One of the biggest joys of having a child is watching them learn to interact with the world around them. You get to see them develop a personality, learn to communicate with you, and gain new skills every day. And while every child is different, most children will learn skills on roughly the same timeline.
Knowing the stages of early childhood development can help you know what to expect from your baby and communicate better with them. Read on to learn more about these stages and what your baby will learn at each phase of their early life.
Two Months
When your baby is two months old, you’ll be able to start seeing the four types of milestones: social/emotional, language/communication, cognitive, and movement/physical child development. At two months, your baby will look at your face, seem happy to see you and smile when you talk to them. They’ll also start to react to loud noises and make sounds other than crying.
At two months old, your baby will start to watch you as you move and may look at a toy for several seconds at a time. When they’re on their tummy, they’ll start to hold their head up and will move both arms and legs. You’ll also see them start opening their hands briefly in a grabbing motion.
Four Months
By four months old, your baby will start to smile on their own to get your attention and may start to giggle, although they won’t fully laugh yet. They may also make sounds or move in an attempt to get your attention. Those sounds may include cooing, and they may turn their head toward you or make sounds back when you talk to them.
At this point, your baby will start to open their mouth when they see a breast or bottle if they’re hungry. They might seem interested in their hands and will start to hold toys and swing their hands to bat at toys. They will also push up onto their elbows when on their tummy and will hold their head steady without support.
Six Months
At six months old, your child will enter the stages of development where they start to recognize people they know and will enjoy looking at themselves in a mirror. They will be laughing by this point and may blow raspberries and make squealing noises. This is the age at which they’ll take turns making sounds with you in an early form of communication.
At this age, your baby will also start to explore their world by putting things in their mouth. They may close their mouth to show they don’t want any more food and reach to grab toys they want. You’ll also see them start to roll from their tummy to their back, push up on straight arms when they’re on their tummy, and lean on their hands to support themselves when sitting.
Nine Months
At nine months, you may notice your baby starting to be clingy or fearful around strangers and to show more emotions in their facial expressions. They may respond to their name, smile when you play peek-a-boo, and react when you leave. They’ll also lift their arms to ask to be picked up and may start to make some babbling sounds.
When objects drop out of sight, your nine-month-old will begin to look for them and will start banging two objects together. They’ll be able to get into a sitting position by themselves and will be able to sit up without support. They’ll also use their fingers to rake food toward themselves and move objects back and forth between their hands.
One Year
At one year old, your child will start to be able to play games with you, such as patty cake. They may wave goodbye and will start to call you by a special name, such as “mama” or “dada.” You’ll also see them starting to understand the word “no,” pausing what they’re doing briefly when they hear it.
At this age, your child will start to look for things they see you hide and will begin putting items in other containers, such as cups and buckets. They’ll be able to pull themselves up to a standing position and will be able to take a few steps while holding onto furniture. At this age, they can drink from a cup without a lid if you hold it for them and will be able to pick things up between their thumb and first finger.
Fifteen Months
When your child is fifteen months old, they’ll start to copy behavior they see other children doing. They’ll clap when they get excited, hug toys they like, show you affection, and show you objects they like. They may also start trying to say simple words, will be able to recognize objects when you name them, and will be able to give you a toy when you point to it and request that they hand it to you.
Your fifteen-month-old will point to ask for items and will start trying to use things like phones and books in the appropriate way. They’ll be able to stack at least two small objects and will be able to take a few steps on their own. They’ll also start using their fingers to feed themselves.
Eighteen Months
At a year and a half old, your child will start expanding their circle, moving away from you, but checking to make sure you’re still nearby. They’ll point at things they think are interesting, put their hands out when you need to wash them, and look at a few pages of a book with you. They’ll also start saying three or four words besides “mama” and “dada” and will be able to follow one-step directions.
When you’re doing chores, your eighteen-month-old will start to copy what you’re doing. They’ll play with simple toys and will be able to walk on their own and feed themselves with their fingers. They’ll also start to scribble and try to use a spoon, and they’ll be able to drink from a cup without a lid most of the time.
Two Years
By the time your child turns two, they’ll be able to notice when other people are hurt or upset and will look at your face to see how you react to new situations. They’ll point to things you ask them to, such as pointing out the fire truck in a book or to their arm. At this point, they’ll be able to say two or more words together and may be able to blow a kiss or nod their head yes.
At two years old, your child will be able to use both hands to do tasks, such as holding a cup and taking the lid off of it. They’ll play with more than one toy at a time and will be able to kick a ball and eat with a spoon. They’ll also be able to run and will start to walk up a few stairs at a time.
Two and a Half Years
At two and a half years old, your child will start to interact with other children, playing beside them or sometimes with them. They’ll say things like “Look at me!” to show you what they’re doing and will be able to follow simple routines. Your child will also know about fifty words, will be able to name things when you point to them, and will start using pronouns like “I” and “me.”
Your two-and-a-half-year-old will start to play pretend, such as feeding food to a doll and will know at least one color. They’ll start to demonstrate basic problem-solving skills and will be able to unscrew lids or open door knobs. They’ll be able to jump off the ground with both feet, to turn book pages one at a time, and to take off some clothes by themselves.
Three Years
By three years old, your child will be playing with other children and will calm down within ten minutes after you leave them. They’ll be able to have short conversations with you and will ask questions like “who,” “where,” or “why?” They’ll be able to say their first name and will speak well enough for most people to understand.
Your three-year-old will be able to draw simple shapes when you show them how and will avoid touching hot objects when you tell them not to. They’ll be able to put large items like beads or macaroni on a string and will be able to put some clothes on by themselves. At this point, they’ll be able to use a fork and will be able to identify actions in books, such as “running” or “eating.”
Learn More About Early Childhood Development
The stages of early childhood development are fascinating to watch as your child learns new skills. You’ll notice development in their social and emotional skills, language and communication skills, cognitive skills, and physical development and movement. Although each child develops at their own pace, this timeline will give you a general idea of what to expect as your child grows.
If you’d like to learn more about early childhood development, check out the rest of our site at Shipra Montessori. We help self-inspired learners find their best path to education. Schedule a tour with us today and start developing your child’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional skills today.