Toddler milestones: what we celebrate every week

The toddler year — roughly eighteen months to three years — is one of the most explosive periods of development a human being will ever experience. In these short months, a small person moves from wobbly walker with a handful of single words into a running, jumping, singing, storytelling, opinion-having little human with a rich inner world. It is a privilege to witness, and it is our absolute favourite classroom to work in.

In our Toddler classroom we celebrate every step of it. First words and full sentences. The very first triumphant 'I did it myself!' as small fingers zip a jacket. The discovery that a friend's name can be shouted with joy from across the playground. The leap from parallel play — playing next to a friend — to actually playing together with shared imagination and shared rules.

We celebrate the first successful trip to the potty, the first time a child confidently puts on their own shoes (usually on the wrong feet, and gloriously so), the first painting proudly presented at pick-up with a whole story attached, the first time a child comforts a friend without a teacher prompt, and the first time a shy little one puts up their hand at circle time to answer.

Our teachers plan learning around weekly themes: animals, transport, colours, seasons, feelings, our bodies, our families, the weather. Each theme provides a scaffold for vocabulary, songs, story time, art, sensory play and movement. But we hold the themes loosely — if a child arrives obsessed with a shiny truck they saw on the way to school, we happily follow that spark for an afternoon.

The physical side of the toddler year is enormous. Walking becomes running, running becomes hopping, hopping becomes climbing, and climbing becomes 'watch me!' Our playground is designed to feed all of it safely, with age-appropriate climbing challenges, plenty of open space and a Kinderkinetics-inspired obstacle rotation each week.

Language explodes in these months, and we feed it constantly. Songs, stories, conversation, naming, describing, questioning, silly wordplay, tongue twisters and made-up rhymes all fill the day. Bilingual and multilingual children thrive here — we celebrate every home language and often ask children to teach us a word from theirs.

Social development is where the toddler year does some of its most important work. Sharing, turn-taking, gentle hands, using words instead of teeth (very important), asking for help, comforting a crying friend, joining an existing game — all of these are actively taught and reinforced. We are patient. We repeat. We model. And we celebrate every tiny win.

Potty training is often a big talking point in the toddler months. We work closely with each family, respecting your approach and timing rather than imposing ours. The classroom routine includes regular potty trips, praise for successes, no shame or fuss around accidents, and clean spare clothes always at the ready. It is a team effort with parents and it almost always succeeds.

Nap time in the Toddler classroom is a gentle affair. Not every child still naps by two-and-a-half, and we respect that. Nappers go to soft mats in the calm corner with their comfort blankets. Non-nappers move to a quiet activity — a puzzle, a picture book, a small drawing table — with a teacher nearby. The room is calm for everyone.

If your little one is turning eighteen months soon, or you are noticing they are outgrowing their baby room energy, this is the perfect time to book a tour of our Toddler classroom. Come and see the space, meet the teachers, watch a snack time, feel the pace. We would love to welcome your family into what genuinely is one of the most magical seasons of childhood.