Strategies for Raising a Confident & Expressive 24-Month-Old
Reading books and applying these tips help your toddler recognize emotions as a natural part of life while encouraging them to embrace and enjoy expressing their feelings.
At 24 months, your toddler is experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, joy, frustration, excitement, and even early signs of independence. But navigating these big feelings can be overwhelming, both for them and for you as a parent.
The key to healthy emotional development is guidance, intentional learning, and the right strategies that allow your toddler to recognize, express, and positively manage their emotions. Parents can also help by creating nurturing environments where their child can thrive by encouraging independence, embracing creativity, and providing opportunities for exploration and growth.
Emotional Milestones at 24 Months
At this stage, toddlers experience rapid fluctuations in their emotions. Your child may go from excited to frustrated within moments.
Toddlers begin testing boundaries more. This is a regular part of development, helping them understand independence and social expectations.
Major mood swings. These are a natural part of emotional development
They crave emotional reassurance. Your toddler will need regular comfort, validation, and connection, which builds security and trust.
1. Encourage Independence & Emotional Growth
Building independence isn’t just about doing things alone; it’s about allowing toddlers to navigate frustration, problem-solving, personal ownership, and persistence, all of which contribute to emotional resilience. Give your child the space and time to experiment, learn, and grow from everyday tasks.
Let your child make small decisions. Instead of choosing for your child, ask, "Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?"
Teach persistence. This can be done through gentle trial and error, and encourage attempts before stepping in.
Provide daily solo tasks. Easy and safe things, such as letting your child put away their toys, wipe spills, or pick their snack, reinforce control over their environment.
Create a task board. Print out pictures of daily tasks, and let toddlers mark off each independent action they complete, reinforcing a sense of achievement.
Encourage self-correction. Instead of fixing a misplaced toy, say "Where do you think this belongs?" to reinforce autonomy.
Introduce the try first rule. Teach your toddler to attempt tasks before asking for help.
Practice turn-taking in daily routine. Let your toddler take the lead in small activities, reinforcing their leadership and self-confidence.
Play a game of independence treasure hunt – Hide small daily task cards and let your toddler find and complete them, making chores fun and engaging.
2. Use The Arts to Teach & Express Feelings
Best Emotion-Boosting Arts Activities
Sing songs with exaggerated facial expressions. Encourage mimicking emotions through music. The study by Welch et al. (2019) demonstrates how singing can help alleviate distress, further underscoring its benefits.
Role-play with dress-up clothes. Act out real-life scenarios, such as visiting the doctor or welcoming a new sibling, to explore and understand emotions.
Use sound-based learning. Audio books, music, and recorded stories reinforce emotional vocabulary.
Use Emotion Scribbles. Let your toddler draw freely, then ask, "Is this a happy or a sad drawing?" to encourage them to interpret their own feelings.
Incorporate movement-based art. Painting with hands, sponges, or textured rollers encourages sensory-emotional connection.
Dance-based storytelling. Use music to act out different emotions: "Dance like you're excited!". Reinforcing physical-emotional awareness.
Emotion Art Collage. Let toddlers tear colored paper into pieces, organizing them into categories like “Happy Colors” and “Sad Colors”, thereby strengthening color-emotion associations.
3. Use Books to Teach & Express Feelings
Books and stories are powerful tools for helping toddlers understand emotions, develop empathy, and strengthen communication skills. Whether through engaging audiobooks or interactive picture books, children can connect with relatable characters and scenarios that support their emotional growth.
In addition, toddlers responded more when parents used more verbal attention-getting statements. Thus, questions, feedback, and attention-getters may be beneficial’’ (Strouse & Ganea, 2017).
Choosing the Right Audiobooks for Emotional Learning
Select audiobooks with vivid illustrations. Stories with expressive visuals can help your toddler connect emotions with characters.
Opt for shorter audiobooks. Stories around five pages long align with toddlers' natural attention span.
Use age-appropriate language. Books should label emotions clearly, using simple words like happy, sad, nervous, and excited.
Choose relatable themes. Look for stories that reflect everyday experiences toddlers might face, such as sharing, problem-solving, frustration, and happiness.
Find books with emotional diversity. Selecting stories with characters of similar age, varied expressions, and different emotional experiences builds a broader understanding of feelings.
