🍼 Age-based baby guide

Around 34–36 months, many children feel like nearly-three-year-old thinkers and friends: they often run and climb with confidence, tell small stories about their day, act out busy pretend worlds with toys, and try to solve problems themselves while still coming back to you for comfort and help.

Jump to guide Download the app

Key points

Quick scan

Speech often becomes more flowing at this stage, with many children using short sentences, asking simple questions, and talking about things that happened earlier, like a trip to the park or a game they played.
Movement usually looks fast and purposeful, as children run to fetch things, climb onto chairs to join the family, walk up and down small steps with growing control, and start to experiment with little jumps and kicks.
Play often turns into longer stories, such as making a whole pretend meal, sending toy people on journeys, or giving animals a full bath-and-bed routine, which shows growing imagination and memory for daily life.
Feelings can still swing quickly, but many children also show more pride and care, for example by saying they are “big now”, trying to comfort a friend, or laughing along with simple jokes and shared silliness.
Clear favourites are common at this age, such as one special toy, a preferred plate, or a bedtime book that must be read every night, because familiar and repeated things help children feel safe while their world is getting bigger.
Being around other children often leads to lively play with copying, chasing, and early turn-taking, and they may start to enjoy short games where they wait for “ready, steady, go” or take turns to roll a ball.

Feeding

Guide

By 34–36 months, many children share the same basic meals as the family, with foods prepared in safe sizes and textures, and they often like to sit at the table, use a small fork or spoon, and drink from an open cup with your support.
Strong opinions about food are common now, such as wanting the same breakfast every day or rejecting foods that look “wrong”, so many parents simply keep offering a mix of familiar foods and small tastes of new ones without pressure.
Letting your child help with easy jobs, like putting bread on a plate, washing fruit with you, or choosing between two healthy snack options, can turn eating into shared time that builds confidence, skills, and a sense of being part of family life.

Sleep

Guide

Many children around 34–36 months still have one daytime nap and a longer stretch of sleep at night, although the nap may become shorter or less regular as they gain energy and want to keep playing.
A steady evening routine, such as tidying a few toys, having a calm wash, putting on pyjamas, and sharing a short story or song, often helps children move from busy play into rest and understand that bedtime is coming.
As imagination grows, some children worry more about shadows, noises, or being apart from caregivers, and many families find that familiar comfort items, low light, and calm, consistent responses help children feel safe at night.

Pee and Pooping

Guide

At 34–36 months, some children are still in nappies or pull-ups, some use nappies only at night, and some are mostly using a potty or toilet, so there is a wide range of toileting stages at this age.
Interest in the potty or toilet is often stronger now, with children asking to sit on it, copying bathroom routines, or telling you when they need to go or when they are wet or dirty, and many families use this curiosity for relaxed practice without rushing.
Talking simply about wees and poos, using the same easy words each time, and offering praise for small steps like sitting on the potty, trying to wipe, or washing hands afterwards can help build positive, confident habits, even while accidents and nappies may still be part of everyday life.

Learning

Guide

Short bursts of play through the day, such as 5–10 minutes of building taller towers, matching pictures, doing simple puzzles, threading large beads with help, or drawing lines and circles, give plenty of chances to practise problem-solving and hand control.
Several times a day, you might chat together about what you see, count a few steps or toy cars, talk about colours and sizes, and enjoy picture books with repeated phrases, which supports language, early number sense, memory, and listening in a playful way.
Daily active play, such as dancing to music, playing simple chase or ball games, stepping over soft obstacles, or joining in “ready, steady, go” activities for a few minutes at a time, helps build strength, balance, social skills, and the joy of moving their growing body while they learn to follow simple instructions.

Sources

This content is general information only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician, or local emergency service.