1. Check your child's weight, height, and head circumference and plot the measurements on a growth chart. Your doctor will also calculate and plot your child's body mass index (BMI).
2. Ask questions, address concerns, and provide guidance about how your toddler is:
Eating. Don't be surprised if your toddler skips meals occasionally or loves something one day and won't touch it the next. Schedule 3 meals and 2–3 healthy snacks a day. You're in charge of the menu, but let your child be in charge of how much they eat.
Peeing and pooping. Most children are ready to begin potty training when they're 2–3 years old. You may notice signs that your child is ready to start potty training, such as:

• showing interest in the toilet (watching a parent or sibling in the bathroom, sitting on potty chair)
• staying dry for longer periods
• pulling pants down and up with assistance
• connecting feeling of having to go with peeing and pooping
• communicating that diaper is wet or dirty

Sleeping. Generally 2-year-olds need about 11–14 hours of sleep a day, including naps.
Developing. By 2 years, most children:

• put 2 words together to form a sentence ("More milk.")
• use new gestures other than waving or pointing, like blowing a kiss
• point to things in a book when asked to find them
• point to at least 2 body parts
• notice when others are hurt or upset
• try to use switches, knobs, or buttons
• play with more than 1 toy at a time, like putting toy food on a toy plate
• run and kick a ball
• walk (not climb) up a few stairs with or without help

3. Do an exam with your child undressed while you are present. This will include an eye exam, tooth exam, listening to the heart and lungs, and paying attention to your toddler's motor skills, use of language, and behavior.
4. Update immunizations.
5. Order tests. Your doctor may order tests for lead, anemia, high cholesterol, and tuberculosis, if needed.

Feeding

• Food "jags" are common during the toddler years. Even if your child seems to get stuck on one food, continue to offer a variety.
• Let your child decide what to eat, and when they're full. Serve healthy snacks and avoid sugary drinks.
• Switch to low-fat or nonfat milk, or a fortified, unsweetened soy beverage. Offer other dairy products, like yogurt, that are low-fat or nonfat.
• Limit 100% juice to no more than 4 ounces (120 ml) a day.
• Avoid foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat and low in nutrients.
• 4. Avoid foods that may cause choking, such as hot dogs, whole grapes, raw veggies, nuts, and hard fruits or candy.

Learning

• Toddlers learn by interacting with parents, caregivers, and their environment. Limit screen time (TV, computers, tablets, or other screens) to no more than 1–2 hours a day of quality children's programming. Watch with your child.
• Have a safe play area and allow plenty of time for exploring and active play. Play often together.
• Read to your child every day.

Routine Care & Safety

• Let your child brush their teeth with your guidance. Twice a day, use a small amount of toothpaste (about the size of a pea) with a soft toothbrush. Go over any areas that may have been missed. If you haven't already, schedule a dentist visit. To help prevent cavities, the doctor or dentist may brush fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth 2–4 times a year.
• Look for the signs that your child is ready to start potty training. If they don't show interest, it's OK to wait before trying again. A child who uses the potty and is accident-free during the day may still need a diaper at night.

Keep your child in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the highest weight or height limit allowed by the seat's manufacturer. Previous advice was to turn kids around by age 2.
​Now, safety experts say to do this based on a child's size, not age. So, small children can stay rear-facing until age 3 or 4.

Your doctor and/or nurse will probably:
​1. Check your child's weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI), and plot the measurements on a growth chart.
2. Check your child's blood pressure, vision, and hearing using standard testing equipment.
3. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer advice about how your child is:
Eating
Schedule 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day. If you have a picky eater, keep offering a variety of healthy foods for your child to choose from. Kids should be encouraged to give new foods a try, but don't force them to eat them.
Peeing and pooping
By 4 years old, most kids are using the toilet. But many preschoolers who are potty trained during the day are not able to stay dry all night. It's also common for busy preschoolers to have an occasional daytime accident. Look for signs of "holding it" and encourage regular potty breaks. Talk to your doctor if your child is not yet potty trained or was previously trained and is now having problems.
Sleeping
Preschoolers sleep about 10–13 hours a day. Many 4-year-olds stop taking an afternoon nap, but be sure to schedule some quiet time during the day.
Developing
By 4 years, most kids:

