Child Development Milestone Chart

Age Social and Physical Emotional Development Development Lies in fetal position with knees tucked up. Unable to raise head. Head falls backwards if pulled to sit. Bonds with Reacts to mother. Smiles at sudden mother. sound. Closes eye to bright light. Opens eye when held in an upright position. Intellectual Development Beginning to develop concepts e.g. becomes aware of physical sensations such as hunger. Explores using his senses. Make eye contact and cry to indicate need. Language Development

At Birth

Cries vigorously. Respond to high-pitched tones by moving his limbs.

Pelvis is flat when lying down. Lower back is still weak. Back and neck firm when held sitting. 3 Grasps Months objects placed in hands. Turns head round to have a look at objects. Establishes eye contact. Can lift head and shoulders. Sits up with support. Enjoys 6 Months standing and jumping. Transfers objects from one hand to the other.

Takes increasing interest in his surroundings. Squeals with Shows interest pleasure in playthings. appropriately. Understand Reacts with cause and pleasure to effect e.g. if familiar routines. you tie one Discriminates end of a ribbon smile. to his toe and the other to a mobile, he will learn to move the mobile. Finds feet interesting. Understand Responds to objects and different tones of know what to mother. May expect of show 'stranger them. shyness'. Takes Understand stuff to mouth. 'up' and 'down' and make appropriate

Attentive to sounds made by your voice. Indicates needs with differentiated cries. Beginning to vocalise. Smile in response to speech.

Double syllable sounds such as 'mama' and 'dada'. Laughs in play. Screams with annoyance.

Pulls self up to sit and sits erect with supports. Rolls over prone to supine. Palmer grasp of cube. Well established visual sense. Sits unsupported. Grasps with thumb and index finger. Releases toys by dropping. Wiggles and 9 crawls. Picks Months up objects with pincer grasp. Looks for fallen objects. Holds bottle. Is visually attentive. Stands holding furniture. Stands alone for a second or two, then collapses with a bump. Walks holding one hand. Bends 1 Year down and picks up objects. Pulls to stand and sits deliberately. May walk alone. Holds spoon. Points at objects. Picks up small objects. 15

gestures, such as raising his arms to be picked.

Shows interest Apprehensive in picture about strangers. books. Imitates handWatches clapping. Clings activities of to familiar adults. others with interest.

Babbles tunefully. Vocalises to attract attention. Enjoy communicating with sounds.

Cooperates with dressing. Waves goodbye. Understands simple commands. Demonstrate affection. Participate in nursery rhymes.

Babbles 2 or 3 words Responds to repeatedly. simple Responds to instructions. simple Uses trial-andinstructions. error to learn Understands about objects. several words. Uses jargon.

Can crawl up Helps with

Is very

Can

Months stairs frontwards. Kneels unaided. Balance is poor. Can crawl down stairs backwards. Builds 2 block tower. Can place objects precisely. Turns pages of picture book. Squats to pick up toys. Can walk alone. Drinks without spilling. Picks up toy without falling over. Shows preference 18 Months for one hand. Gets up/down stairs holding onto rail. Begins to jump with both feet. Can build a tower of 3 or 4 cubes and throw a ball. Can kick large ball. Squats with ease. Rises without using hands. Builds 2 Years tower of six cubes. Able to run. Walks up and down stairs 2 feet per step. Builds tower

dressing. Indicates soiled or wet paints. Emotionally dependent on familiar adult.

curious.

communicate needs. Jabbers freely and loudly.

Plays alone near familiar adult. Demands constant mothering. Drinks from a cup with both hands. Feeds self with a spoon. Attains bowel control. Tries to sing. Imitates domestic activities.

Enjoys simple picture books. Explores environment. Knows the names of parts of his body.

Uses 'Jargon'. Uses many intelligible words. Repeats an adult's last word. Jabbering established.

Throws tantrum if frustrated. Can put on shoes. Completely spoon feeds and drinks from cup. Is aware of physical needs. Dry by day.

Joins 2-3 words in sentences. Recognises details in pictures. Uses own name to refer to self.

