Developmental Milestones (page 3)

By 1 year

Your baby can sit on his own and is learning to walk.

What you can do Provide your child lots of safe space to crawl around and things to hold onto so he can pull himself up to stand. Help him walk and then let him balance on his own. Play hide-and-seek, peek-a-boo, and tickling games. Build things with toys and give him lots of things to hold onto, squeeze, and carry.

By 2 years

Your child is learning to walk up stairs and backwards. He is sitting and squatting, throwing and running.

What you can do Provide safe places for your child to run, climb, and explore. Play games like hide-and-seek and peek-a-boo, and let your child play with toys that can be lifted, banged together, and thrown. Go on walks together. Listen to music and clap and dance to the beat. Your child can play in the water with proper flotation and constant supervision.

By 3 years

Your child can jump, throw and catch large balls, is learning to ride a tricycle and pedal, and is alternating feet when walking up steps.

What you can do: Play games with your child like catch (with a soft, large ball), hide-and-seek, tag, and hopscotch. Spend time helping your child learn to skip and ride his tricycle. Provide safe areas for your child to run, climb, and explore. Go to the park, zoo, and playground together. Listen to music and clap and dance to the beat. Your child may even be learning to swim!

By 4 years

Your child is hopping, skipping, and running, alternating feet while going down stairs, catching, tumbling, and tiptoeing.

What you can do Play games that require movement and coordination, like Simon Says, follow-the-leader, tag, and jumping rope. Take your child to the park, zoo, on short hikes, and to the playground. Ride bicycles together. Go swimming together. Garden together. Fly a kite. Arrange playtime with other children.

By 5 years

Your child is running, hopping, jumping, swimming, throwing, catching, bicycling, and swinging a bat.

What you can do Give your child lots of opportunities to play games, run around, ride the bicycle, and swim. Invite other children to play with your child. Go exploring together; try out children’s museums and parks, playgrounds, and nature trails, even miniature golf! Your child may be ready to become involved in organized sports such as soccer, baseball, or dance. For more information on getting your child involved in sports, see Organized Sports (link).

For more information on developmental milestones, visit these web sites.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NAPSE)
NAPSE is a nonprofit organization that develops and supports quality sport and physical activity programs that promote healthy behaviors and individual well-being. This organization provides physical activity guidelines for infants and toddlers.
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm?template=toddlers.html

Success by 6
Success by 6 is a public and private partnership committed to ensuring that every child is healthy, safe, nurtured, and ready to succeed in school by age six.
http://www.successby6louisville.org/Developmental.cfm

Zero to Three
This national nonprofit organization works to promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf. This site has information on developmental milestones, play, and many other topics, which are listed alphabetically.
http://www.zerotothree.org/ztt_parentAZ.html

If you think your child may have a disability, see the American Academy of Pediatrics article on Developmental Disabilities.