• say sentences with 4 or more words
• can tell you at least one thing that happened that day
• answer simple questions, like “What is a crayon for?”
• ask to go play with other children if none are around
• comfort others who are hurt or sad
• change their behavior based on where they are, like at a library or a playground
• draw a person with 3 or more body parts
• can name some colors
• can catch a large ball most of the time
• unbutton some buttons

Talk to your doctor if your child is not meeting one or more milestones, or you notice that your child had skills but has lost them.
4. Do an exam with your child undressed while you are present. This will include listening to the heart and lungs, observing motor skills, and talking to your child to assess speech and language development.
5. Update immunizations. Immunizations can protect kids from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your child get them on time. 
6. Order tests. Your doctor may check for anemia, lead, high cholesterol, and tuberculosis and order tests, if needed.
Looking AheadHere are some things to keep in mind until your child's next checkup at 5 years:
Eating

1. Make time to eat together as a family most nights of the week.
2. Serve a variety of healthy foods, including lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
3. Preschoolers should get 2½ cups (600 ml) of low-fat milk (or other low-fat dairy products, like yogurt) daily. You can also give an unsweetened, fortified soy beverage.
4. Limit 100% juice to no more than 4–6 ounces (120–180 ml) a day.

Routine Care

1. Let your child be active every day while under adult supervision. Be active as a family.
2. Limit screen time (time spent with TV, smartphones, tablets, and computers) to no more than 1 hour a day of quality children's programming. Watch with your child to boost learning. Keep TVs and devices out of your child's bedroom.
3. If your child doesn't go to preschool, look for ways they can play and be with other kids.
4. To help prepare your child for kindergarten: 
   • Keep consistent daily routines and times for meals, snacks, playing, reading, cleaning up, waking up, and going to bed.
   • Practice counting numbers and singing the ABCs, along with other songs and rhymes.
   • Read to your child every day.
   • Encourage drawing, coloring, and recognizing and writing letters.
   • Allow your child to take some responsibility for going to the bathroom, washing hands, brushing teeth, and getting dressed. Offer reminders and help when needed.
   • Teach your child your home address and phone number.
5. Have your child brush teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Schedule regular dental checkups as recommended by the dentist. To help prevent cavities, the doctor or dentist may brush fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth 2–4 times a year.

Safety

1. Supervise your child outdoors, especially when playing around water and near streets. Consider enrolling your child in a swimming class.
2. Make sure playground equipment is well maintained and age-appropriate. Surfaces should be soft to absorb falls (sand, rubber mats, or a deep layer of wood or rubber chips).
3. Apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher at least 15 minutes before your child goes outside to play and reapply about every 2 hours.
4. Protect your child from secondhand smoke, which increases the risk of heart and lung disease. Secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes is also harmful.
5. Make sure your child always wears a helmet when riding a tricycle or bicycle.
6. Kids should stay harnessed in a forward-facing car seat in the back seat until they reach the highest weight or height limit. When your child has outgrown this seat, switch to a belt-positioning booster seat until your child is 4 feet 9 inches (150 cm) tall, usually when they're 8–12 years old.
7. Discuss appropriate touch. Teach your child that some body parts are private and no one should see or touch them. Tell your child to come to you if anyone ever asks to look at or touch his or her private parts, if he or she is ever asked to look at or touch someone else's private parts, or is asked to keep a secret.