Pair audiobooks with facial expression practice. Pause during listening sessions and ask your toddler to mirror the emotions of the character, reinforcing emotional recognition.
Choosing the Right Books for Emotional Understanding
Pick books with bold, expressive illustrations. Select large images and vibrant visuals to help your toddler easily associate words with emotions.
Look for problem-solving themes. Stories that involve challenges and resolutions teach your toddler how to navigate emotions productively.
Use books with direct emotional labeling. Choose books with simple sentences, such as "I feel happy when I play!" to reinforce connections between emotions and words.
Encourage interactive reading. Ask these questions: “How do you think the bunny feels?” or “What would you do if this happened to you?”.
Find books with engaging formats. Books that feature lift-the-flap or textured pages provide sensory engagement, making emotional learning more interactive.
Recommended Books
The Feelings Book by Todd Parr—A simple, colorful book that explores a variety of emotions in a toddler-friendly way.
Happy Hippo, Angry Duck: A Book of Moods by Sandra Boynton—A fun, rhythm-based book that introduces different moods and expressions.
Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi—Teaches toddlers positive ways to handle frustration and emotions constructively.
4. Teach Ways To Identify Feelings
Modeling positive ways to identify and manage emotions is invaluable for helping your child navigate their feelings. Demonstrating age-appropriate calming strategies after emotional outbursts provides a framework for managing stress and developing emotional regulation skills. For example, showing deep breathing, gentle stretches, or using a quiet corner can create realistic approaches your child can emulate.
Recognize and Label Feelings
Naming emotions helps toddlers identify their feelings, express them appropriately, and respond to others with empathy and understanding.
Emotion Mirror Play. Stand in front of a mirror and act out different emotions, asking your child to copy facial expressions.
Label emotions in daily life. Instead of asking, "Why are you upset?" say, "You seem frustrated because your toy won’t work."
Use Feeling Jars. Set up jars labeled happy, frustrated, and excited, and have your toddler place small objects inside based on their mood.
Picture book reflection. After reading a book, ask, "When did the character feel happy? When did they feel sad?" or "What do you think this character feels?"
Match toys to emotions. Use dolls, stuffed animals, or puppets to illustrate various emotions.
Practice self-reflection by asking, "How did that make you feel today?" to encourage toddler-led emotional naming.
5. Ways to Support Self-Regulation
Engage in Problem-Solving Scenarios
Encourage your toddler to think through simple challenges rather than offering immediate solutions.
Helping your toddler explore different outcomes fosters critical thinking skills, enhances frustration tolerance, and promotes emotional regulation.
Keep Expectations Realistic
Setting age-appropriate goals ensures your toddler feels successful rather than discouraged.
Unrealistic expectations can lead to frustration and anxiety for both parents and children.
Redirect Before Outbursts
Before emotions escalate, offer gentle distractions or shift focus to prevent emotional meltdowns.
Educate Yourself on Emotional Development
Understanding how your toddler processes emotions at different milestones.
Remain calm, and validating your child's feelings helps them process emotions healthily.
Offer Choices to Encourage Cooperation
Providing guided decision-making builds independence and emotional control, reducing power struggles and frustration.
6. Use Emotion-Based Language & Interactive Conversations
Using clear, purposeful, emotion-based language helps your toddler identify their feelings and learn how to express them safely. When your child labels their feelings, offering sincere praise helps them feel validated and motivated to continue improving.
Describe emotions out loud. Instead of saying “Stop crying,” reframe it as “I see you're frustrated because your block fell.”
Encourage reflection." What made you happy today?" prompts emotional self-awareness.
Replace "Stop Crying" with Supportive Language. Say, "I see you're upset. Let's take a deep breath together."
Talk through emotions before bedtime. Ask, "What made you smile today? What was tricky today?" to encourage reflection.
Teach mood contrasts. Ask, "Does running feel excited? Does hugging feel calm?".
How to form Emotional Confidence Praises
Don’t use generic praises. Phases like "Good job!" focus on reinforcing emotional skills and resilience to build lasting confidence.
Acknowledge effort over results. "You kept trying even when it was tricky, that’s amazing!"
Label strengths clearly. Say, "You were so patient waiting for your turn".
Encourage self-awareness. Say, “You noticed your friend was sad, that’s thoughtful of you!".
