As children grow, they undergo significant developmental changes.
Understanding these milestones can help parents and caregivers support their child’s growth and development.
Let’s explore some key developmental milestones in different areas:
Cognitive Development
- Infancy:
- Recognizes faces and objects
- Learns object permanence (understanding that objects still exist even when out of sight)
- Begins to imitate sounds and gestures
- Toddlerhood:
- Develops problem-solving skills
- Starts to understand symbols and representations
- Begins to use language to express needs and wants
- Preschool:
- Imaginative play
- Sorting and categorizing objects
- Counting and recognizing numbers
Physical Development
- Infancy:
- Gross motor skills: Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking
- Fine motor skills: Grasping objects, reaching, and bringing objects to the mouth
- Toddlerhood:
- Gross motor skills: Running, jumping, climbing
- Fine motor skills: Using utensils, building with blocks, drawing
- Preschool:
- Gross motor skills: Riding a tricycle, hopping, skipping
- Fine motor skills: Cutting with scissors, writing letters and numbers
Social-Emotional Development
- Infancy:
- Attachment to caregivers
- Social smiling and laughing
- Recognizing familiar faces
- Toddlerhood:
- Parallel play
- Developing empathy and understanding others’ feelings
- Beginning to share and cooperate
- Preschool:
- Cooperative play
- Making friends
- Understanding and following rules
Language Development
- Infancy:
- Cooing and babbling
- Understanding simple words and phrases
- Toddlerhood:
- First words and phrases
- Using gestures to communicate
- Understanding simple questions and commands
- Preschool:
- Speaking in full sentences
- Asking questions
- Following complex instructions
Remember, every child develops at their own pace. However, understanding these developmental milestones can help you support your child’s growth and identify any potential delays. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, consult with your pediatrician.
How does SF School support your child’s development? At SF School, we provide a nurturing environment that encourages children to explore, learn, and grow.
Our experienced teachers create engaging activities that promote cognitive, physical, social-emotional, and language development.
By fostering a love of learning, we empower children to reach their full potential.