1. Check your child's weight and height, calculate body mass index (BMI), and plot the measurements on a growth chart.
2. Check your child's blood pressure and vision, if your child is able to cooperate.
3. Ask questions, address concerns, and offer guidance about how your child is:
Eating. Growth is slow and steady during the preschool years. Offer 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day. Even if your child is a picky eater, keep offering a variety of healthy foods.
Peeing and pooping. Your preschooler may be potty trained or using the potty during the day. Even so, it is common for kids this age to have an occasional accident during the day and still need a diaper at night. If your child has not yet shown the signs of being ready to potty train, tell your doctor. Also let the doctor know if your child is constipated, has diarrhea, seems to be "holding it," or was potty trained but is now having problems.
Sleeping. Preschoolers sleep about 10–13 hours a day. Most kids this age still take a nap during the day.
Developing. By 3 years, most kids:

• can talk with another person and have at least 2 back-and-forth exchanges 
• are understood by others most of the time when speaking
• give their first name when asked
• ask who, what, where, or why questions
• can identify what is happening in a picture, like running or playing
• notice other children and join them to play
• draw a circle when you show them how
• string some items together, like large beads 
• put on some clothes by themselves 
• use a fork

Talk to your doctor if your child is not meeting one or more milestones, or you notice that your child had skills but has lost them.
4. Do an exam with your child undressed while you are present. This will include an eye exam, teeth exam, listening to the heart and lungs, and paying attention to speech and language development.
5. Update immunizations. Immunizations can protect kids from serious childhood illnesses, so it's important that your child get them on time. Immunization schedules can vary from office to office, so talk to your doctor about what to expect.
6. Order tests. Your doctor may order tests to check for anemia, lead, and tuberculosis, if needed.
​
Feeding

1. Preschoolers should get 2 cups (480 ml) of low-fat or nonfat milk or fortified soy milk. Offer other low-fat and nonfat dairy products, like yogurt.
2. Limit 100% juice to no more than 4 ounces (120 ml) a day. Avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods and drinks.
3. Let your child decide when they're hungry or full. If your child chooses not to eat, offer a healthy snack later.
4. Try to eat together as a family most nights of the week.

Routine Care

1. If your child no longer takes an afternoon nap, be sure to allow for some quiet time during the day. You may also need to adjust bedtime to ensure your child gets enough sleep.
2. Nightmares and night awakenings are common at this age. If you haven't already, set up a regular bedtime routine to help your child fall asleep at night. Avoid scary or upsetting images or stories, especially before bed.
3. If you've enrolled your child in preschool, visit the classroom together a few times before school starts. If your child is not in preschool, look for ways they can play and be with other kids.
4. Limit screen time (time spent with TV, smartphones, tablets, and computers) to no more than 1 hour a day of high-quality children's programming. Watch with your child to boost learning. Keep TVs and other screens out of your child's bedroom.
5. Read to your child every day.
6. Set reasonable and consistent rules. Praise good behavior and calmly redirect unwanted behavior.
7. Have your child brush teeth twice a day with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Schedule a dentist visit to have your child's teeth checked and cleaned. To help prevent cavities, the doctor or dentist may brush fluoride varnish on your child’s teeth 2–4 times a year.

Safety

1. Have a safe play area and allow plenty of time for exploring, make-believe, and active play.
2. Make sure playground equipment is well maintained and age-appropriate for your child. Surfaces should be soft to absorb falls (sand, rubber mats, or a deep layer of wood or rubber chips).
3. Always supervise your child around water and when playing near streets.
4. Apply sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher at least 15 minutes before your child goes outside to play and reapply about every 2 hours.
5. Protect your child from secondhand smoke, which increases the risk of heart and lung disease. Secondhand vapor from e-cigarettes is also harmful.
6. Make sure your child always wears a helmet when riding a tricycle or bicycle.
7. If your child has outgrown the rear-facing height or weight limit allowed by the seat’s manufacturer, turn the car seat forward-facing. Kids should stay harnessed in a forward-facing car seat in the back seat until they reach the highest weight or height limit. When your child has outgrown this seat, switch to a belt-positioning booster seat until your child is 4 feet 9 inches (150 cm) tall, usually when they're 8–12 years old.