Toddler This Week: 19 Months, Week3

Now that your toddler can sit still for longer periods of time, reading together is more fun than ever. Asking your child to point to objects on a page is a good way to find out how much she understands, even if she can't say the words yet. And she may be able to pick out differences between similar things, like a red and a yellow balloon or a big and a small truck. Don't worry if your child doesn't say many words: A vocabulary of anywhere between ten and 50 words is normal for this stage of development.

19 to 24 Months
By now, your child can understand simple questions such as "Do you want more milk?" Though he may only be using 50 to 75 words, he actually understands as many as 200 of them and is capable of paying attention to what you say. Around this time he'll start showing off his knowledge by putting together simple sentences. These sentences will likely consist of a noun and a verb and be directly related to his life, like "Dog bark" or "Go car."

When you're reading a picture book to your child, ask him to point out particular items. You'll be pleasantly surprised when he can pick out a cow or a duck. Though he may not use the word in his own speech, he knows what it is.

Your child is also beginning to understand that his wants may not necessarily converge with yours. When you disagree with him — perhaps over which toy you want to play with during your afternoon play session — he'll understand that you may have a different favorite toy than he does. He may start to feel possessive of his favorites, letting you know which toys he thinks are "his." He'll also try to assert himself — folding his arms resolutely under his armpits when you want him to hold your hand, for example.

-BabyCenter.com