Development Facts and Guidelines
Child Milestones
1-4 months Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 10-18 pounds• Measures 23-27 inches long• Needs 13-16 hours of sleep a day• Holds head up when held upright• Lifts up on arms when lying on tummy• Rolls from side to back• Reaches for and grasps objects• Sits when supported• Has a well-developed sense of smell, taste, and hearing• Visual focus is adult-like
Developing Mind. Explores objects with mouth• Distinguishes familiar faces• Distinguishes between colors across the spectrum• Prefers complex visual and sound patterns• Fascinated by moving objects• Responds best to moderate amount of visual stimulation
Developing Communication• Responds to familiar voice• Follows face with eyes• Imitates facial expressions• Communicates needs primarily through crying (crying is most frequent in first 3 months)
Developing Self• Responds to gentle touches• Discovers that his fingers and toes are extensions of himself• Returns a smile• Recognizes faces, voices, and smells of familiar people
5-8 months Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 14-23 pounds• Measures 25-30 inches long• Grows his first baby teeth• Needs at least 3-4 feedings per day• Has developed a rhythm for feeding, sleeping, alert playtime, and eliminating• Rolls over, sits up, may begin to crawl• Holds bottle; transfers object from one hand to the other; uses finger and thumb to pick up objects• Has begun eating cereal and soft vegetables and fruits
Developing Mind• Can match a happy sounding voice to a picture of smiling face• Understands simple cause and effect actions• Can imitate actions she’s seen many times• Anticipates an expected action• Experiments with simple physical relationships, like gravity and one object hitting another
Developing Communication• Follows your face with her gaze• Laughs in response to playful interaction• Uses gestures, eye contact, and verbal sounds to communicate• Distinguishes adults from children, enjoys interactions with other children
Developing Self• Repeats actions he finds interesting• Has developed strong attachment to mother; shows fear of strangers• Calms himself when upset (by sucking fingers, etc.)
9-12 months Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 17-27 poundsWeighs 17-27 pounds • Measures 27-32 inches longMeasures 27-32 inches long • Sleeps 11-13 hours at nightSleeps 11-13 hours at night • Can eat meat, eggs, and cheeseCan eat meat, eggs, and cheese • Stands aloneStands alone • Walks but may still prefer crawlingWalks but may still prefer crawling • ClimbsClimbs • Can remove lids from containersCan remove lids from containers • Drinks from a cupDrinks from a cup • May prefer one hand over the otherMay prefer one hand over the other Developing Mind• Can group objects that are alikeCan group objects that are alike • Curious about small openings, objects that turn, switches, etc.Curious about small openings, objects that turn, switches, etc. • Can identify many items by name, including body parts, people, toys, animals, etc.Can identify many items by name, including body parts, people, toys, animals, etc. • Can solve problems through trial and errorCan solve problems through trial and error • Has an increasingly long memoryHas an increasingly long memory • Imitates action seen at another time or in another placeImitates action seen at another time or in another place Developing Communication• Can follow your line of vision and looks at what you are looking atCan follow your line of vision and looks at what you are looking at • Follows conversational turn-taking when interacting with othersFollows conversational turn-taking when interacting with others • Uses gestures, eye contact, and sounds to direct your behaviorUses gestures, eye contact, and sounds to direct your behavior • May begin saying first words, experimenting with word soundsMay begin saying first words, experimenting with word sounds
Developing Self• Has strong attachment to primary caregiversHas strong attachment to primary caregivers • Has developed fears of strangers, separation from parents, unfamiliar objects and placesHas developed fears of strangers, separation from parents, unfamiliar objects and places • Shows preferences for people, toys, activities, food, etc.Shows preferences for people, toys, activities, food, etc. • Can understand the emotions of othersCan understand the emotions of others
12-18 months Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 17-30 pounds• Measures 27-35 inches long• Stands alone and is able to sit down• Carries small objects while walking• Waves bye-bye and claps hands• Walks without help
Developing Mind• Takes things apart• Identifies objects in a book• Enjoys playing peek-a-boo• Begins to understand and follow simple directions
Developing Communication• Says hi or bye if encouraged• Points or uses single words• Looks at person talking to him• “Talks” by pointing or gesturing towards things
