Toddler suddenly scared of all sorts of things

DS is almost 2 and has just recently started to become scared of things that he used to be fine about. Its mainly noises he doesn't like- the blender, for example, he used to be fine with, but now doesn't like at all. He was almost hysterical when DH started the lawn mower. And then today we were playing with playdough and I have this plastic "syringe" shaped thing that squirts the playdough out the end in like a big worm shape, and he FREAKED OUT about the emerging playdough worm. As in, backed across the room with Look of Extreme Horror. It both pulled at my heart-strings, and made me laugh.

Anyhow, my question is whether this has happened to any of your kids? I figure its just that his imagination and thinking are now developed to a point where things can become fearful, but its taken me by surprise.

And my second question is, how do you handle your kids fears? I try to show him that its ok and involve him and make it into a game if I can, but if he's still too scared, I let it be. What do you do?

Thanks!

I ask Pip why it's scary. Usually it's after a kids show where a character has been "scared". We discuss why its scary, and I logically find a "reason" for him to be scared. And we address that.

He had a 2-week period there where everything was "scary" but that's settled down now.

My DD did the same thing when she turned 2. Now she's almost 2 years & 3 months and starting to calm down. Still doesn't like loud noises, including the vacuum cleaner.

Oh yes. Started at just past two.

She's always been scared of the neighbour's chainsaw or anglegrinder, the drill, and our electric beater in the kitchen. They are loud and scarey, that's fine.
Then it was trains. Yup, trains are loud and scarey (unless you are watching them with mum), that's fine.
Then thunder. Yup, thunderstorms are loud and scarey, that's fine.

Then it was the kitchen tap. Then the kettle. Then the bath running. Then me sneezing. Everyday noises that aren't actually that loud, that she hears every day, and that weren't scarey before.

It got to the point that you just had to reach for the kitchen tap and she'd run out of the room crying and screaming "Scarey!" and slam the door behind her, so we knew she's just being silly.

She's just getting over it now at 2.5. When she comes across something "scarey" she puts her hands over her ears and grins at us.

I think it is normal between 2 & 3, or so I've heared. my ds says things are scary, but can't tell us why, he too does not like loud noises. I put headphones on him when I use mixers etc. I think it has something to do with their comprehension of good bad, loud soft, scary nice etc etc