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Watching a child take their first steps, say a new word, or write their name for the first time is an exciting event for families! Children learn about their bodies and the world around them from the moment they are born. One of the best ways for your child to learn is through everyday play experiences. You can help promote your child’s learning and development of new skills by talking, laughing, and offering various play opportunities. Baby milestones and child milestones are core skills infants and toddlers should be reaching.
A developmental milestone is a skill learned within a specific time frame. There is a standard and predictable range in which a child will reach each milestone, and each child will reach these milestones at their own pace. For example, one child may begin walking as early as ten months, while another may walk at 14 months. Both children have reached the same milestone within the expected age range of 10-16 months. Milestones are divided into five categories: physical growth, cognitive development, emotional and social development, language development, and sensory and motor development.
How do you know what milestones they should be reaching or if they are on track? There are a couple of ways to track milestones.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s checklist
- Ages and Stages Questionnaire
- Your local Infant-Toddler Services offers free screenings if your child is under three. You can contact your school district for screening information if they are over three.
If you need more ideas to interact with your little one, check out Vroom! Vroom is a free app that you can download on your phone that provides activities aimed at children five and under. Once you put in your child’s age, you will have access to different activities that will grow with them as they age! Example:
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