Watch Your Baby Grow
0-3 Months
Your Baby Should Be Doing This. . .
Physical Skills:
Raises head & chest when on stomach
Stretches & kicks on back
Opens and shuts hands
Brings hand to mouth
Grasps and shakes toys
Social Skills:
Begins to develop social smile
Enjoys playing with people
More communicative
More expressive with face & body
Imitates some movements & expressions
Sensory Milestones:
Follows moving objects
Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Prefers sweet smells
Prefers soft to coarse sensations
4-7 Months
Your Baby Should Be Doing These Things. . .
Physical Skills:
Rolls both ways
Sits with and without support of hands
Supports whole weight on legs
Reaches with one hand
Transfers object from hand to hand
Uses raking grasp
Social Skills:
Begins to develop social smile
Enjoys playing with people
More communicative
More expressive with face & body
Imitates some movements & expressions
Sensory Milestones:
Follows moving objects
Recognizes familiar objects and people at a distance
Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
Prefers sweet smells
Prefers soft to coarse sensations
8-12 Months
Your Baby Should Be Doing This. . .
Physical Skills
Gets to sitting position without help
Crawls forward on belly
Assumes hands-and-knees positions
Gets from sitting to crawling position
Pulls self up to stand
Walks holding on to furniture
Social Skills
Shy or anxious with strangers
Cries when parents leave
Enjoys imitating people in play
Prefers certain people and toys
Tests parental response
Finger-feeds himself
Cognitive Thinking
Explores objects in different ways
Finds hidden objects easily
Looks at correct picture when the image is named
Imitates gestures
Begins to use objects correctly
1 Year Old - 4 Years Old
Your Toddler Should Be Doing This. . .
Physical Skills
Walks alone
Pulls toys behind when walking
Begins to run
Stands on tiptoe
Kicks a ball
Social Skills
Imitates behavior of others
Aware of herself as separate from others
Enthusiastic about company of other children
Cognitive Thinking
Finds objects even when hidden 2 or 3 levels deep
Sorts by shape and color
Plays make-believe
4 Years Old - 5 Years Old
Your Preschooler Should be doing this. . .
Physical Skills
Climbs well
Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet
Kicks ball
Runs easily
Pedals tricycle
Bends over without falling
Social Skills
Imitates adults and playmates
Show affection for familiar playmates
Can take turns in games
Understands "mine" and "his / hers"
Cognitive Thinking
Makes mechanical toys work
Matches an object in hand to picture in book
Plays make believe
Sorts objects by shape and color
Completes 3 - 4 piece puzzles
Understands concept of "two"
6 Years Old - 12 Years Old
What can my child do at these ages?
As your child grows, you’ll notice him or her developing new and exciting abilities.
A child age 6 to 7:
Enjoys many activities and stays busy
Likes to paint and draw
Practices skills in order to become better
Jumps rope
Rides a bike
A child age 8 to 9:
Is more graceful with movements and abilities
Jumps, skips, and chases
Dresses and grooms self completely
Can use tools, such as a hammer or screwdriver
A child age 10 to 12:
Likes to sew and paint
What does my child understand?
As children enter into school age, their skills and understanding of concepts continue to grow.
A child age 6 to 7:
Understands the concept of numbers
Knows daytime and nighttime
Knows right and left hands
Can copy complex shapes, such as a diamond
Can tell time
Understands commands that have 3 separate instructions
Can explain objects and their use
Can repeat 3 numbers backward
Can read age-appropriate books
A child age 8 to 9:
Can count backward
Knows the date
Reads more and enjoys reading
Understands fractions
Understands the concept of space
Draws and paints
Can name the months and days of the week, in order
Enjoys collecting objects
A child age 10 to 12:
Writes stories
Likes to write letters
Reads well
Enjoys using the telephone
How will my child interact with others?
An important part of growing up is learning to interact and socialize with others. During the school-age years, you’ll see a change in your child. He or she will move from playing alone to having multiple friends and social groups. Friendships become more important. But your child is still fond of you as parents, and likes being part of a family. Below are some of the common traits that your child may show at these ages.
