Milestones for Growing & Learning
Sense of Self + Relationships
Watching children grow is one of the many joys of life. As they grow, your children will experience physical, cognitive, and social-emotional milestones, which will help you recognize the different stages they have reached or passed. You’ll be surprised at how much they learn and change in such a short time!
Development Milestones
Sense of Self + Relationships
Remember – kids develop at their own unique pace, so use these milestones as general guidelines.
Milestones to Look for:
Birth to 3 months
Recognizes faces, touch, voices, and smell.
Relies on you to respond to signals and provide comfort.
3 to 6 months
Plays “peek-a-boo.”
Plays with fingers and toes.
Uses smiles and laughter to appreciate playtime.
6 to 9 months
Expresses taste preferences.
Smiles at his or her reflection in a mirror.
May love meeting new people—or may be shy at first.
May like lots of sound and activity—or may prefer quiet and calm.
9 to 12 months
Says a few words like “mama” and “dada.”
Cries when you leave.
Reacts to changes in established routines by fussing, crying, or showing discontent.
12 to 15 months
Says “no”—or tries to do things without your help.
Repeats behaviors to get attention—like banging, vocalizing, etc.
15 to 18 months
Comforts others or tries to make them laugh with sounds and actions.
Has difficulty handling feelings.
Looks to caregiver for help and for cues about behavior.
18 to 24 months
Understands “no”—but may have trouble controlling feelings and actions.
Wants to do things independently.
Notices likeness and differences between self and others.
24 to 30 months
Gets scared.
Not always sure what’s real and what’s pretend.
Needs help sharing.
Has one or two friends.
Laughs at silly stories and actions of others.
30 to 36 months
Knows his or her first name and age.
Plays with friends cooperatively.
Stays occupied in a self-chosen activity for a short period of time.
Indicates likes and dislikes—with food, playmates, and/or activities.
3 to 4 years
Uses pronouns (e.g. “I,” “you,” “we,” “they”) and some plurals.
Takes turns.
Separates more easily from parents.
Openly expresses affection.
4 to 5 years
Becomes more independent.
Wants to fit in with others and understands gender.
Draws a person with two to four body parts.
5 to 6 years
Remembers full name, address, and sometimes phone number.
Adapts to new environments with appropriate emotions and behaviors.
Recognizes and names emotions.
Follows simple rules, routines, and directions.
Recognizes how actions affect others and accepts consequences.
Explore milestones for each
Domain of Development
