Stages Of Development

Developmental Milestone:

18-24 Months

Social-Emotional:

• Learning self confidence and self control
• Often shy
• May tantrum due to an inability to communicate

Cognitive:

• Needs lots of repetition and one-on-one attention for learning
• Understands simple one-step directions (may need help in executing directions)
• Limited attention span
• Able to memorize simple songs and games
• Uses their bodies and senses to interpret new information

Physical:

• Working on developing gross motor skills such as walking, running, squatting
• Limited ability to throw, kick and roll balls
• Learning balancing movements

Developmental Milestone:

24-36 Months

Social-Emotional:

• Shy
• Plays alongside peers rather than with peers
• Possessive (doesn’t fully understand the concept of sharing)
• Easily frustrated
• Needs transitions from one activity to the next

Cognitive:

• Increased curiosity and understanding of how things work, asks a lot of questions
• Improved memory, can follow 2-step directions (will still need help with execution)
• Improved language
• Building sense of independence
• Counts
• Better sense of self control, though still impulsive

Physical:

• Can walk up and down stairs
• Can walk on tip toes
• Can walk backwards, kick a ball forwards
• Hops on one foot
• Can throw a ball overhead and attempt to catch large balls
• Experiments through senses (touch, smell, etc)

Developmental Milestone:

3-4 Years

Social-Emotional:

• Enjoys playing with other children
• Increased importance of peer relations
• Attention seeking
• Loves to talk, be silly and tell jokes
• May have jealous feelings
• Begins to understand danger, so may be fearful

Cognitive:

• Loves creative/dramatic play and learns best through using those means
• Speaks in complex sentences and is able to understand more complex directions
• Learning to initiate action
• Has an increased desire to do things on their own
• Becomes less impulsive
• Has an eagerness for adventure, in imaginative and curious

Physical:

• Mastering running kicking, throwing, hopping and jumping
• Hops on one foot
• Able to kick a ball forward with intention

Developmental Milestone:

5 Years

Social-Emotional:

• Likes to try new things
• Likes to show off, is often boasting and seeks approval from adults
• Knows right from wrong
• Understands sharing, but doesn’t always want to share
• May express anger and frustration physically
• May be exclusive in terms of playing with others
• May get embarrassed when they make a mistake

Cognitive:

• Improved attention span and ability to concentrate
• Can follow more complex instruction
• Improved vocabulary and better grasp of language
• Likes to reason or argue
• Loves dramatic play and is more elaborate with fantasy play
• Interested in cause and effect
• Has basic understanding of time

Physical:

• Runs well, gallops, skips, hops
• Improved balance, can balance on one foot
• Is now capable of more complex body coordination skills

Developmental Milestone:

6-9 Years

Social-Emotional:

• Peer world is expanding and is more important to them
• May compare themselves to others
• May have a strong desire to do things well/right and be upset with failure
• Find criticism difficult to handle
• View things in very black and white terms (good or bad, right or wrong)
• Continue to be self-centered
• May be preoccupied with rules

Cognitive:

• Though children at these ages aren’t able to think and act like adults do, they do possess skills to understand and follow more complex instruction
• Need concrete examples (detailed description or actual demonstration) with instruction
• Increased attention span

Physical:

• Good sense of balance
• Fine motor skills are improving
• Can catch and throw balls (ability improves with age)
• Enjoys testing muscle strength