To understand toddlers, three aspects of development in the transition from infant to toddler are particularly important. They arise at about 18 months of age (with a range of roughly 1 to 3 years) and herald the arrival of the toddler: mobility, self-awareness, and language.

Self-awareness is a profound developmental advance that shapes how toddlers begin to understand themselves as separate individuals and relate to others. It's arrival is deeply intertwined with both mobility and language.

The neurobiological and psychological triggers for self-awareness have not yet been clarified. What we do know is that its development occurs at around 1-3 years of age. The child begins to know her own name and refer to herself by name. The child will begin to look in the mirror and realize she is looking at herself. She will also make clearer her own likes and dislikes, needs, and wishes.

As the well-known infant researcher........

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