Developmental Milestones and Tips
Developmental Milestones and Tips
What most children do by this age:
Social/Emotional Milestones
-
Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave them, like at a childcare drop off
-
Notices other children and joins them to play
Language/Communication Milestones
-
Talks with you in a conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges
-
Asks “who,” “what,” “where,” or “why” questions, like “Where is mommy/daddy?”
-
Says what action is happening in a picture or book when asked, like “running,” “eating,” or “playing”
-
Says their first name, when asked
-
Talks well enough for others to understand, most of the time
Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
-
Draws a circle when you show them how
-
Avoids touching hot objects, like a stove, when you warn them
Movement/Physical Development Milestones
-
Strings items together, like large beads or macaroni
-
Puts on some clothes by themselves, like loose pants or a jacket
-
Uses a fork
Your Child at 4 Years Old
What most children do by this age:
Social/Emotional Milestones
-
Pretends to be something else during play (teacher, superhero, dog)
-
Asks to go play with children if none are around, like “Can I play with Alex?”
-
Comforts others who are hurt or sad, like hugging a crying friend
-
Avoids danger, like not jumping from tall heights at the playground
-
Likes to be a “helper”
-
Changes behavior based on where they are (place of worship, library, playground)
Language/Communication Milestones
-
Says sentences with four or more words
-
Says some words from a song, story, or nursery rhyme
-
Talks about at least one thing that happened during their day, like “I played soccer.”
-
Answers simple questions like “What is a coat for?” or “What is a crayon for?”
Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
-
Names a few colors of items
-
Tells what comes next in a well-known story
-
Draws a person with three or more body parts
Movement/Physical Development Milestones
-
Catches a large ball most of the time
-
Serves themselves food or pours water, with adult supervision
-
Unbuttons some buttons
-
Holds crayon or pencil between fingers and thumb (not a fist)
Your Child at 5 Years Old
What most children do by this age:
Social/Emotional Milestones
-
Follows rules or takes turns when playing games with other children
-
Sings, dances, or acts for you
-
Does simple chores at home, like matching socks or clearing the table after eating
Language/Communication Milestones
-
Tells a story they heard or made up with at least two events. For example, a cat was stuck in a tree and a firefighter saved it
-
Answers simple questions about a book or story after you read or tell it to him
-
Keeps a conversation going with more than three back-and-forth exchanges
-
Uses or recognizes simple rhymes (bat-cat, ball-tall)
Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
-
Counts to 10
-
Names some numbers between 1 and 5 when you point to them
-
Uses words about time, like “yesterday,” “tomorrow,” “morning,” or “night”
-
Pays attention for 5 to 10 minutes during activities. For example, during storytime or making arts and crafts (screen time does not count)
-
Writes some letters in their name
-
Names some letters when you point to them
Movement/Physical Development Milestones
-
Buttons some buttons
-
Hops on one foot