A child age 6 to 7:
Cooperates and shares
Can be jealous of others and siblings
Likes to copy adults
Likes to play alone, but friends are becoming important
Plays with friends of the same gender
May sometimes have temper tantrums
Is modest about his or her body
Likes to play board games
A child age 8 to 9:
Likes competition and games
Starts to mix friends and play with children of the opposite gender
Is modest about his or her body
Enjoys clubs and groups, such as Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts
Is becoming interested in boy-girl relationships, but doesn’t admit it.
A child age 10 to 12:
Finds friends are very important and may have a best friend
Has increased interest in the opposite gender
Likes and respects parents
Enjoys talking to others
How can I encourage my child's social abilities?
You can help boost your school-aged child's social abilities by:
Setting limits, guidelines, and expectations and enforcing them with appropriate penalties
Modeling good behavior
Complimenting your child for being cooperative and for personal achievements
Helping your child choose activities that are suitable for his or her abilities
Encouraging your child to talk with you and be open with his or her feelings
Encouraging your child to read, and reading with your child
Encouraging your child to get involved with hobbies and other activities
Promoting physical activity
Encouraging self-discipline and expecting your child to follow rules that are set
Teaching your child to respect and listen to authority figures
Encouraging your child to talk about peer pressure and setting guidelines to deal with peer pressure
Spending uninterrupted time together and giving full attention to your child
Limiting screen time (TV, video, and computer)
13 Years Old - 18 Years Old
How much will my teen grow?
The teenage years are also called adolescence. This is a time for growth spurts and puberty changes (sexual maturation). A teen may grow several inches in several months, followed by a time of very slow growth. Then they may have another growth spurt. Puberty changes may happen slowly. Or several changes may occur at the same time.
It's important to remember that these changes will happen differently for each teen. Some teens may have these signs of maturity sooner or later than others. Each child goes through puberty at their own pace.
What changes will happen during puberty?
Sexual and other physical maturation that happens during puberty is due to hormonal changes.
Here's a look at the changes for boys and girls.
In boys, it's hard to know exactly when puberty is coming. There are changes that occur, but they happen slowly and over a period of time. It's not just a single event. Each male teen is different and may go through these changes differently. But these are average ages when puberty changes may happen:
Start of puberty. Between 9 ½ and 14 years old.
First puberty change . Enlargement of the testicles.
Penis enlargement. Begins about 1 year after the testicles begin enlarging.
Pubic hair appears. About 13 ½ years old.
Wet dreams (nocturnal emissions). About 14 years old.
Hair under the arms and on the face, voice change, and acne. About 15 years old.
Girls also experience puberty as a series of events. But their puberty changes often begin before boys of the same age. Each girl is different and may go through these changes differently. These are average ages when puberty changes may happen:
Start of puberty. Between 8 and 13 years old.
First puberty change. Breast development.
Pubic hair appears. Shortly after breast development.
Hair under the arms. About 12 years old.
Menstrual periods. Between 10 and 16 ½ years old.
Both boys and girls go through certain stages of development when developing secondary sex characteristics. These are the physical characteristics of males and females that are not involved in reproduction. These include voice changes, body shape, pubic hair distribution, and facial hair.
Here's a quick look at the changes that happen:
Boys. In boys, the first puberty change is the enlargement of the scrotum and testes. At this point, the penis does not enlarge. Then, as the testes and scrotum continue to enlarge, the penis gets longer. Next, the penis will continue to grow in both size and length.
Girls. In girls, the first puberty change is the development of breast buds. This is when the breast and nipple elevate. The dark area of skin that surrounds the nipple of the breast (the areola) gets larger at this time. The breasts then continue to enlarge. Over time, the nipples and the areolas will rise again. They then form another mound on the breasts. When a girl becomes an adult, only the nipple is raised above the rest of the breast tissue.
Both boys and girls. Pubic hair development is similar for both girls and boys. The first growth of hair produces long, soft hair that is only in a small area around the genitals. This hair then becomes darker and coarser as it continues to spread. Over time the pubic hair looks like adult hair, but in a smaller area. It may spread to the thighs. It sometimes goes up the stomach.
What does my teen understand?
The teenage years bring many changes. These are not only physical, but also mental and social changes. During these years, teens become more able to think abstractly. Over time they can make plans and set long-term goals. Each child may progress at a different rate and may have a different view of the world.
In general, these are some of the abilities you may see in your teen:
Develops the ability to think abstractly
Is concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues
Thinks long-term
Sets goals
Compares himself or herself to their peers