Talks to self continuously. Speaks over two hundred words, and accumulate new words very rapidly.

of 6 cubes. Turns picture book pages one at a time. Can jump off lower steps. Can pedal and steer tricycle. Goes up stairs 1 foot per step and downstairs 2 feet per step. Copies circle. Imitates cross 3 Years and draws man on request. Builds tower of 9 cubes. Has good pencil control. Can cut paper with scissors. Can thread large beads on a string. Sits with knees crossed. Ball games skill increases. Goes down stairs one foot per step. Imitates gate 4 Years with cubes. Copies a cross. Can turn sharp corners when running. Builds a tower of 10 cubes. Skips. Well developed 5 Years ball skills. Can walk on along a thin

Plays cooperatively . Undresses with assistance. Imaginary companions.Tries very hard to please. Uses spoon and fork.

Relates present activities and past experiences. Can draw a person with a head. Can sort objects into simple categories.

Constantly asks questions. Speaks in sentences. Talks to himself when playing.

Argues with other children. Plans games cooperatively. Dresses and undresses with assistance. Attends to own toilet needs. Developing a sense of humour. Wants to be independent.

Counts up to 20. Asks meanings of words. Questioning at its height. Draw recognisable house.

Many infantile substitutions in speech. Uses correct grammar most of the time. Enjoy counting up to twenty by repetition.

Chooses own friends. Dresses and undresses alone. Shows caring attitudes

Writes name. Draws a detailed person. Matches most

Fluent speech with few infantile substitutions in speech. Talks

line. Skips on towards others. both feet and Copes well with hops. Draws personal needs. a man and copies a triangle. Gives age. Can copy an adult's writing. Colours pictures carefully. Builds steps with 3-4 cubes. Learns to skip with rope. Copies a diamond. 6 Years Knows right from left and number of fingers. Ties shoe laces. Stubborn and demanding. Eager for fresh experiences. May be quarrelsome with friends.

colours. Understands numbers.

about the past, present and future with a good sense of time.

Draws with precision and to detail. Developing reading skills well. May write independently.

Fluent speech. Can pronounce majority of the sounds of his own language. Talk fluently and with confidence.

Anytime there is a delay in activities such as the transfer of objects from one hand to the other at 6 months of age, for instance, there is a need for further evaluation by you and this information should be presented to your child's pediatrician. If other delays occur in child development milestone such as not crawling by 9 to 10 months, something may be going on that with early intervention can become less severe in your child's life.

Early Child Development

Your baby was born with a certain amount of reflexes, like sucking, grasping and crying. But within a few weeks of your infant's early stages of child development he will become more and more efficient at these actions and gradually those reflex behaviours will be replaced by deliberate actions of sucking, grasping and crying. Your baby is learning that if he sucks, he will eat. If he cries someone will comfort him. Its interesting to note that at 4 months of age, your baby has yet to reach the stage of child development known as 'object permanence'; so when an object is out of his sight he has forgotten about it... literally out of sight, out of mind. If a toy is moved from his sight he wont look for it, because he has forgotten about it. But as your baby matures in his early stages of child development he develops object permanence. By around 8 months your baby will look for a toy he was playing with if it is taken out of his vision. This is why babies at this age love dropping toys and watching you pick them up! They have figured out that the toy has not disappeared when they drop it, and are thrilled to see it reappear! Parents who go along with the game of bending over and picking up the rattle over and over again while their child gleefully tosses it back to the floor are strengthening their little scientists' theory of object permanence. It is also at this stage of your baby's early child development that he loves to play peek-a-boo. He knows you are still there, even though you have hidden your face, and he is delighted when you reappear. You can test your baby's object permanence by sitting him in a high chair with a toy. If you drop the toy on the ground and he looks down for it, then he has grasped the concept of object permanence. If he doesn't look for it, then he is not quite at that stage of early child development yet. There are lots of fun games to play with your baby who is at this stage of his early child development. Let your 10 month old baby see you 'hide' his toy under a blanket. He will be delighted to pull the blanket away to find his toy... and can play this game over and over again! Babies at this stage also love to imitate the changes in your face.

