Cognitive or intellectual development means the growth of a child's ability to think and reason. It's about how they organize their minds, ideas and thoughts to make sense of the world they live in. Now, as a two-year-old, the learning process has become more thoughtful. His grasp of the language is increasing, and he's beginning to form mental images for things, actions, and concepts. He also can solve some problems in his head, performing mental trial-and-error instead of having to manipulate objects physically.

At this age, expect big feelings, tantrums, simple sentences, pretend play, independence, new thinking skills and much more. Activities that are good for development include talking and listening, reading, working on everyday skills and cooking together. Your 2-year-old will be able to put words together in phrases. He'll also be understandable to others about half of the time. He'll be able to articulate his curiosity with questions that begin with words like “where.” He'll also be using pronouns that discriminate between himself and others, like “me” and “you.”

Between the ages of 2 and 3, most children: Speak in two- and three-word phrases or sentences. Use at least 200 words and as many as 1,000 words. State their first name. By age 2, kids start recognizing some letters and can sing or say aloud the “ABC” song. 2-year-olds can understand the concept of color and may begin to recognize and learn about colors as early as 18 months. Learning colors can be a fun activity for you and your child to practice together. Start with one color at a time, use flashcards to show your child color and have them say the name with you.

By age 2, a child can count to two ("one, two"), and by 3, he can count to three, but if he can make it all the way up to 10, he's probably reciting from rote memory. Kids this age don't yet actually understand, and can't identify, the quantities they're naming. Most 2-year-old children are capable of counting to 10 although they may mix up the order of the numbers. Begin practicing numbers and counting with your toddler to help build a strong foundation for number fluency. Daily number practice with colorful flashcards and counting games can make learning fun for your child. You can buy  Montessori Toys for Babies here.

Fine motor skills:

• Stack 1-inch blocks, six high.
• Hold a crayon with thumb and fingers.
• String large beads on a stiff string.
• Copy vertical and horizontal lines and circles.
• Has hand control to build block towers.
• Points to at least two body parts when you ask him to show you.
• Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes.

Check out this Montessori Busy Board for Toddlers

In terms of skill level, most 2-year-olds can make a 'v,' a circle, and vertical or horizontal lines, although not with utmost control. By three, some children will be trying to write some letters or make “tadpole” people, which marks an important transition to representational uses of symbols. Toddlers start to explore simple shape puzzles and nesting cups, and can understand some size words, such as “big” and “little.” Toddlers are curious about the world and begin to ask lots of “why” questions about their environment.

A 2-year-old not talking is a reason to seek advice from a speech pathologist or a health professional. There is a lot of variation and reason for delayed toddler talking, however, if they are saying NO words at 2, it is a definite red flag for them being at risk of development and learning delays.

You can read another article here: Importance Of Socialization For Babies and Buy Your Kid A Toy They Deserve