Development milestones are crucial processes in the child’s growth and development stages. These milestones help parents, guardians, and healthcare professionals maintain eye on child growth and offer helpful detail about their development. The following are some important developmental milestones for babies and toddlers by age.

1. Physical Milestone

Infant (0-12 months)

• In the first year, babies experience physical changes quickly.
• During tummy time, they begin by lifting their heads, then move on to turning over, sitting with support, and soon sitting freely.
• Most infants begin to crawl between 6 and 9 months of age, which progresses to standing with support and drafting along furnishing.

The Importance of Baby Crawling

• Many infants take their first step at their first birthday and begin the exciting journey of walking.

Baby Walking Tips and Strategies

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• Toddlerhood is characterized by improved coordination and mobility.
• Most toddlers learn to walk independently and learn the ability to run, jump, climb stairs, and kick a ball.
• Their fine motor skills improve their ability to use crayons, arrange blocks, and feed themselves with a spoon.

Nurturing Baby’s Fine Motor Skills

2. Cognitive Milestones

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• Early cognitive milestones involve sensory development and environmental reactivity.
• Infants make eye contact, read to sound, and voices and recognize familiar faces.
• As they develop, they become more aware of their environment and reach out with their hands and lips to touch and examine items.

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• The toddler years are an important period for cognitive development.
• Toddlers start to identify recognizable items, animals, and body parts.

Boosting Baby’s Memory Retention

• They are able to arrange blocks, identify shapes, and colors, and copy straightforward activities.

Fostering Problem-Solving Abilities

3. Language Milestones

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• In the first year of life, newborns move from cooing and babbling to a variety of noises.
• They react when called by name and show interest in easy games like playing peek-a-bow.

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• As toddlers improve their language, they begin to pronounce single words like “mama” and “dada”.
• By the time they are two years old, they usually have a large vocabulary and can create sentences of two to three words.
• They enjoy having conversations in which they may express their feelings and desires and ask questions.

Encouraging Language Development

4. Social Milestones

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• Early on, infants develop social bonds with their parents.
• They communicate their feelings through smiling, cooing, and being loving.
• They also learn how to react to the cues and emotions of others.

The Role of Social Interaction

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• Toddlers show a range of emotions as they become more independent.
• They play with other kids, coping with their actions, and sharing toys.

Creative Play Ideas for Your Baby

• They develop empathy, and start to understand others’ emotions, offering kindness, and comfort to those who are disturbed and upset.

Nurturing Emotional Growth in Babies

5. Emotional Milestone

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• Emotional milestones in infants are fundamental to the formation of a solid relationship between infants and their parents.
• Infants build relationships during the first few months by making eye contact, smiling, and cooing as they express their feelings and responding to the cues from their parents.
• When their needs are continuously addressed, they come to feel safe and trusted.
• Babies may experience separation anxiety between the age of six and eight months, a sign of their developing attachment.

Overcoming Baby Separation Anxiety

• As they come near to their first birthday, babies express their feelings more easily including happiness, annoyance, and curiosity.
• This makes it easier for their guardians to understand and fulfill their needs.
• During this age your baby starts teething, this period can irritate your infant or cause emotional disturbances.

Teething Relief to Your Baby

• During this period your baby may face disturbed sleep patterns, it may affect their mood and behavior.
• It’s important to note that sleep regression may negatively impact on emotions at this phase.

Managing Baby Sleep Regression

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• Toddlers continue to go through an important emotional development phase that is characterized by growing social and self-awareness.
• As they get older, they can display a variety of emotions, from excitement to annoyance.
• Toddlers begin to understand and describe their emotions, which enables parents and other guardians to encourage their emotional growth by helping them in recognizing and controlling their emotions.

• They may show affection by hugging, comforting, gifting toys to the anxious peers and adults, reflecting the growth of their social and emotional connection.

6. Feeding Milestones

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• Feeding milestones are essential for an infant’s growth and development during the first year of life.
• Only breastfeeding or formula feeding for the first six months provide the vital nutrient for a baby’s health development.

Successful Breastfeeding Guide

• Infants begin to show symptoms of preparation for solid meals at around six months old, including an interest in eating.

Introducing Baby to Solid Food

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• Toddlers feeding milestones change as they grow and learn about the world around them.
• When they are one year old, most toddlers can eat a wide range of foods, including family dinner.
• They improve their eating and chewing abilities, which makes mealtimes more pleasurable and friendly.
• At this time, toddlers might begin drinking independently using tools like feeding bottles.

Mastering Baby Feeding Bottles

• Toddlers grow to become more independent when it comes to feeding themselves.
• When they enter into their two or three years of life, they turn to their favorite meals.
• When it comes to improving their overall growth and development, give them a balanced diet including vegetables, grains, proteins etc.

7. Motor Skills Milestones

Infant (0 to 12 month)

• Motor skill milestones are the significant characteristics of an infant’s physical growth and coordination during the first year of life.

Developing Baby’s Gross Motor Skills

• Babies usually develop head control and actively pick up the object at the two or three month period.

Strengthening Head-Eye Coordination

• At six months, babies begin to roll over, sitting independently, and reach for items more precisely.

Baby Rolling Milestone Achievement

• At the age of nine to twelve months, many infants learn how to crawl.
• When they get closer to their first birthday, some babies start walking.
• This is an outstanding milestone.

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

• The toddler years are a time when motor skills are still developing and getting better.
• Toddlers improve their motor skills, which gives them more confidence to run, walk, and climb.
• They take part in a variety of physical activities that help them develop their motor skills like riding tricycles, kicking balls etc.
• During this crucial time of early life, it is essential to support the development of their motor skills through encouragement, and give them chances for physical activities.

Conclusion

Remember that every child is different and that development period might change. It’s important to celebrate each child’s growth while also keeping an eye out for any development issues. Consult a doctor if you have specific concerns about your child’s development for further evaluation and guidance.

Read Also: 11-Month-Old Not Crawling (Milestones and Development)

Hannah Miller

Writer, Child Development Specialist

Expertise

Nutritional Needs for Growing Children
Picky Eater Strategies
Effective Communication Techniques
Inclusive Education Techniques
Preparing Kids for School Transitions

Highlights

Founder and Head of Content Strategy for Parenting and Childcare with a specialized focus on nutritional needs for growing children and picky eater strategies.
Holds a Master’s degree in Child Development from Queens University.
Certified in Precision Nutrition, Child Development Associate, and New Parent Education.

Experience

Hannah Miller, M.Ed., combines academic insights with real-life parenting experience in her writing. Maria crafts articles on topics such as effective communication techniques, inclusive education, and preparing kids for school transitions that resonate deeply with parents and parents-to-be. She offers invaluable resources based on her extensive education, training, and firsthand experience as a parent. In her spare time, Maria enjoys hiking trails and experimenting in the kitchen with culinary delights.