These are the milestones that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) lists as the most common for young children, broken down by age in order to help families and early childhood education teachers better understand how and when these elements may develop in children.2
2-4 Months
At this stage, a child begins to smile and make eye contact with those around them, tracking movement with their eyes, copying facial expressions and turning toward sounds. While laying on their stomach, the child also begins to hold their own head up. At two to four months of age, a child will also start babbling.
6-9 Months
Next, children begin to recognize faces and can identify when someone is a stranger. They can also sit without support, respond to their name and choose favorite toys. At this age, children start to pull themselves up to stand, supporting their weight on their legs and often rocking back and forth or moving backwards before crawling forward.
1 Year
By one year of age, a child may be nervous with people they don't know and cry when their families leave. They will also start using gestures like waving, holding out their arms and legs to assist with dressing. At one year, a child can also follow simple direction and take steps while holding onto furniture.
18 Months
At the next stage of development, children begin to initiate play, pointing at things they want and stringing several words together at once. They will eat with utensils, drink from cups and play simple pretend games, such as giving food to a doll. A child will also be able to identify ordinary objects like spoons, phones and hairbrushes.
2 Years
At two years old, a child will show excitement when around other children and repeat words and sentences they hear others say. They will spend time running, climbing and throwing to entertain themselves and will be able to identify and sort objects by shape and color.
3 Years
Three-year-old children will show a wide range of emotions, including concern for others. They can play more advanced games of pretend and follow instructions with two to three steps. A child at this stage can also dress and undress themselves, show affection without prompting and speak well enough to be understood by strangers.
4 Years
After four years, a child will enjoy trying new things and talking about things that interest them. They will have an understanding of basic grammatical structure, begin counting and have a basic understanding of time. Most four-year-olds prefer to play with others rather than by themselves. At this age, a child can also pour, mash and cut (with supervision) their own food to feed themselves more independently.
5 Years
At age five, children sing, dance and play act frequently. They can speak clearly in full sentences and print numbers and letters. Children are more independent at this age, going to the bathroom by themselves and identifying the difference between what’s real and imaginary.
