Children bring happiness to our lives. Do you remember holding your newborn baby a few minutes after birth? Then at three months, they could smile back at you and fill your heart with so much joy? What about when they start walking and climbing everywhere, and you feel so agitated to discipline them? These are some of the development milestones that every child goes through. This article informs you of the different milestones a child hits through the five development stages.
5 Child Development Stages
Development is how your child physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively grows, changes and develops skills. The five stages of child development are;
Newborn (0 -3 months)
Infant (3-12 months)
Toddler (1-3 years)
Preschool (3-4 years)
School-age (4-5 years)
In every stage, children hit different milestones, as described below. The main characteristics of child development are;
- Physical movement
- Social and emotional development
- Cognitive development
- Communication and speech development
These characteristics interlink at every stage. This means a child cannot progress in one area and fail to progress in another.
Development Milestones in the first five years
1. Newborn (0 -3 months)
- Makes eye contact, cries for various needs can listen to your voice
- Follow the object with their eyes, turn towards a sound, and increase the movement in arms, legs and head.
- Starts to smile at 2-3 months
- Can recognize a human face
2. Infant (3-12 months)
- At 3-6 months, an infant can recognize familiar faces, control their head movement, bring hands together and start to babble sounds like da-da-da.
- By the 6th month, an infant can sit without support, can respond to their name and bounce when in a standing position.
- Between 9-12 months, an infant can point at things, crawl or stand without support. Some babies will begin to walk between this age. They can imitate gestures and sounds.
3. Toddler (1-3 years)
- Toddlers can stand on their own, walk without help and begin to climb stairs.
- They can wave goodbye and hold a pen or crayon to draw circles. Toddlers learn to say several words and can communicate in short sentences.
- At this stage, your child can follow simple instructions.
- At age 2, your child understands cause and effect, like if they touch a hot surface, they will get burnt. They copy others increasingly.
- Can count numbers aloud and can identify pictures in a book.
- They may have tantrums in trying to understand who they are. They play along with other children well and experience emotions.
- At age three, they fully develop object permanence, whereby they understand that something exists even when not in sight. Therefore, separation anxiety decreases.
4. Preschool (3-4 years)
- Motor skills are refined
- They can throw and catch something
- Can draw proper structures like flowers
- Can dress themselves
- Can speak a long sentence
- At age 4, they can use the toilet all by themselves.
Children are very imaginative at this stage; allow them to express their feelings by letting them feel safe and reassured by you. Also, practice allowing them to speak themselves out and not interrupt them when you are having a conversation. At this age, continue to read to them daily and tell visual stories to enhance their memory. To boost their self-confidence, give them simple chores like pairing their socks and putting their toys in the right place.
5. School-age (4-5 years)
- Children learn to be independent
- Speaking, writing and reading is well established
- They develop various emotions such as love, jealousy and others
- They can make friends and can tell you they have a best friend’.
Give your child materials to learn but do not pressure them into knowing something. Teachers and parents should work together to ensure that any developmental concern is confirmed. Children should engage in games since child development is at its best during plays.
Which is the most critical stage of child development?
The first five years are important to set a foundation for your child’s future. Between birth and age 3, your child’s brain develops to 90% of its adult size. At this age, ensure to give healthy foods, plenty of love and mental stimulation where they will gain critical emotional, intellectual and physical skills to be used for a lifetime.
Every Child is Not the Same
Always remember that your child is unique and different from other children. Not all kids are going to hit these milestones at the same time- which is okay. I remember my daughter made steps on her own at 11 months, but my nephew delayed to 15 months. But looking at them now, they are both okay. If we had been worried about the boy’s walking, we would have moved from hospital to hospital for nothing.
Some children can hit milestones early while others can delay. This does not show that one child is more gifted than the other, it simply shows the differences that exist in the development of a child. However, significant delays can signify a problem and should not be taken lightly. Please visit your child’s pediatrician for evaluation if the delay is too much.
Remember that most development milestones are progressive, like a baby begins at crawling, then walks and eventually can run. Hence, noting a development problem is easy for you as a parent. Always walk your parenting journey with a paediatrician who will check the child from time to time to ensure smooth development.
Wrap Up!
The first five years of a child are very critical. It is crucial to ensure that you encourage your child’s development to meet their needs. Generally, a strong parent-child bond, adequate sleep, a safe and nurturing environment and good nutrition help in ensuring that your child develops well.