Stick your tongue out, and watch him imitate the action. Playing games like this with your baby is an excellent way to spend quality time as well as a way to help develop his grasp of object permanence. Child growth and development is the study of how your child grows and changes over time. As your child grows he changes in three main areas, there are physical changes, intellectual changes and social-emotional changes. Developmental psychologists study the growth and development of children to identify, to predict and describe a child's behaviour. There are certain characteristics of growth and development that happen in a predictable sequence... babies often sit up by 6 months old so developmental psychologists have devised developmental scales that can be used to predict and asses a childs growth and development. If you are aware of developmental scales of your child, you can better asses his physical, intellectual and social-emotional growth to ensure that he is developing at a healthy rate. Describing how a child is most likely to grow is one goal of child development. The other goal is to explain why a child develops in particular ways. There are basically three explanations for your child's behavioural changes. Biological explanations involve changes which happen to him as a result of his genetic make-up. Psychological explanations involve changes in regards to his personality and feelings. Social explanations focus on the impact your childs environment has on his growth and development. So if your child is not reaching his developmental milestones, it would be worth examining these factors to try and find the source of the problem. A child who is not speaking any words by the age of two is falling behind in his language development. This may be because there is lack of muscle control in his tongue --biological-- and if you notice this should take him to see his physician. Or the problem may be that your child needs more opportunity to speak --social-emotional-- and that you can encourage more social interaction with him, reading more books, encouraging more conversation and perhaps joining a play group. Or the problem could be that he is fearful of something -- psychological-- and is too afraid to speak. In this case, you would need to find the root of the fear, and protect and reassure him that he is safe. General knowledge of the growth and development of your child allows you to understand him better. We are better able to guide, direct and encourage our childs growth when we understand their growth and development.

Early Child Development

Child development is a process every child goes through. This process involves learning and mastering skills like sitting, walking, talking, skipping, and tying shoes. Children learn these skills, called developmental milestones, during predictable time periods. Children develop skills in five main areas of development: 1. Cognitive Development This is the child's ability to learn and solve problems. For example, this includes a two-monthold baby learning to explore the environment with hands or eyes or a five-year-old learning how to do simple math problems. 2. Social and Emotional Development This is the child's ability to interact with others, including helping themselves and self-control. Examples of this type of development would include: a six-week-old baby smiling, a ten-monthold baby waving bye-bye, or a five-year-old boy knowing how to take turns in games at school. 3. Speech and Language Development This is the child's ability to both understand and use language. For example, this includes a 12month-old baby saying his first words, a two-year-old naming parts of her body, or a five-yearold learning to say "feet" instead of "foots". 4. Fine Motor Skill Development This is the child's ability to use small muscles, specifically their hands and fingers, to pick up small objects, hold a spoon, turn pages in a book, or use a crayon to draw. 5. Gross Motor Skill Development This is the child's ability to use large muscles. For example, a six-month-old baby learns how to sit up with some support, a 12-month-old baby learns to pull up to a stand holding onto furniture, and a five-year-old learns to skip. The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has recently launched a campaign to promote child development. For more information on child development, visit the Act Early website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/.

What is a developmental milestone? A developmental milestone is a skill that a child acquires within a specific time frame. For instance, one developmental milestone is learning to walk. Most children learn this skill or developmental milestone between the ages of 9 and 15 months. Milestones develop in a sequential fashion. This means that a child will need to develop some skills before he or she can develop new skills. For example, children must first learn to crawl and to pull up to a standing position before they are able to walk. Each milestone that a child acquires builds on the last milestone developed. To find out more information about age-appropriate developmental milestones click on a specific age below. If you are concerned your child has not met a developmental milestone, click here to learn more.

What are typical milestones, or skills, children learn at different ages? We now know that our brains are not fully developed at birth. In fact, a baby's brain weighs about one quarter (1/4) of what an adult's brain weighs! The brain grows very rapidly during the first several years of life. During this time, your child is learning all sorts of new skills. Because children usually acquire developmental milestones or skills during a specific time frame or "window", we can predict when most children will learn different skills. The pages below describe the types of skills children usually learn at different ages. If you are concerned your child has not met a developmental milestone, click here to learn more. Childhood Development:

First 6 Weeks 1 to 3 Months 3 to 6 Months 6 to 9 Months 9 to 12 Months 1 to 2 Years 2 to 3 Years 3 to 5 Years 5 to 7 Years

