Child Development 0-6 months

0-6 months

6-12 months

1 year

2 years

3 & 4 years

Areas of Development

Physical Looks at and reaches for toys and faces. Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach. Turns head towards sounds.

 

Cognitive Learns to anticipate (stops crying at the sight of a bottle). Begins to remember faces. Drops objects from heights (cause and effect).

 

Emotional Moves from distress cry to crying when bored. By 5 months learns frustration. By 6 months learns to whine. Demonstrates pleasure by gurgling. By end of period learns fear and anger.

 

Social Moves from reflexive smile, to social smile, to smiling consistently at familiar people. At end of this period begins to fuss when people leave. Begins to join the group in swaying to music. Greets people with sounds.

 

Language Listens raptly - likes variety of sounds, tracks sounds from side to side. Begins to coo at 3 months. Makes tongue clicks, lip smacking, etc. Vocalizes consonants: m, b, k, g, p. Strings vowels and consonants. At end of this period babbles repeatedly in familiar places but may be quiet in new places.

Recommended Toys
0 - 3 months

• A parent's face is baby's best "toy" during this period.
• Mirror or mirror toys (unbreakable).
• Small, soft, squeaky animals and rubber tactile toys.
• Play gyms.
• Activity blanket.
• High contrast pictures.
• Musical mobile with the animals or faces in direct line of vision for baby in the crib.
• Light weight, easy to hold rattles; wrist and foot rattles.
• Soothing musical toys.

4 - 6 months

• Squeaky toys.
• Activity box and boards.
• Cloth, colourful balls.
• Cloth, board and bath books.
• Peek-a-boo roll.
• Attaching bell blocks.
• Rolling bells.

In Your Home

• Above all, sing or hum to your baby! Studies show that babies prefer their parents’ voices over anyone else’s. No matter how you may think you sound, your baby will be your most eager and adoring audience.
• Babies enjoy watching people move to music. Act out the songs that you sing with your hands and body movements. For instance, on “Itsy-Bitsy Spider,” use your fingers to show the spider climbing and the rain falling.
• Sing a special lullaby to your baby before she falls asleep, perhaps one that you remember from your own childhood. She will learn to connect this lullaby with sleeptime. This is also a way to share the stories, rhythms, and melodies from generation to generation.
• Dance with your child. Play some musical objects - even a rattle - and dance to the rhythm.