Recognize emotional effort."I saw you wait patiently, even though you wanted a turn. That was amazing!"
Reflect on praise. Ask "What do you think you did well today?".
How to Expand Emotional Vocabulary
Go beyond happy and sad. Introduce nuanced emotions like frustration, nervousness, calmness, surprise, and pride.
Use descriptive language. Instead of just saying “You’re mad,” try “You’re feeling frustrated because you wanted to do it by yourself.”
Validate different emotional expressions. Even neutral or mixed feelings, "It looks like you're feeling unsure right now," can help your toddler explore and understand their emotions.
7. Teach Emotional Awareness Through Real-World Experiences
Use nature to explain emotions. "See how the wind is gentle? That’s like feeling calm,” or Look how strong the storm is, that’s like feeling frustrated".
Demonstrate emotional reactions in social settings. "Mommy is happy because the store helper was kind to us. Kindness makes people feel good!".
Use emotional preparation techniques. Before leaving the park, say, “In two minutes, we’re saying bye-bye to the slide, but we’ll have fun at home too!”
Help toddlers wind down emotionally before sleep. Reading a calm, emotionally charged bedtime story helps process the feelings from the day.
Too much activity or noise can trigger emotional overload, leading to meltdowns, withdrawal, or frustration.
Notice early signs of overstimulation. Restlessness, covering one's ears, pulling away, or sudden irritability may indicate feelings of overwhelm.
Provide sensory resets. Offer quiet spaces, soft textures, gentle music, or deep breathing breaks to help toddlers regroup emotionally.
8. Simple Calming Techniques to Try
Helping toddlers manage emotions starts with gentle, age-appropriate techniques that promote self-regulation, comfort, and mindfulness. These strategies encourage children to calm down naturally, express their feelings, and regain control in a positive way.
Deep Breathing for Instant Calm
Teach your toddler to take three slow, deep breaths. This can help to ease stress and refocus. Make it fun by calling it “blowing out birthday candles” or “smelling a flower”.
Have your toddler pretend to blow bubbles. Have your child take a deep breath. This can help refocus and instantly reduce tension.
Quiet Alone Time for Emotional Regulation
Encourage quiet time without forcing isolation. Let your child know it’s okay to take a break when emotions feel big.
Set up a Calm Corner: Add cozy pillows, dim lighting, books, and familiar comfort objects to create a reset space.
Movement Techniques to Release Energy
Shake out tension by wiggling, jumping, or stretching to reset emotions.
Try floppy puppet play where your toddler loosens their body and pretends to be a relaxed, sleepy puppet.
Introduce big feelings stomping, gently stomping feet can help safely release frustration.
Comfort Objects for Emotional Security
Provide favorite items. Such as a teddy bear, blanket, or soft toy, for reassurance during emotional moments.
Encourage gentle cuddling or rocking motions. To help soothe nervous energy.
Create a Feelings Teddy. Let your child whisper their feelings to their stuffed animal for comfort.
Using Music & Sounds for Emotional Balance
Play quiet, soothing music to create a calming atmosphere.
Use soft, natural sounds. Such as rain or ocean waves to help ease stress and promote mindfulness.
Let your toddler choose their calming song. Giving your child some control over relaxation makes self-soothing more effective.
Allowing Space to Process Emotions
Let your toddler cry, express frustration. This can help them take the time they need to process their feelings instead of suppressing their emotions.
Remind your child that all feelings are okay. Helping your child feel safe to express emotions healthily.
Use emotional storytelling. By saying, “I remember a time when I felt sad too. Guess what helped me?” to normalize their feelings and show empathy.
Other Fun Relaxation Techniques To Try
Imaginary Play: Pretend to be a sleepy kitten, a floating cloud, or a quiet butterfly to promote peaceful behavior.
Guided Visualization: Help your child imagine a happy place like a beach, garden, or favorite memory.
Gentle Yoga Stretches: Simple poses, such as reaching for the sky or touching your toes, help release tension and promote relaxation.
Sensory Play: Stress balls, soft textures, or squishy toys provide comfort in heightened emotional moments.
Use finger tracing: Gently trace circles or lines on your child’s palm to guide relaxation through gentle touch.
Encourage your toddler to count objects. Such as toys and books to shift their focus and settle their emotions.
Use counting breaths. "Let’s take five slow breaths together.”