This page presents an overview of child development from birth to five years of age. It is important to keep in mind that the time frames presented are averages and some children may achieve various developmental milestones earlier or later than the average but still be within the normal range. This information is presented to help parents understand what to expect from their child. Any questions you may have about your child’s development should be shared with his or her doctor.
Physical and Language | Emotional | Social | |
| Birth to 1 month | Feedings: 5-8 per daySleep: 20 hrs per daySensory Capacities: makes basic distinctions in vision, hearing, smelling, tasting, touch, temperature, and perception of pain | Generalized Tension | Helpless Asocial Fed by mother |
| 2 months to 3 months | Sensory Capacities: color perception, visual exploration, oral exploration.Sounds: cries, coos, gruntsMotor Ability: control of eye muscles, lifts head when on stomach. Delight | Distress | Smiles at a Face Visually fixates at a face, smiles at a face, may be soothed by rocking. |
| 4 months to 6 months | Sensory Capacities: localizes soundsSounds: babbling, makes most vowels and about half of the consonantsFeedings: 3-5 per day Motor Ability: control of head and arm movements, purposive grasping, rolls over. | Enjoys being cuddled | Recognizes his mother. Distinguishes between familiar persons and strangers, no longer smiles indiscriminately.Expects feeding, dressing, and bathing. |
| 7 months to 9 months | Motor Ability: control of trunk and hands, sits without support, crawls about. | Specific emotional attachment to mother. | Protests separation from mother. Enjoys “peek-a-boo” |
| 10 months to 12 months | Motor Ability: control of legs and feet, stands, creeps, apposition of thumb and fore-finger.Language: says one or two words, imitates sounds, responds to simple commands.Feedings: 3 meals, 2 snacksSleep: 12 hours, 2 naps Anger | AffectionFear of strangersCuriosity, exploration | Responsive to own name.Wave bye-bye.Plays pat-a-cake, understands “no-no!”Gives and takes objects. |
| 1 years to 1 ½ years | Motor Ability: creeps up stairs, walks (10-20 min), makes lines on paper with crayon. Dependent Behavior | Very upset when separated from motherFear of Bath | Obeys limited commands.Repeats a few words.Interested in his mirror image.Feeds himself. |
| 1 ½ years to 2 years | Motor Ability: runs, kicks a ball, builds 6 cube tower (2yrs) Capable of bowel and bladder control.Language: vocabulary of more than 200 wordsSleep: 12 hours at night, 1-2 hr nap | Temper tantrums (1-3yrs) | Resentment of new baby Does opposite of what he is told (18 months). |
| 2 years to 3 years | Motor Ability: jumps off a step, rides a tricycle, uses crayons, builds a 9-10 cube tower.Language: starts to use short sentences controls and explores world with language, stuttering may appear briefly. Fear of separation | Negativistic (2 ½ yrs)Violent emotions, angerDifferentiates facial expressions of anger, sorrow, and joy.Sense of humor (Plays tricks) | Talks, uses “I” “me” “you”Copies parents’ actions.Dependent, clinging, possessive about toys, enjoys playing alongside another child.Negativism (2 ½ yrs).Resists parental demands.Gives orders.Rigid insistence on sameness of routine. Inability to make decisions. |
| 3 years to 4 years | Motor Ability: Stands on one leg, jumps up and down, draws a circle and a cross (4 yrs) | Self-sufficient in many routines of home life. Affectionate toward parents.Pleasure in genital manipulationRomantic attachment to parent of opposite sex (3 to 5 yrs)Jealousy of same-sex parent.Imaginary fears of dark, injury, etc. (3 to 5 years) | Likes to share, uses “we”Cooperative play with other children, nursery school. Imitates parents.Beginning of identification with same-sex parent, practices sex-role activities. Intense curiosity & interest in other children’s bodies.Imaginary friend. |
| 4 years to 5 years | Motor ability: mature motor control, skips, broad jumps, dresses himself, copies a square and a triangle.Language: talks clearly, uses adult speech sounds, has mastered basic grammar, relates a story, knows over 2,000 words (5 yrs) | Responsibility and guiltFeels pride in accomplishment | Prefers to play with other children, becomes competitive prefers sex-appropriate activities |
