Developmental Milestones for Children

Every child is unique. All children develop their motor, verbal, emotional, and intellectual skills at their own rates. We encourage parents to use this list of developmental milestones only as a guideline. Your child may be doing these activities earlier or later than is suggested by this chart. If you have any concerns about any aspect of your child’s development we encourage you to speak with our school directors, your child’s teachers, and your child’s doctor.

Infants

Developmental Milestones

Sees objects and follows motions with eyes and head
Begins to eat soft food
Teeth begin to show
Shows emotions through facial expressions and sounds
Begins to coo and make other sounds
Lifts head
Rolls over, sits up, stands with assistance, and walks while holding on

Developmental Goals – What We Want for Our Infants

To begin to respond to what is said to them, indicating some understanding
To increase in physical size indicating they have good nutrition
To respond to others with their eyes and their sounds
To be calm as an indication of feeling secure

Toddlers

Developmental Milestones

Learns to feed self and use a cup, spoon and fork
Wants independence and attempts to dress self
Gains skill using hands and fingers to move large and small objects
Increases spoken words from 10-20 words to nearly 300
Begins to run and climb
Shows a range of emotions including joy, affection, fear, anger, surprise

Developmental Goals - What We Want for Our Toddlers

To develop their ability to figure things out
To play well with others and learn to share
To express themselves with their body and their words
To use language with easy sentences
To feel safe and secure

Two-Year Olds

Developmental Milestones

Realize they can let others know how they are feeling and what they want
Able to say the names of people and objects
Can say phrases and short sentences
Show interest in using their fine motor skills for coloring, cutting, working puzzles
Enjoy using their large motor skills for running, climbing, dancing
Begins to recognize that others have feelings
Become aware of their need to go to the bathroom

Developmental Goals - What We Want for Our Two-Year Olds

To encourage them to feel proud of themselves
To help them to stay focused on one thing for a longer period of time
To introduce them to a variety of foods
To encourage them to be physically active
To encourage their use of words and sentences and to figure things out
To encourage them to want to go to the bathroom when they need it

Three-Year Olds

Developmental Milestones

Shows interest in making and building things
Shows sympathy for others
Can tell a story about what they have seen
Express pride in what they can do
Has better eye-hand coordination
Enjoys their ability to run, jump, climb stairs, throw, and kick
Asks questions to try and understand what has happened
Develops independence in going to the bathroom

Developmental Goals - What We Want for Our Three-Year Olds

To have an awareness of themselves
To develop their ability to speak and to listen
To promote learning new things and solving problems
To encourage taking responsibility for themselves
To help them develop both their fine and gross motor skills
To promote more abstract thinking about things that cannot be seen
To encourage getting along well with others
To encourage their ability to figure things out for themselves

Four-Year Olds

Developmental Milestones

Draws objects that can be recognized for what they are
Can use words and sentences to describe activities, stories, and distances
Identifies as able to take care of some things themselves
Practices doing things repeatedly to get it right
Begins to be able to play longer without resting
Becomes aware of the effect of their emotions on others
Tests their power to get what they want

Developmental Goals - What We Want for Our Four-Year Olds

To promote sense of self
To develop listening and speaking skills
To encourage logical thinking and solving problems on their own
To encourage taking responsibility for themselves
To encourage ability to be social with other children and adults
To promote both fine and gross motor skills
To promote representational and symbolical thinking

Schoolagers

Developmental Goals – What We Want for Our Schoolagers

To acquire a sense of being able to accomplish things on their own
To develop the sense they can control their own environment
To take responsibility for their own thoughts and physical actions
To experience success that is recognized by others, especially their peers
To feel that they are valued and loved