What if my child does not meet a developmental milestone? Each child is an individual and may meet developmental milestones a little earlier or later than his peers. You may have heard people say things like, "he was walking before he turned 10 months, much earlier than his older brother" or "she didn't say much until she was about 2 years old and then she talked a blue streak!" This is because each child is unique and will develop at his or her own pace. However, there are definitely blocks of time when most children will meet a milestone. For example, children learn to walk anytime between 9 and 15 months of age. So, if your child is 13 months of age and not yet walking, there is no need to worry if he is crawling and pulling to a stand. He has acquired the skills he needs to learn to walk and may begin walking soon. However, if you have a child 15 months of age who is not yet walking, it would be a good idea to talk with your child's pediatrician to make sure there aren't any medical or developmental problems since age 15 months is outside of the normal "window" or time frame in which children learn to walk. In this website, we will provide you with some information about these "windows" or blocks of time when children usually develop a skill. We also will share with you some warning signs or "red flags" to watch for that may mean your child is not meeting developmental milestones. We will also give you the names of some books and websites about child development that you may find helpful. However, whenever you have questions, do not hesitate to ask a professional like your child's doctor, nurse practitioner, or a trained child development or behavioral specialist. There are also several clinical specialists who are specifically trained in various areas of development who can be consulted. These include speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, developmental psychologists and audiologists.

How can I help my child meet these developmental milestones? As parents, we all want our children to succeed and be the best they can be. We know from research that

two factors influence how your child succeeds and grows: genes and environment. One of the factors that influence our child's development is their genetic makeup or "genes." Some people refer to this as "nature." Genes are the genetic material we pass onto our children. Children are born with their "genes" in place. These genes act like a blueprint for what characteristics a child may have. For example, genes determine if a child will have blue eyes or brown eyes; they also determine if he will be left- or right-handed. The other factor that influences child development is the environment. This includes experiences children have in their home, school and community environments. Some people refer to this as "nurture." The environment can either improve or harm a child's genetic blueprint. For example, malnourished children who live in third world countries may not reach their IQ potential because of the impact of their environment on their brain development. We often think we need to run out and buy special toys, music and games to stimulate our child's development, but we have to remind ourselves that it is more important to provide the following, everyday activities you can do with your child to encourage brain development.

Give your child lots of love and attention. No matter what a child's age, holding, hugging, and listening are important ways to show your child they matter. Interact with your child by talking, singing, playing, eating, and reading with your child. Your child will grow up feeling special and important to you. You will also learn a lot about your child's interests and skills. Read, read, read. Research has shown that children who are read to by their parents have a larger vocabulary than other children. Reading also provides children with new perspectives about the world we live in. Learn some simple parenting skills for helping your child to learn how to behave. The most important parenting skills are having consistent rules, rewarding behaviors you want to see your child do more of, and having consequences for behaviors you do not want your child to continue to do. Limit TV time and video time to no more than 1-2 hours of educational viewing per day. Download C3's informational handout on supporting your child's development. Ask for help when you need it from your spouse, partner, family, friends, and your child's doctor or nurse practitioner. Parenting is wonderful but it is not always easy. For more helpful suggestions on parenting,

The ABC's Of Child Development

Developmental Milestones For Your Child's First Five Years

Children grow and develop at different rates. While their pathways through childhood differ, most pass a set of predictable milestones along the way. The information presented here offers a map that can help you follow your child's journey. Our map divides the developmental milestones into four areas: Physical Development Social & Emotional Development Thinking Skills Communication Skills In reality, these areas overlap, as development in one area is reinforced and enhanced by growth in others. The milestones suggested for each area offer examples of the developmental leaps that young children make. These are not complete lists.As you follow this map, keep in mind that each child develops differently and that an individual child may develop more quickly in one area than in another.

Physical Development

Social & Emotional Development

Thinking Skills

Communication Skills

Physical Development
From the start, babies want to explore their world. They are eager to move their eyes, their mouths, and their bodies toward the people and objects that comfort and interest them. They practice skills that let them not only move closer to desired objects, but also move desired objects closer to themselves. As they grow, children's determination to master movement, balance, and fine-motor skills remains intense.
Age The first year Milestones A baby begins learning the basics of self-movement and begins to master the skills needed for hand-to-mouth coordination and holding objects.

