By 30 months, your toddler has mastered the basics like walking and talking. Now, she's using her increasingly sophisticated skills to engage in more advanced social interactions (like joining in to follow your daily routines) and complex forms of play, including dipping her toes in the world of pretend play.

While she's becoming more interested in solo play sessions (and can keep herself occupied for longer stretches), your sweetie can still learn a lot from playing with you. These simple, easy-to-set-up activities will deliver lasting fun while honing your toddler's emerging social, language, cognitive and physical skills at the same time.

What skills is your child developing at 30 months?

The new skills that your toddler is mastering — everything from identifying a color to pulling off her own jacket — are called developmental milestones. These helpful markers can help you gauge how your toddler is growing and changing, as well as give you some insight into how she stacks up with other kids her age.

Remember, though, that developmental milestones function as guidelines. Every child develops at her own pace, and it's common for toddlers to excel at certain skills while taking more time to master others.

That said, here's what most toddlers are working on around the 30-month-mark:^[1]

Social and emotional skills

Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them
Shows you accomplishments by saying "Look at me!"
Follows simple routines, like helping pick up toys when you say, "It's clean-up time."

Language and communication skills

Says around 50 words
Says two-word (or longer) phrases that include one action word, like "Doggie bark."
Names things in a book when you point to them and ask what they are
Uses words like "I," "me" or "we"

Cognitive skills

Uses objects to pretend, like pretending a block is food and feeding it to a doll
Uses simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a step stool to reach something
Plays with more than one toy at the same time, like pushing a train on a track
Follows two-step instructions like, "Put your cup down and come here."
Identifies at least one color when asked

Gross and fine motor skills

Uses hands to twist things, like unscrewing a lid or turning a doorknob
Removes some clothing by herself, like pulling off loose pants or an open jacket
Jumps off the ground with both feet
Turns book pages one at a time when you read together

Best activities for 30-month-olds

Mastering milestones doesn't have to involve hard work. These activities will keep your munchkin — and you — busy playing while honing her emerging developmental skills.

Make a contact paper collage

What you'll need: Tape, clear contact paper, small bits of torn up paper (like newspaper, magazines or tissue paper), and some empty wall space or a table.

How to do it: Tape the contact paper sticky-side up to the wall or onto the table. Allow your toddler to stick the small bits of torn up paper onto the contact paper surface to make a collage. Since she's not using glue, she can remove or rearrange the paper pieces too.

When she's finished, invite her to tell you about what she made.

Why it's helpful: Simple, open-ended art projects engage your child's creativity and encourage her to engage with an idea and follow through with it on her own terms.^[2] Asking about the finished product gives your toddler a chance to show off her hard work and feel proud of her accomplishments. ("I made this!")

Push trucks on the "road"

What you'll need: Toy cars and trucks, painter's tape and some empty floor space.

How to do it: Place strips of the painter's tape on the floor to make a "road" for the cars and trucks to travel on. Invite your toddler to drive the cars and trucks along the path.

Why it's helpful: Pretend play experiences like this one give your toddler a chance to process everyday experiences. Creating her own tiny world also gives her a sense of power and control, which feeds your toddler's insatiable desire to call the shots.

Mix up homemade playdough

What you'll need: A mixing bowl, measuring cups, a spoon or whisk, a medium saucepan and ingredients for your favorite playdough recipe. (Try 2 cups flour, 2 cups water, 1 cup salt, 4 tablespoons cream of tartar, 4 tablespoons oil and a few drops of food coloring.)

How to do it: Together, help your toddler measure out the ingredients and pour them into a bowl. Let her stir or whisk them until combined, lending a hand if she needs a little help.

Transfer the mixture to a sauce pan and cook, stirring over medium-low heat, until the mixture firms up to playdough consistency. Once the playdough is cool, invite your toddler to mold whatever masterpiece she'd like.

Why it's helpful: Simple cooking activities teach your toddler how to follow directions, take turns ("I'll scoop the flour, then you pour it in") and practice patience as she waits for the final product to be ready.^[3]

They're also ideal for encouraging early literacy, science and math skills. Playing with the playdough afterwards works your toddler's fine motor skills.

Play "I Spy" with a book

What you'll need: A few favorite picture books and a comfy place to sit.

How to do it: Sitting with your toddler, read the picture books and pause to point out objects. Ask your little one to tell you what they are. When you're finished reading a page, have your toddler turn to the next one.

Why it's helpful: Reading together and naming objects in the book supports your child's language and communication skills. Inviting her to turn the page gives her a chance to practice following instructions while sharpening her fine motor skills.

Go bean bag bowling

What you'll need: Empty plastic bottles or cups and beanbags or small, lightweight balls.

How to do it: Stack a few lightweight, unbreakable bottles and cups in a row on the floor. Then hand your child your missile of choice. (Try bean bags, bean bag animals or foam balls.)

Now take turns tossing the bean bags with the goal of knocking down the targets (and collecting them from the corners of the room and setting them up again). Once she catches on, set up the targets a bit farther away, and watch her figure out that she needs to throw her beanbag a bit harder to achieve her goal: A direct hit!

For a fun variation, try rolling a variety of balls (heavy and light, small and large) toward the targets and turn it into a game of bowling. Don't forget to take a few turns yourself.

Why it's helpful: Tossing and aiming engages your toddler's fine motor skills, while playing together encourages turn-taking and self-regulation.

From making playdough to flipping through a book together to playing a rousing game of beanbag bowling, there are endless ways you can enrich your 30-month-old's development while keeping her entertained. So take your pick — and have fun!

Best Activities for 30-Month-Olds