Child development chart

This basic chart covers some of the more significant responses and developments of a typical child through the first two years. The time scales however vary significantly from one child to the next and should not be taken as a sign of slow development.

Birth to three months

Movement:

• Immediate reflex sucking action when something is placed in their mouth
• Moves head from side to side by month two
• Can kick vigorously and flail arms from month two

Hand-eye co-ordination:

• Stares at objects up to 25cms away with eye and head movement
• Can grip objects lightly in reflex
• Starts to try and touch objects by month three

Language:

• Makes cooing and repetitive sounds by month three

Social skills:

• Responds to familiar people (by sound, sight and smell)
• Makes eye contact by end of 1st month
• Responds well to attention by month two with the occasional smile
• Facial expressions already in development
• Settles down and cries less

Three to six months

Movement:

• Can mostly support their own head
• Sits upright with a little support
• Rolls over in the cot and moves around
• Shows first signs of crawling action

Hand-eye co-ordination:

• Reaches out for objects and splashes bath water
• Holds onto and waves small toys by month five
• Can pass items from one hand to another by six months
• Holds bottles and spoons while feeding

Language:

• Starts to giggle and respond with laughter
• Uses a few babbling sounds and some consonants
• Synchronises sounds in conversation with you by month six

Learning:

• Starts to peer at themselves in mirrors
• Recalls how to play with certain toys
• Detects sounds and responds to them accurately by month four
• Can differentiate voices (mainly between man and woman)
• Learns the meaning of ‘no’ by month six

Social:

• Laughs when tickled and chuckles spontaneously
• May form an attachment to a soft toy and complains when it’s removed
• Happy to play on their own by month five
• Starts to respond to their own name by month six
• May become anxious in strange company

Six months to a year

Movement:

• Can roll over completely
• Starts crawling properly from month eight
• Shows interest in climbing stairs
• Can stand while supporting themselves by the tenth month
• Can walk around the room with a little support from you or objects at one year

Hand-eye co-ordination:

• Uses hands to explore faces, their own or others
• Likes to drop things from their high chair from month eight
• Can accurately feed themselves using a pincher movement
• Hand preference may begin to show at month ten
• Starts to open boxes and explore the contents
• Starts building, drawing and pouring things like water from containers

Language:

• Responds to songs and ‘babbles’ along with them
• Tries to imitate sounds you make at month eight
• Starts to recognise some words and associate them with objects
• Utters double syllable sounds at ten months
• First sounds of ‘dada’ and ‘mama’ at one year
• Recognises names of various family members

Learning:

• Knows how to make a noise with toys
• Starts to mimic actions such as waving
• Responds well to familiar games and rhymes at nine months
• Listens and follows basic instructions like ‘give me the cup’
• Reflects on cause and effect of actions at 11 months
• Can carry out basic instructions like ‘wave bye bye’ by one year

Social:

• Enjoys familiar routine, like bath and bedtime
• Lets you know when they are miserable or happy
• Shows shyness in the company of strangers at eight months
• Is curious about their mirror image, photos of others, or other baby company
• Gives cuddles and responds accordingly to stories and play at 10 months
• Introduces mood swings, does things to gain attention
• Shows definite affection, temper or socialising with other children at one year

One to two years

Movement:

• Makes a big effort to walk after 12 months
• Climbs up stairs
• Starts to walk, with effective directional changes and bending motion at 15 months
• Can run around a playground by 19 months
• Learns to pedal a three-wheeler by 22 months

Hand-eye co-ordination:

• Can use crayons effectively to express themselves
• Can build lego towers
• Figures out basic puzzles by 15 months
• Can hold two objects in different hands at the same time
• Enjoys playing with play putty and modelling basic shapes by 19 months
• Can kick a ball, dance and throw or catch a ball at two years

Language:

• First basic sentences of five consecutive, though non-sensible, words
• Learns body parts names by 14 months
• Sings along in rudimentary fashion
• Understands a lot more words than they actually speak
• Can name familiar characters/items in a book by 21 months
• Has a vocabulary of about 200 words and strings together short sentences at two years

Learning:

• Tries to feed themselves
• Can complete simple but lengthy tasks at 14 months
• Starts to use imagination in play and tasks
• Remembers where they left or keep favourite items at 16 months
• Simple problem solving, like how to open a box
• Uses all senses fully now for learning
• Learns by copying you at 21 months
• Begins asking basic questions
• Can remember and recount past events by two years old

Social:

• First signs of independent tendencies
• Shares toys and offers them to playmates at 14 months
• May develop minor fears, such as pets
• Shows jealousy and has awareness of individual likes and dislikes
• Throws tantrums by 18 months, expresses preferences
• Uses words and speech in a social context by 20 months
• Can understand and follow simple rules
• Feed themselves and begin potty training at 22 months

Baby care basics
Raising an Einstein
Child care