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Remember, every child develops differently. These milestones are meant to provide a general guideline and caregivers should consult their health care provider about concerns related to a child’s development.
0-6 mos | 6-12 mos | 12-18 mos | 18-24 mos | 2 yrs | 3 yrs | 4 yrs | 5 yrs
Preparing for Baby
Expectant women should visit their doctor to ensure they’re receiving the proper nutrition and care. They should also discuss the benefits of breast milk with their health care provider.
Children need health insurance arranged and a physician identified before their arrival. Having a medical home where they can receive timely, preventive care is essential to their well-being and ability to thrive later in life.
The law requires children under 1 to be restrained in a rear-facing car seat every time they are in a vehicle. Before the infant arrives, have a federally-approved child safety seat properly installed.
Birth – 6 months
Infants should be introduced to cloth and board books. Incorporate reading into their daily routines. Early exposure to simple toys will activate children’s imaginations and help them grow.
Infants begin receiving the recommended immunizations at their first check-up and continue until they’re completed at 18-24 months.
Discipline is never appropriate for babies because they cannot control their actions. They should be picked up when they cry because it’s their way of indicating the need something.
Around 4-6 months they will try to grab things with their hands, explore objects with their mouth, sit with support, and express themselves by laughing when happy or crying or turning away to show signs of fear, anger or dislike.
Keep small objects away that present a choking hazard. (Anything that fits in a toilet paper tube is too small.)
6-12 months
To encourage their ability to talk and love for reading, read together daily, talk face-to-face so they begin to understand the connection between sounds and words, and ask them to identify familiar objects and people everywhere.
At 6-9 months they will probably transfer objects between hands and respond to their own name and recognize family members’ names.
At 9-12 months they will probably crawl well, pull up to a standing position, clap hands and wave goodbye, and offer toys or objects to others but want them to be returned.
At this age they still don’t understand discipline but have gained mobility so the focus should turn to safety and exploration. Distract and redirect them from unsafe objects or activities and never use physical punishment.
12-18 months
As their vocabulary grows, so will their interest in books and songs. Take advantage of their interests by reading, singing and talking with them all the time.
At 12-18 months, they may be able to hold a crayon and scribble with little control, say about 8-20 words, turn pages in a book and point to objects in a book when prompted.
This is the right time to begin setting a few limits. Children’s first rules should protect their safety and be enforced clearly and consistently.
Children should have their first visit to the dentist. Begin regular brushing using a soft-bristled brush and a half pea-size portion of fluoride toothpaste.
At one, and continuing through years two and three, a child must be properly restrained in a forward-facing child seat
18-24 months
Teach new words all the time and expand their language by adding to what they say. If a child says “kitty” say, “Yes, the kitty is little and soft.”
At 18-24 months they will probably be able to sort by shapes and colors, use simple phrases and two- to three-word sentences, imitate actions, use a spoon and scribble.
Children begin understanding expectations and consequences so teach proper behavior by praising good actions through positive reinforcement, ignoring small incidents, giving them a chance to correct misbehavior and modeling good behavior.
They should receive the remainder of the recommended immunizations to keep them healthy and growing strong.
2 years (24-36 months)
Expand their literacy by reading together every day. Pointing to words when reading them helps children understand how the reading process works.
They will probably be able to throw and kick a ball, use four- to five-word sentences, express a wide range of emotions, hold a pencil in writing position and turn pages one at a time.
Playing alone (while supervised) gives them a chance to process and understand what they have been doing and learning all day.
Children often become picky eaters, but be assured, when they are hungry they will eat. Provide them healthy options by offering a variety of nutrient-rich food.
3 years (36-48 months)
Limit media watching (TV, computer, video games, etc.) to one to two hours per day.
Read with them as much as possible and make it interactive. Ask them questions about the story, have them turn the page and let them practice familiar stories or words.
A three-year-old should be able to speak in sentences of five to six words, draw circles and squares and begin to copy some capital letters.
At age three, children should have a complete set of 20 baby teeth. They should brush regularly using a soft-bristled brush and a pea-size portion of fluoride toothpaste.
Teach hand washing and practice it regularly. At this age they are interacting more with other children and also may be using the toilet, so they will be exposed to new germs.
4 years (48-60 months)
Kansas law now requires children ages 4 to 8 to ride in a booster seat. Also remember to make sure they wear a helmet whenever riding a tricycle, bicycle or scooter; never leave them unattended near water; and plan and practice fire drills at home.
Intellectually, by the end of four years, they should be able to count ten or more objects, correctly name at least four colors and recall parts of a story.
Physically, at four-years-old they should be able to hop on one leg, do somersaults, and copy triangles and other geometric patterns.
Encourage healthy eating. Cook healthy meals together, let them pick out a new fruit or vegetable to try and set a good example.
5 years (60-72 months)
Prepare for Kindergarten by talking about what to expect at school, going through the new routine, being supportive and keeping things calm at home.
Intellectually, at five-years-old they should use tenses accurately, understand the concept of time, and identify most letters and numbers.
Physically, at five-years-old they should be able to color within lines, jump rope independently and tie their shoes.
Children may have their hearing and eyesight checked. Their vision should be 20/30 or better.
Children become increasingly independent so be prepared to nurture and manage their new independence. Also remember to talk with them about how to deal with strangers.
This content was adapted in part from the Born Learning educational materials, which are made available through the efforts of United Way, United Way Success By 6 and Civitas, and Learn the Signs. Act Early. materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
