Ages Two Through Five

Toddlers and preschoolers run on impulse, sensation, and emotion. The prefrontal cortex, which handles planning and impulse control, is barely online. What to expect:

• They say "no" constantly. This is healthy individuation, not defiance
• They cannot share willingly until age three at the earliest
• They test boundaries repeatedly because they genuinely forget rules
• Emotional outbursts are communication, not manipulation
• They need to move their bodies often

The best tools here are redirection and environment design. Remove the breakable vase instead of saying "don't touch" forty times.