Most mental leaps happen within the first 2 years of life and every child experiences them at slightly different times. A developmental leap refers to a period of time when your child is undergoing rapid mental development. Your child’s brain will be busy forming lots of new neuronal connections and their world will begin to look very different as they develop new skills. This can result in an increase of the three Cs (crankiness, crying and clinginess). If you’re noticing a sudden increase in these behaviors, it could be a sign that your 2-year-old is going through a mental leap.