Most infants begin to: Raise head slightly when lying on stomach Hold head up for a few seconds, when supported Hold hand in a fist Lift head and chest, while lying on stomach Use sucking, grasping, and rooting (holding tongue to the roof of the mouth) reflexes Touch, pull, and tug own hands with fascination Repeat body movements, and enjoy doing so Babies are quickly becoming stronger and more agile. Most begin to: Roll over Push body forward and pull body up by grabbing the edge of a crib Reach for and touch objects Reach, grasp, and put objects in mouth Make discoveries with objects (for example, a rattle makes noise when it is moved)

"Child-proofing" becomes important as babies get more mobile. During this time most begin to: Crawl Grasp and pull things toward self Transfer objects between hands

By this time, most babies can: Sit without support Stand unaided Walk with aid Roll a ball Throw objects Pick things up with thumb and one finger Drop and pick up toys

Walking and self-initiated movement become easier. Most children can: Walk alone Walk backwards Pick up toys from a standing position Push and pull objects Seat self in a child's chair Walk up and down stairs with aid Move to music Paint with whole arm movement Balance improves and eye-hand coordination becomes more precise. Most children can: Put rings on a peg Turn two or three pages at a time Scribble Turn knobs Grasp and hold a small ball; can use in combination with large motor skills to throw the ball Shift marker or any drawing or painting tool from hand to hand and draw strokes

Children become more comfortable with motion, increasing speed, and coordination. Most begin to: Run forward Jump in place with both feet together Stand on one foot, with aid Walk on tiptoe Kick ball forward Children are able to manipulate small objects with increased control. Most can: String large beads Turn pages one by one Hold crayon with thumb and fingers instead of fist Draw a circle Paint with wrist action, making dots and lines Roll, pound, squeeze, and pull clay

Movement and balance improve. Most children can: Run around obstacles Walk on a line Balance on one foot Push, pull, and steer toys Ride a tricycle Use a slide without help Throw and catch a ball Children's precision of motion improves significantly. Most are able to: Build a tall tower of blocks Drive pegs into holes Draw crosses and circles Manipulate clay by making balls, snakes, etc.

Children are now more confident, and most are able to: Walk backwards Jump forward many times without falling Jump on one foot Walk up and down stairs without assistance, alternating feet Turn somersaults Children develop skills that will help them as they enter school and begin writing. Most can: Use safety scissors Cut on a line continuously Copy squares and crosses Print a few capital letters

Social and Emotional Development

Social and emotional milestones are often harder to pinpoint than signs of physical development. This area emphasizes many skills that increase selfawareness and self-regulation. Research shows that social skills and emotional development (reflected in the ability to pay attention, make transitions from one activity to another, and cooperate with others) are a very important part of school readiness.
Age The first year Milestones From the start, babies eagerly explore their world-and that includes themselves and other people.

Babies spend a lot of time getting to know their own bodies. They: Suck their own fingers Observe their own hands Look at the place on the body that is being touched Begin to realize she is a separate person from others and learn how body parts, like arms and legs, are attached Infants are interested in other people and learn to recognize primary caregivers. Most infants: Can be comforted by a familiar adult Respond positively to touch Interact best when in an alert state or in an inactive and attentive state Benefit from short, frequent interactions more than long, infrequent ones Smile and show pleasure in response to social stimulation

Babies are more likely to initiate social interaction. They begin to: Play peek-a-boo Pay attention to own name Smile spontaneously Laugh aloud

Babies show a wider emotional range and stronger preferences for familiar people. Most can: Express several clearly differentiated emotions Distinguish friends from strangers Respond actively to language and gestures Show displeasure at the loss of a toy

As they near age one, imitation and self-regulation gain importance. Most babies can: Feed themselves finger foods Hold a cup with two hands and drink with assistance Hold out arms and legs while being dressed Mimic simple actions Show anxiety when separated from primary caregiver

