Child Development 6 -12 months

0-6 months

6-12 months

1 year

2 years

3 & 4 years

Areas of Development

Physical Has progressed from creeping to crawling. Sits with ease. Begins to pull up to standing position and cruise around objects. Explores mostly with hands (touching, pincer grasp, learning to release objects, including pushing and throwing).

 

Cognitive Primitive problem soliving - shakes, bangs. Repeats play sequences with variety of objects to test. Peers intently at pictures. Begins to use props as an aid (chair to get to ball). At end of stage begins to use imitative learning.

 

Emotional Discovers and plays with body parts. Shows dislike, can frown. Seeks comfort of others. By end of this period, emerging self is stronger (wants to self feed).

 

Social Affectionate to specific people. Wants to be like parents (insists on same food). Increased wariness of unfamiliar people or situations. Communicates with gestures to show likes and dislikes. Plays social games like peek-a-boo and waving bye-bye. Gender based toy preference emerges at end of this period.

 

Language Babbles for attention. Makes sounds of "da-da" and "ma-ma". Enjoys rhymes and simple songs. Associates word with object. Babbles take on inflection - sound like sentences. By the end of this period has one or two words. By the end of this period comprehension increases significantly.

Recommended Toys

• Various size board and cloth books that have clear pictures.
• Shape sorter - balls in clear bowl.
• Clear balls with things inside.
• Containers, such as plastic bowls, wide at top for taking out and putting in.
• Fisher Price, "Baby's First Blocks".
• Baby Duplo.
• Fisher Price Floating Family.
  

In Your Home

• Sing with your child as children love to share music with others. Use sounds, movements and facial expressions to interact.
• A familiar song will help a baby feel safe and secure in an unfamiliar setting. In a sense, songs can become every bit as important and powerful as a beloved teddy bear or a blanket.
• Music plays an important role in establishing routines. The same song sung each night at bedtime becomes part of the transition from waking to sleeping.
• Music and dance go hand-in-hand. Dance with your child to a favorite recording.
• Make it more interesting by changing your movement when the music changes.
• Babies enjoy using things to make sounds, such as banging objects together.
• Create our own instruments—for example, oatmeal box drums, paper towel roll horns, rice-filled plastic bottles.