Understanding Your Child’s Developmental Milestones

Birth to 4 Months

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Improved head control and ability to hold head upright when supported.
• Activities: Practice supervised tummy time and offer age-appropriate toys for reaching and grasping.

Cognitive Development:

• Milestone: Visual tracking of moving objects and response to colours and sounds.
• Activities: Hang colourful mobiles, introduce textured toys, and gently move objects to stimulate their senses.

Communication and Social Development:

• Milestone: Eye contact, smiling, and vocalizing.
• Activities: Engage in face-to-face interactions, talk and sing to your baby, and respond to their smiles and sounds.

Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Developing a secure emotional bond.
• Activities: Cuddle, hold, and provide gentle touch to comfort and nurture your baby.

1 to 2 Years

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Walking independently and climbing stairs with support.
• Activities: Encourage walking by providing a safe environment and outdoor exploration. Practice climbing stairs with supervision and offer age-appropriate climbing structures.

• Milestone: Object recognition and problem-solving abilities.
• Activities: Play shape-sorting games, stack blocks, and introduce puzzles with larger pieces. Encourage problem-solving by hiding toys or objects for them to find.

Language and Communication Development:

• Milestone: Expanding vocabulary and beginning to form simple sentences.
• Activities: Engage in conversation, read books with colourful pictures, and encourage your child to name objects and describe their experiences.

Social and Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Developing independence, showing empathy, and imitating others.
• Activities: Encourage independent tasks like self-feeding and dressing. Engage in pretend play, encourage sharing, and praise positive behaviors to support their social and emotional growth.

4 to 8 Months

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Rolling over and sitting with support.
• Activities: Encourage rolling by placing toys just out of reach, and support sitting with cushions or sitting aids.

Cognitive Development:

• Milestone: Increased curiosity and exploring objects with hands and mouth.
• Activities: Offer safe, age-appropriate toys with various textures, shapes, and sizes for exploration.

Communication and Social Development:

• Milestone: Babbling, responding to their name, and recognizing familiar faces.
• Activities: Engage in back-and-forth conversations, play peek-a-boo, and use their name frequently.

Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Expressing emotions through laughter, babbling, and crying.
• Activities: Respond to their emotional cues, provide a nurturing and comforting environment, and engage in playful interactions.

2 to 3 Years

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Running, jumping, and beginning to pedal a tricycle.
• Activities: Provide opportunities for outdoor play, engage in simple obstacle courses, and introduce a tricycle or balance bike for gross motor skill development.

• Milestone: Increased curiosity, counting, and recognizing colours and shapes.
• Activities: Play matching games, count objects during daily routines, and encourage exploration of colours and shapes through art activities.

Language and Communication Development:

• Milestone: Expanding vocabulary, using short sentences, and starting to ask "why" and "how" questions.
• Activities: Engage in storytelling, encourage pretend play with dolls or stuffed animals, and answer their questions patiently to promote language and communication skills.

Social and Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Engaging in cooperative play, expressing emotions, and developing friendships.
• Activities: Arrange playdates, encourage turn-taking in games, and provide opportunities for imaginative play to foster social interaction and emotional expression.

8 to 12 Months

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Crawling, pulling up to stand, and cruising along furniture.
• Activities: Create a safe and baby-proofed environment for crawling, offer stable furniture for pulling up, and encourage cruising with support.

Cognitive Development:

• Milestone: Object permanence and beginning to understand cause and effect.
• Activities: Play games like peek-a-boo, hide toys under cups, and use toys that require pressing buttons or flipping switches.

Communication and Social Development:

• Milestone: Babbling with more varied sounds and responding to simple commands.
• Activities: Encourage vocalization, read interactive books, and follow simple commands like "clap hands" or "wave bye-bye."

Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Showing a range of emotions, imitating others, and developing attachment to familiar caregivers.
• Activities: Provide a loving and consistent environment, engage in imitation games, and encourage interaction with trusted caregivers.

3 to 5 Years

Physical Development:

• Milestone: Improved coordination, jumping with both feet, and pedalling a bicycle.
• Activities: Engage in active play, such as hopping games, skipping, and riding a bicycle with training wheels. Encourage fine motor skills through drawing, colouring, and cutting with child-safe scissors.

Cognitive Development:

• Milestone: Enhanced problem-solving, counting, and recognizing letters and numbers.
• Activities: Introduce simple puzzles, engage in counting games, and encourage letter and number recognition through educational toys, books, and interactive activities.

Language and Communication Development:

• Milestone: Conversational skills, storytelling, and expanding vocabulary.
• Activities: Encourage role-play scenarios, engage in conversation about daily experiences, and read a variety of books to expand their language skills and imagination.

Social and Emotional Development:

• Milestone: Cooperative play, empathy, and developing self-regulation skills.
• Activities: Encourage sharing, take turns in group activities, engage in imaginative play with peers, and provide opportunities for problem-solving and conflict resolution.