Children become more aware of themselves and their ability to make things happen. They express a wider range of emotions and are more likely to initiate interaction with other people. At this stage, most children: Recognize themselves in pictures or the mirror and smile or make faces at themselves Show intense feelings for parents and show affection for other familiar people Play by themselves and initiate their own play Express negative feelings Show pride and pleasure at new accomplishments Imitate adult behaviors in play Show a strong sense of self through assertiveness, directing others Begin to be helpful, such as by helping to put things away

Children begin to experience themselves as more powerful, creative "doers." They explore everything, show a stronger sense of self and expand their range of self-help skills. Self-regulation is a big challenge. Two-year-olds are likely to: Show awareness of gender identity Indicate toileting needs Help to dress and undress themselves Be assertive about their preferences and say no to adult requests Begin self-evaluation and develop notions of themselves as good, bad, attractive, etc.

 Show awareness of their own feelings and those of others, and talk about feelings Experience rapid mood shifts and show increased fearfulness (for example, fear of the dark, or certain objects) Display aggressive feelings and behaviors Children enjoy parallel play, engaging in solitary activities near other children. They are likely to: Watch other children and briefly join in play Defend their possessions Begin to play house Use objects symbolically in play Participate in simple group activities, such as singing clapping or dancing Know gender identity

As their dexterity and self-help skills improve, 3-year-olds become more independent. Most can: Follow a series of simple directions Complete simple tasks with food without assistance, such as spreading soft butter with a dull knife and pouring from a small pitcher Wash hands unassisted and blow nose when reminded Children become more interested in other children. They are now more likely to: Share toys, taking turns with assistance Initiate or join in play with other children and make up games Begin dramatic play, acting out whole scenes (such as traveling, pretending to be animals)

At this age, children are more aware of themselves as individuals. They: Show some understanding of moral reasoning (exploring ideas about fairness and good or bad behavior) Compare themselves with others 4-year-olds are very interested in relationships with other children. They: Develop friendships Express more awareness of other people's feelings Show interest in exploring sex differences Enjoy imaginative play with other children, like dress up or house Bring dramatic play closer to reality by paying attention to detail, time, and space

Thinking Skills
Infants were once thought of as passive and unknowing. It was commonly believed that until they mastered language, young children were incapable of thinking or forming complex ideas. Today, we know otherwise. From the very start, young children are aware of their surroundings and interested in exploring them. Scientists from several fields have shown that from the first weeks of life, babies are active learners. They are busy gathering and organizing knowledge about their world. These milestones highlight young children's progress in developing perceptual and thinking skills.
Age Milestones Newborns begin right away to use and integrate their senses to explore their world. Most infants can: See clearly within 13 inches Focus on and follow moving objects, including human faces See all colors and distinguish hue and brightness Distinguish the pitch and volume of sound Discriminate sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes Respond with facial expressions to strong stimuli (like odors) Prefer high contrast items and geometric shapes Begin to anticipate events (for example, sucking at the sight of a nipple)

Babies perceptual abilities improve rapidly. At this age, they are able to: Recognize faces Differentiate between different people based on the way they look, sound, or feel React to and imitate the facial expressions of others Respond to familiar sounds

Using ingenious research methods, scientists have found that babies begin very early to have glimmers of how the world works. Even very young babies have been found to: Stare longer at "impossible" events (like ordinary objects suspended in midair) Distinguish between inanimate and animate objects, and understand that inanimate objects must be propelled into motion by an external force Distinguish among pictures that show different numbers of items Use the relative size of objects as a clue to how close or how far away they are

As they grow, children continue to explore how the world works and build on the conceptual leaps described above. At this age, most babies can: Understand that an object still exists even when it's not in view Respond to simple directions and questions with gestures, sounds, and perhaps words Imitate gestures and actions

 Experiment purposefully with the physical properties of objects, for example, by seeing how objects fit into a container or what happens if the container is turned over Enjoy looking at picture books

Children at this age spend much of their time intently observing and imitating the actions of adults. Most can: Imitate adults' actions and language Understand words and commands and respond appropriately Begin to match similar objects Recognize and identify familiar objects in storybooks with adult assistance Distinguish between "you" and "me"

