23-Month-Old Milestones: The Almost-Two Energy Surge, Longer Play & First Friendships

There's a specific moment at 23 months that catches many parents off guard. Your toddler sits down with a set of stacking cups and, instead of banging them together and moving on within thirty seconds, they stay. They try different combinations. They line them up, knock them over, try again. Five minutes pass. Then ten. The child who couldn't focus on anything for more than a few seconds three months ago is now voluntarily sustaining attention on a single activity. That shift — from perpetual motion to moments of genuine concentration — is one of the defining changes at 23 months. Pair that with a physical energy level that borders on relentless and the first tentative gestures of real friendship with peers, and you're looking at a child on the very edge of two.

23-Month-Old Milestones at a Glance

Gross Motor Development at 23 Months

The energy at 23 months is a category of its own. Your toddler doesn't walk anywhere — they run. They climb the couch, jump off, and climb it again. They sprint across the room for the sheer pleasure of speed. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most children between 18 and 24 months transition from tentative running to confident, directional running, and 23 months is often when that confidence peaks into something parents can only describe as "constant motion."

Jumping develops significantly this month. Many 23-month-olds can get both feet off the ground simultaneously for a true two-footed jump, though the height is minimal and landings remain unsteady. Overhand throwing also matures — your child can now lob a ball forward with directional intent rather than just flinging it sideways.

The CDC's milestone tracker identifies the 2-year mark as the checkpoint for running, kicking, and beginning to jump. At 23 months, your child is rehearsing these skills daily, and each repetition builds the muscle memory and coordination they'll need for more complex movement at two and beyond.

Cognitive & Language Development

The attention span shift at 23 months is backed by what developmental researchers call "sustained voluntary attention" — the ability to choose an activity and stick with it without external prompting. A study published in the journal Child Development found that voluntary attention span between 18 and 26 months is a strong predictor of academic readiness at kindergarten age. In practical terms, this means your 23-month-old might spend ten to fifteen minutes on a puzzle, a set of blocks, or a pretend play scenario — a dramatic increase from the two-to-three-minute ceiling of a few months earlier.

Language is accelerating. Most 23-month-olds use 100 to 200 words and have moved firmly into two-word phrases, with three-word combinations emerging: "daddy go work," "I want milk," "big doggy bark." Possessives appear ("mommy's phone," "baby's cup"), which demonstrates an understanding of ownership as an abstract concept. Questions with rising intonation — "go outside?" "more cookie?" — show that your toddler is using language as a tool for negotiation, not just labeling.

We've found that parents sometimes undercount their child's vocabulary because they don't include animal sounds, exclamations, and partial words. If your toddler says "ba" consistently for ball and "nana" for banana, those count. Receptive vocabulary — words they understand but don't say — is typically three to five times larger than expressive vocabulary at this age.

Social & Emotional Development

Friendship at 23 months doesn't look like friendship between older children. There are no conversations, no shared goals, no collaborative play. But what you'll see is something new: preference. Your toddler may light up when a specific child arrives at the park. They might walk over and hand that child a toy — a gesture of social connection that goes beyond the parallel play of earlier months.

The Zero to Three foundation describes these early friendship behaviors as the foundation of social competence. Your 23-month-old is learning that certain people bring enjoyable interactions, and they're beginning to seek those people out. Turn-taking, with heavy adult scaffolding ("now it's Maya's turn, then it's your turn"), becomes briefly possible this month, though sharing voluntarily is still far off.

Boundary testing intensifies. Your child isn't being "bad" when they throw food after you've said no — they're conducting a social experiment: what happens when I do this? Does the result change if I do it again? Consistent, calm responses are the data your toddler needs to construct their understanding of rules.

Best Activities for 23-Month-Old Toddlers

1. Puzzle time — Introduce puzzles with 3 to 5 chunky pieces. Sit nearby and let your toddler work through the placement without jumping in immediately. The struggle builds both cognitive skills and frustration tolerance.

2. Obstacle course with jumping stations — Create a path with cushions to jump off, a tunnel to crawl through, and a line on the floor to balance-walk along. Set it up on a large play mat so every landing is cushioned.

3. Parallel playdates — Invite a familiar child over with duplicate sets of toys. Don't force sharing. Let the children play near each other, observe each other, and gradually interact on their own terms. Your role is to narrate: "Look, Liam is building a tower too."

4. Drawing practice — Tape paper to a table or the floor and provide thick crayons. Show your toddler how to draw vertical and horizontal lines. They won't replicate them perfectly, but the attempt builds the hand control needed for later writing.

5. Extended pretend scenarios — Build on pretend play by adding more steps. Instead of just feeding a doll, try: wash the doll's hands, feed the doll, wipe its mouth, read it a story, put it to sleep. Longer sequences stretch that growing attention span.

6. Dance and freeze — Play music and dance together. When the music stops, everyone freezes. This game builds impulse control (freezing requires overriding the urge to keep moving), body awareness, and listening skills — and it burns the enormous energy reserves your 23-month-old carries.

Creating a Safe Play Space for Your 23-Month-Old

The combination of running, jumping, and fearless climbing at 23 months means your play space needs to withstand high-impact movement. Furniture anchors are essential — at this age, toddlers will climb bookshelves, dressers, and anything with a foothold. All heavy furniture should be wall-mounted or tipped-proof.

Floor protection matters more now than at any previous age. A toddler who jumps from a couch cushion onto hardwood is at real risk for head injuries. A firm, cushioned floor surface provides the impact absorption needed for safe landing practice while maintaining the stability required for confident running. Keep the play area clear of small furniture and sharp-edged objects, and ensure there's enough open space for the full-speed laps your child will inevitably take. For detailed play space planning, explore our ultimate baby play mat guide.

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

The second birthday checkup is just one month away, but don't wait if you notice concerns now. The CDC recommends talking to your pediatrician if your 23-month-old:

• Cannot run without falling most of the time
• Uses fewer than 50 words
• Does not combine any two words together
• Shows no interest in playing near other children
• Cannot follow two-step instructions ("get the ball and bring it here")
• Has lost words or skills they previously used

Jot down your observations before the appointment — specific examples are more helpful to your doctor than general impressions. Early intervention services are free in every state for children under three.

FAQ

Looking Ahead

Next month is the big one — the second birthday. Month 24 brings the major 2-year developmental checkup, an explosion of imagination, and for many families, the first conversations about potty training readiness.

• Previous month: 22-Month-Old Milestones
• Next month: 24-Month-Old Milestones
• Related: When Do Babies Walk?
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Written by the Poco Koko Team — parents, product designers, and child safety researchers dedicated to creating safer floors for families.