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Infants
6 weeks - 1 year
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-bye” are called developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like crawling, walking, or jumping).
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In the first year, babies learn to focus their vision, reach out, explore, and learn about the things that are around them. Cognitive, or brain development means the learning process of memory, language, thinking, and reasoning. Learning language is more than making sounds. Listening, understanding, and knowing the names of people and things are all a part of language development. During this stage, babies also are developing bonds of love and trust with their parents and others as part of social and emotional development.
We are determined to help each infant in our care reach and exceed their proper developmental stages.
Toddlers
1 - 3 years old
Skills such as taking turns, playing make believe, and kicking a ball, are called developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like jumping, running, or balancing).
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During the second year, toddlers are moving around more, and are aware of themselves and their surroundings. Their desire to explore new objects and people also is increasing. During this stage, toddlers will show greater independence; begin to show defiant behavior; recognize themselves in pictures or a mirror; and imitate the behavior of others, especially adults and older children. Toddlers also should be able to recognize the names of familiar people and objects, form simple phrases and sentences, and follow simple instructions and directions.
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Because of children’s growing desire to be independent, this stage is often called the “terrible twos.” However, this can be an exciting time for parents and toddlers. Toddlers will experience huge thinking, learning, social, and emotional changes that will help them to explore their new world, and make sense of it. During this stage, toddlers should be able to follow two- or three-step directions, sort objects by shape and color, imitate the actions of adults and playmates, and express a wide range of emotions.
Preschool
3 - 5 years old
Skills such as naming colors, showing affection, and hopping on one foot are called developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like crawling, walking, or jumping).
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As children grow into early childhood, their world will begin to open up. They will become more independent and begin to focus more on adults and children outside of the family. They will want to explore and ask about the things around them even more. Their interactions with family and those around them will help to shape their personality and their own ways of thinking and moving.
During this stage, children should be able to ride a tricycle, use safety scissors, notice a difference between girls and boys, help to dress and undress themselves, play with other children, recall part of a story, and sing a song.
School Age
5 - 12 years old
Skills such as dressing themselves and tying their shoes are called developmental milestones for ages 5-8 years old. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move.
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During the ages of 5-12, having independence from family and developing friendships become more important now. Physical, social, and mental skills develop quickly at these ages. A critical time for children to develop confidence in all areas of life, such as through friends, schoolwork, and sports.
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Children 5-8 years old may show more independence, understand more about his or her place in the world, want to be liked and accepted by friends, show rapid development of mental skills, learn better ways to describe feelings and thoughts, and have less focus on one’s self and more concern for others.
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For children 9-12 years old, healthy relationships and friendships are very important for your child's development. This is an important time for them to gain a sense of responsibility along with their growing independence. Children 9-12 may start to show changes physically, emotionally and socially.
During this stage, they start to form stronger and more complex friendships and peer relationships, experience more peer pressure, and become more aware of their body as puberty enters. Children in this age begin to see the point of view of others more clearly and have an increased attention span.