bracey is doing as he sleeps 11 hours at night and takes naps that are 2.5 to 3 hours long.
23 Months Diet and Sleep Schedule
- 7am breast milk feed* and breakfast or breakfast and then give milk or a milk substitute
- 10am snack
- 12pm feed & lunch (1-3pm sleep)
- 3pm feed & healthy snack
- 6pm dinner
- 7:30pm final milk feeding
- 8pm bedtime
*If no longer breastfeeding, give milk or its alternative after the meal.
Bracey update
Bracey greatly enjoyed the month of August. He went with his family to visit Dakar, Senegal, which was quite an adventure. There, he played soccer and Monkey in the Middle. Eating lunch was a community affair, and he liked the rice dishes he shared with the other boys. He enjoyed experimenting with the local cuisine at restaurants, and playing games with his siblings while waiting for his food to be served. He made a new friend who taught him how to play doctor. And he observed a Senegalese village up close, although he was jealous to see his siblings take off on a pony ride.
Thanks so much for watching and see you back next month for month 24!
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