A lot of learning is done through a child's own exploration, and this really takes off at this age. Most children can: Respond to simple directions Choose picture books, name pictured objects, and identify several objects within one picture Group objects by category Stack rings on peg in order of size Identify themselves in the mirror, saying "baby" or their own name Relate what they are doing to others Observe and imitate more complex adult actions (for example, housekeeping play)

As children have more experiences in the world, their analytic powers grow. For some time, they have been observing and mentally "sorting" objects according to their physical properties. Now most children can: Understand concepts like grouping and matching (for example, recognizing and matching colors) Organize materials on their own, for example by stacking blocks or rings in order of size Identify parts of a whole, like a slice of pie Draw, name, and briefly explain somewhat recognizable pictures that are meaningful to them Actively seek information through why and how questions Tell you their full name and age Attend to an activity for a longer stretch of time (between 5 and 15 minutes) Learn both by observing and listening to adults' explanations Show awareness of past and present

At this age, children actively seek information and new experiences from the people in their environment. Most can: Play with words, mimicking and creating sounds, and make rhymes Point to and name many colors Understand order and process Draw a person with detail Draw, name, and describe pictures Count to 5 Tell you their street and town

Communication Skills
Long before children can say words or join them into sentences, they are active language learners. Within a few short years, young children go from newborns without language to excellent communicators and lively inventers and tellers of stories.
Age Milestones From the very start, infants pay close attention to language. In the first year, they can distinguish all of the speech sounds that occur in natural language; then they begin to specialize in the sounds of their home language. Most infants will: Respond to speech by looking at the speaker Respond differently to the voice of a parent than to other voices React to changes in a speaker's tone, pitch, volume, and intonation Respond differently to their home language and another language Communicate with bodily movements, by crying, babbling, and laughing Attempt to imitate sounds

Even small babies love to have "conversations." Most children of this age: Exchange sounds, facial expressions, or gestures with a parent or caregiver Listen to conversations Repeat some vowel and consonant sounds

Children's vocalizations increase. Most babies of this age: Begin repetitive babbling (deaf children also start to babble with their hands) Associate gestures with simple words and two-word phrases, like "hi" and "bye-bye" Use vocal and non-vocal communication to express interest and influence others

Children are getting ready to talk. Around the first birthday, language production doubles. Many babies of this age: Understand the names of familiar people and objects Show their understanding with responsive body language and facial expressions Say a few words Respond to a firm "no" by stopping what they are doing

Children begin to learn many new words and begin to use simple phrases. Many children can: Understand many words, as well as simple phrases and directions ("Drink your juice") Follow a series of two simple but related directions Respond correctly when asked "where?" Say a few words clearly, and a few dozen additional words so that family members can understand. The words denote important people and common objects, and a few prepositions such as "on," "in," or "under." Many can say "more" and "all gone." Say successive single words to describe an event From about 18 months, begin learning about 9 new words a day Use "my" or "mine" to indicate possession; begin to use "me," "I," and "you"

Both understanding of language and speaking develop more rapidly at this stage. Most 2-year-olds can: Join familiar words into phrases Begin to use modifiers (adverbs and adjectives) Point to common objects when they are named Name objects based on their description Respond to "what?" and "where?" questions Enjoy listening to stories and asking for favorite stories Recount events that happened that day

Language usage becomes more complex. Most 3-year-olds can: Make themselves understood to strangers, despite some sound errors Use and understand sentences Use more complex grammar, such as plurals and past tense Understand sentences involving time concepts (for example, "Grandma is coming tomorrow") and narrate past experiences Understand size comparisons such as big and bigger Understand relationships expressed by "if then" or "because" sentences Follow a series of two to four related directions Sing a song and repeat at least one nursery rhyme

4-year-olds use language not only to converse, but also to exchange information. Most can: Retell a story (but may confuse facts) Combine thoughts into one sentence Ask "when?" "how?" and "why?" questions Use words like "can," "will," "shall," "should," and "might" Combine thoughts into one sentence Refer to causality by using "because" and "so" Follow three unrelated commands appropriately Understand comparatives like loud, louder, loudest Listen to long stories (but may misinterpret the facts) Understand sequencing of events when clearly explained (for example, "First we plug the drain, then we run the water, and finally we take a bath")