Richton Square School

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

Click here for CDC's additional Activities and Tips

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)

Click here for CDC's additional Activities and Tips

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

Click here for CDC's additional Activities and Tips