Did you know within the first five years of your child’s life, 90 percent of their brain develops? Parents would be surprised to see how many milestones their baby goes through cognitively, physically, and emotionally! Although every child is different, experts have marked specific milestones that children should achieve by the age of 5. If you feel your child has any developmental delays, visit your doctor, this post is in no way a means to replace professional consultation.
Remember, these stages should be something we look forward to seeing in our children because it means they’re growing up. They grow up quickly, so we hope you witness these developmental stages every step of the way!
Ages 0 Months - 1 yo
| Social & Emotional | Cognitive | Gross Motor Skills | Fine Motor Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pushes away things they do not like. | Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach. | Can sit up without assistance. | Is able to open and shut hands. |
| Can recognize the mother’s face from other people. May smile at the sound of the parent’s voice. | Can comprehend boredom. Begins to cry and be fussy if an activity doesn’t change. | Lifts head and neck when lying on their stomach, and can roll over from back to stomach. | Can pick up and shake toys. |
| Plays Peek-a-Boo and Patty Cake. | Begins to follow things with their eyes and recognize people from a distance. | Crawls first, then begins to walk around by holding onto objects. | Moves toy from one hand to the other. Picks up small objects. |
Tip: At 9 months, try laying out cheerios on a dining tray for your little one to pick up using the “pincher grasp.
Ages 1 yo - 2 yo
| Social & Emotional | Cognitive | Gross Motor Skills | Fine Motor Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gives kisses or hugs. Can greet people with a “Hi” or similar verbal greeting. | Talks using single words. Can respond to simple instructions. | Runs well, falling decreases exponentially. | Can eat with spoon (while spilling). |
| Mirrors sympathy and can respond with comforting hugs or sharing toys. | Uses at least 10 words by the time they are 1.5-years-old. | Can take off a shirt or coat with little help. | Maintains balance while sitting or standing and using two hands to explore toys. |
| May start having temper tantrums or responding with “No.” | Can point to one body part and scribbles on their own. | Can stack two objects or blocks. | Is able to use fingertips to pick up small objects, such as small pieces of food. |
Tip: At 18 months, try singing “Head-Shoulders-Knees-and-Toes” to see if your little one will point to their various body parts. It shows they recognize these parts!
Ages 2 yo - 3 yo
| Social & Emotional | Cognitive | Gross Motor Skills | Fine Motor Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talks clearly most of the time. Understands simple prepositions, such as in, on, & under. | Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books or songs. | Begins to walk like an adult, without falling down. May even begin walking up & downstairs. | Can scribble, paint, and put round or square shapes into respective holes. |
| Helps with simple household chores, like cleaning up toys. | Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.” | Climbing skills increase. Can climb over furniture, kick a ball, and run short distances. | Can stack four objects or blocks. |
| Desire to play near or with peers. Will play with toys or role-play “teacher,” “house,” “astronaut,” etc. | Plays simple make-believe games and can identify hidden objects. | Maintain balance over uneven surfaces. | Can turn doorknobs and wash hands. |
Tip: At 2.5-years-old, try playing “hide the toys.” Hide toys around the house, and go around with your child and ask your little one what position the toy was found in to practice prepositions. For example, “the bear was under the table.”
Ages 3 yo - 4 yo
| Social & Emotional | Cognitive | Gross Motor Skills | Fine Motor Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gives directions and communicates verbally with other children. | Can play board games or card games, adhering to the game rules by age 4. | Can be toilet-trained and washes face without help by age 4. | Can use scissors(use safety scissors please) and fold paper to make fine creases. |
| Plays cooperatively with their peers with little supervision. Takes turns in games. | Knows grammar, such as correctly using “it,” “he,” and “she.” | Dresses and undresses without help, except with shoelaces. | Draws or copies shapes like triangles and circles. |
| Shows a wide range of emotions. | Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces. | Can hop on one foot without help or support. | Can drink from a cup. |
Tip: Try reading with your child every day. Ask your child to point to things in the pictures and repeat words after you. If you want to take it a step further, try identifying how the characters feel.
Ages 4 yo - 5 yo
| Social & Emotional | Cognitive | Gross Motor Skills | Fine Motor Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows leadership and initiative among other children. Will sometimes say, “let’s go here.” Or, “let’s do this.” | Can begin to tell time. They may not understand the hour or minutes, but they can read the clock face’s number (will not master telling time until 7-8 yo). | Will be able to skip, alternating feet, by age 5 or by age 5.5. Begins to jump rope. | Can sip from straw by the age of 5, without dribbling. |
| Likes to sing, dance, and act. | Can draw a person with at least 3-4 body parts. | Can pump and maintain momentum while on swings. | Can unbutton or button 1 or more by themselves. May be able to tie shoelaces. |
| Your child might start to talk back or mirror profane speech as a way to feel independent. | May be able to write their first name. | Can pedal a tricycle. | Holds a pencil correctly and can color inside the line. |
