36-Month Milestones

What many toddlers do by 3 years of age — and how caregivers can support development

At three years old, many children are expanding their independence, exploring ideas, and learning to express and manage their emotions. They are using language intentionally to communicate, asking questions, describing experiences, and solving simple problems. Physical coordination, fine motor skills, and self-help abilities are also developing rapidly, allowing children to engage more fully in play, daily routines, and interactions with peers. This page breaks down typical milestone expectations, provides examples of everyday behaviors, and outlines activities caregivers can use to support growth in social-emotional, language, cognitive, and physical domains.

Note: These milestone descriptions reflect what most children (about 75% or more) are expected to demonstrate by 36 months of age.

Social & Emotional Milestones

By 36 months, many toddlers:

  • Begins to notice peers and actively participates in group play or shared activities.

  • Can settle down and feel comfortable shortly after you leave (10 minutes), such as at preschool or daycare drop-offs.

Everyday context:
These behaviors reflect growing self-regulation and social awareness. Children are learning to manage emotions and understand the presence and actions of others.

Language & Communication Milestones

By 36 months, many toddlers:

  • Holds a short conversation with at least two exchanges back and forth.

  • Uses basic question words like “who,” “what,” “where,” or “why” to explore their world (e.g., “Where is Daddy?”).

  • Can identify what someone is doing in a picture or story when asked (e.g., “jumping,” “eating,” “reading”).

  • Can say their own first name when prompted.

  • Speaks clearly enough that familiar people usually understand them.

Everyday context:
These milestones show how toddlers are combining understanding and expression. They are starting to use language intentionally to communicate ideas, ask questions, and describe their experiences.

Cognitive (Thinking & Learning) Milestones

By 36 months, many toddlers:

  • Begins to recognize and match simple images and shapes, like in a jigsaw puzzle (+24 pieces).

  • Can copy a simple shape, like a circle, when shown how.

  • Understands basic safety rules, such as avoiding hot surfaces after being told.

Everyday context:
These behaviors indicate the development of reasoning and problem-solving skills. Children are learning to recognize patterns, anticipate consequences, and apply knowledge from one situation to another.

Movement & Physical Development Milestones

By 36 months, many toddlers:

  • Can string objects together, such as beads or pasta.

  • Can put on some clothing independently, like a loose jacket or pants.

  • Can feed themselves using a fork.

Everyday context:
These actions highlight coordination, fine motor skills, and increasing independence. Toddlers are gaining control over their bodies and using these skills to interact more effectively with their environment.

How You Can Support Your Baby’s Development

At 36 months, toddlers are expanding their independence, exploring ideas, and learning to manage emotions. They are using language more intentionally to communicate, asking questions, and describing experiences. Thinking, problem-solving, and coordination skills are developing rapidly as they interact with people and their environment.

Here are some ways you can support your child’s development:

  • Create an “activity box” with paper, crayons, and coloring materials, and draw together, exploring lines, shapes, and colors.

  • Encourage your child to play with peers to build social skills and understand friendship, cooperation, and sharing.

  • Offer playdough for squishing, pinching, rolling, and shaping to strengthen fingers and hands, preparing for skills like writing, buttoning, and cutting.

  • Play games exploring opposites: act out “big/small,” “fast/slow,” or “quiet/loud” to help your child understand contrasting concepts.

  • Play matching games using household items or pictures to build observation and categorization skills.

  • Spend time outdoors and let your child choose what and how to play. Join in and follow their lead to support creativity and independence.

  • Encourage your child to say their name and age, building self-awareness and communication skills.

  • Support your child in finding solutions to problems on their own. Ask guiding questions, suggest possible approaches, and let them try different ideas until they succeed.

  • Talk about feelings and give your child words to describe emotions. Teach ways to cope with stress, such as taking deep breaths, holding a favorite toy, or spending a few quiet moments in a safe space.

  • Set a few simple, clear rules your child can understand, like using gentle hands during play.

  • Read together and ask questions like, “What’s happening in this picture?” or “What do you think will happen next?” Encourage your child to explain in detail.

  • Play counting games using everyday objects, like stairs, toys, or fingers, to help your child begin learning numbers and counting.

  • Model language by speaking in slightly longer sentences with complete words, helping your child expand their vocabulary.

  • Invite your child to assist with meal preparation using simple tasks, such as washing fruits or stirring ingredients.

  • Give directions that include 2–3 steps, for example, “Go to your room and get your shoes and coat.”

  • Limit screen time to about an hour per day of age-appropriate programming, ideally while engaging together. Children learn best through interaction and play.

  • Teach simple songs and rhymes, like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” to develop rhythm, memory, and language.

These activities don’t teach milestones — they create everyday opportunities for milestones to develop. Development is supported when caregivers provide responsive guidance, gentle challenges, and opportunities for exploration in everyday routines. These activities can be integrated naturally into daily life and do not require special equipment or strict schedules, creating a foundation for new skills to emerge.

Printable Tools & Next Steps

  • Download or view a checklist you can use during everyday routines to track which milestones your baby is demonstrating.

  • Bring your checklist to well-child visits and use it to support conversations with your pediatric healthcare provider.

Test Your Knowledge

A quick check — or a fast refresher if you’re short on time

1. Social - If a child can calm down soon after you leave and begins to join other children in play, this most likely shows that they are:

  • A. Learning self‑regulation and social understanding

  • B. Not interested in toys

  • C. Always independent

  • A. Learning self‑regulation and social understanding

2. Language – When a child uses question words like “who,” “what,” “where,” or “why” and holds a back‑and‑forth conversation, this indicates they are:

  • A. Practicing intentional communication

  • B. Repeating random sounds

  • C. Only copying others

  • A. Practicing intentional communication

3. Cognitive – A child who can trace a simple shape after being shown how and avoids touching hot objects after being warned is demonstrating:

  • A. Advanced artistic skill

  • B. Reasoning and problem‑solving awareness

  • C. Fear of everything

  • B. Reasoning and problem‑solving awareness

Back to the Milestone Moments Education Hub

4. Movement – When a child strings items together, dresses themselves in simple clothes, and uses a fork, it mainly reflects:

  • A. Improving coordination and independence

  • B. A preference for eating

  • C. Being messy at meals

  • A. Improving coordination and independence

Please note that…

This information is intended to support learning and awareness, not to replace guidance from a healthcare or early childhood professional.