Developing Self• Recognizes self in pictures• Loves being read to by others• Plays with toys alone• Gets upset when parents leave• Likes looking in the mirror and making faces
18-24 months Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 20-32 pounds• Measures 30-37 inches long• Walks well• Eats with a spoon• Drinks from a straw• Washes hands with help• Rolls a large ball• Picks up toys without falling over
Developing Mind• Shows preference between toys• Knows 200-300 words• Points to eyes, ears, and nose when asked• Is able to listen to short stories
Developing Communication• Uses 2-3 word sentences• Tries to sing• Says please and thank you when prompted
Developing Self• Imitates others• Is learning to say “no”• Has difficulty sharing toys• Uses “me” and “mine” frequently• Enjoys attention from adults
2 Years Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 22-38 pounds• Measures 32-40 inches tall• Has almost a full set of teeth• Turns pages while “reading”• Walks backwards• Likes to push, pull, fill, and dump
Developing Mind• Enjoys stories, songs, and rhymes• Wants to learn how to use things• Likes to look at books
Developing Communication• Uses 2-3 word sentences• Repeats words others say• Says names of items when asked
Developing Self• Plays alongside others• Imitates parents and providers• Frustrates easily• Offers toys to others, but really wants to keep toys for self• Begins dressing self
3 Years Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 25-44 pounds• Stands 34-43 inches in height• Develops a taller, thinner, adult-likeappearance• Develops a full set of baby teeth• Sleeps through most nights withoutwetting the bed (occasional accidentsare still quite common)• Uses the toilet with some help (manyboys may not be ready for toilet learninguntil 31/2)1/2)
Developing Mind• Understands “now,” “soon,” and “later”• Draws a circle and square• Recognizes everyday sounds• Matches object and picture• Identifies common colors• Can count 2-3 objects• Puts on shoes (but cannot tie laces)• Enjoys singing a simple tune
Developing Communication• 75-80 percent of speech is understandable• Talks in complete sentences of 3-5 words• Stumbles over words sometimes• Listens attentively to short stories; likesfamiliar stories told without anychanges in words
Developing Self• Sometimes shows preference for oneparent (often the parent of the oppositesex)• Enjoys playing alone, but near otherchildren• Enjoys playing with other childrenbriefly, but still does not cooperate orshare well• Can answer the question, “Are you aboy or a girl?”• Enjoys hearing stories about self,playing “house,” imitating
4 Years Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 27-50 pounds• Stands 37-46 inches in height• Needs 10-12 hours of sleep each night• Uses a spoon, fork, and dinner knifeskillfully• Dresses self without much help• Walks a straight line• Hops on one foot• Pedals and steers a tricycle skillfully• Jumps over objects 5-6 inches in height
Developing Mind• Places objects in a line from largest tosmallest• Can recognize some letters if taughtand may be able to print name• Recognizes familiar words in simplebooks or signs (STOP sign)• Counts 1-7 objects out loud
Developing Communication• Speaks fairly complex sentences. “Thebaby ate the cookie before I put it onthe table.”• Enjoys singing simple songs, rhymes,and nonsense words• Learns name, address, and phonenumber, if taught• Follows two unrelated directions: “Putyour milk on the table and get yourcoat on.”
Developing Self• Understands and obeys simple rules(most of the time)• Takes turns and shares (most of thetime); may still be bossy• Changes the rules of a game as she goesalong• Has difficulty separating make-believefrom reality
5 Years Old:
Developing Body• Weighs 31-57 pounds• Stands 39-48 inches in height• May begin to lose baby teeth• Learns to skip• Is able to dress self with little assistance• Throws ball overhead• Catches bounced balls• Uses a fork and knife well• Cuts on a line with scissors• Hand dominance is established
Developing Mind• Knows basic colors like red, yellow, blue, green, and orange• Understands that stories have a beginning, middle, and end• Understands that books are read from left to right, top to bottom• Draws pictures that represent animals, people, and objects
Developing Communication• Enjoys telling his or her own stories• Enjoys riddles and jokes• Identifies some letters of the alphabet and few numbers
Developing Self• Can take turns and share but doesn’t always want to• Often excludes other children in play— best friends only• Likes to try new things and take risks• Likes to make own decisions• Notices when another child is angry or sad—more sensitive to feelings of others• Likes to feel grown up; boasts about self to younger less capable children
