This blog is intended for general information purposes only. If you have concerns about your or your child’s health, speak to a medical practitioner.
It’s amazing just how much our babies change in those first few years – and the first 12 months are especially packed with development in all sorts of areas. And while every baby is different, certain development stages are worth looking out for as they grow, showing more and more of their abilities and unique personalities. Here’s a very brief rundown of some of those milestones and when (roughly) to expect them.
0-3 months
For all it seems that babies do little more than eat, sleep and cry, a lot is going on. Their physical, cognitive and social development is going at a great rate – three months is only around 12 weeks, but when you compare a three-month-old to a brand-new baby, you can see the differences clearly. While size is the most obvious change during this time, other crucial differences also develop. Your baby may start holding eye contact when you speak – and they will likely be getting better at recognising your voice, calming when they hear it. They can start lifting their head, and their general coordination skills begin to improve.
4-6 months
This is where all that preparatory work they’ve been putting in during their first few months becomes much more noticeable. There will likely be a real uptick in their ability to grasp objects, bringing them to their mouths as they start exploring the world around them – especially once they start teething, which can often (though not always) begin during these few months. They may start to roll over by themselves as their muscles strengthen and their coordination develops. They may also begin showing clear preferences for toys and foods.
7-9 months
This stage is an exciting one in every sense of the word. Your little one will likely be showing a much wider range of emotions, from frustration to joy and everything in between. They’re much more capable of playing interactive games with others, including things like those old favourites peek-a-boo and block stacking. Many babies get great delight out of a block tower being “accidentally” knocked over, and will quickly learn to do the same! You can also try softer stackers such as the Haakaa Silicone Star Stacker, which slots the pieces together. They can usually sit up by themselves, and many are starting to crawl. The more adventurous may even be pulling themselves up to stand, as well, so it’s a great time to get baby-proofing, making sure things like long tablecloths, cables that are dangling over the edge of the bench, or small objects that could be dangerous are tucked away, well out of reach. They’ll also likely be babbling a lot as they discover their voice – it’s not unusual for babies this age (and younger) to enjoy squealing and making a whole range of different sounds as they figure out how things work.
10-12 months
At this stage, babies will often be getting more mobile. Crawling is much more prevalent (and faster!), and more little ones will be pulling themselves up to stand – or even taking their first steps. They’ll also be getting much better with their fine motor skills. Things like the pincer grip, or pincer grasp—where they pick things up between forefinger and thumb—develop over this time period (and sometimes a little earlier). This means they’re able to pick up all manner of objects that they’ll then want to put in their mouth, so, as ever, make sure anything dangerous is kept out of reach, and keep an eye on where they’re off to and what they’re up to.
They’ll also be moving from babbling to starting to form simple words – “mama” and “dada” are very common, as they’re words they hear a lot (or variations thereof), and are relatively easy to say. As an aside, “mama” in particular tends to be very common across a huge number of languages – not because one language has been influenced by another, but because of the way language acquisition tends to work. “Ah” and “mah” sounds are among the easiest for babies to make as they are simple, with only uncomplicated movements required. As little ones grow and their coordination increases, they become more able to make complicated sounds, but mama (or mum, mummum, mummy, or mamá) sticks around. Interesting, isn’t it?
1-3 years
If there’s one thing about toddlers, it’s that they can be a lot more boisterous and adventurous than perhaps expected. They’ve learnt how to move under their own steam – and that means more than just taking a few walking steps. They rapidly learn how to run, jump, and climb, and many of them love to do all of these. This is where allowing them plenty of room to play is important. It lets them further develop their strength and coordination, and, perhaps more importantly for parents at times, gives them an opportunity to use up some of that energy – because wow do they have a lot. Their language abilities will also blossom during this time. From simple one- or two-syllable words, they’ll rapidly progress, with both general vocabulary as well as sentence complexity increasing by the day. By the age of two, there’s a good chance your child will be able to form sentences of 2-3 words (and sometimes more!). This then increases as their vocabulary increases and they become more familiar with the task of constructing sentences. Reading to them is an excellent way to improve their language skills, as it allows them to hear words they might not otherwise be exposed to in the course of a general day’s activities. Even if they don’t quite understand, you can bet they’ll be storing away what they hear to experiment with later.
At this age, you might also find your toddler growing more social. At younger ages, it’s not uncommon for babies to more play alongside each other, rather than together, but as their social skills continue to grow, they’re more likely to be able to play interactive games together, whether in pairs or as part of a small group. Emotional development will also be occurring now, and they’ll express a wide range of feelings, often without any sort of filter. The so-called ‘terrible twos’ (though this stage can occur anywhere between 18 months and three years) happens during this time and is often a result of children growing frustrated when their verbal or physical skills aren’t quite able to match what it is they want to do, whether that’s play with something or communicate in general. It can also occur when your little one wants to assert their independence and grows frustrated if they can’t. It can be a difficult stage to get through, but usually, by three years of age, they are starting to grow out of it. However, If you have concerns, always check with your healthcare provider – even if it’s just for reassurance.
This layout of stages is, of course, just a guide. There are no hard and fast rules about when exactly any given child will meet these milestones, as each child develops different skills at their own pace. Your family doctor, Well Child Tamariki Ora provider such as Plunket nurses (NZ only), or any other trusted healthcare professional can give you advice specific to your child and family circumstances. If ever you are concerned with anything about your baby’s development, ask them straight away. Otherwise, enjoy your time with your baby – they’ll be grown up in a flash!