Child Development Checklists - 2 months to 6 years

What is child development?

Child development is a process every child goes through. This process involves learning and mastering skills like sitting, walking, talking, skipping, and tying shoes. Children learn these skills, called developmental milestones, during predictable time period.

This is a checklist designed to help monitor your child's development. The areas of development in this checklist include vision, hearing, gross motor, fine motor, emotional, social and communication.

Check the milestones your child has reached by the end of each age stage.

Take this with you and talk with your child’s doctor at every visit about the milestones your child has reached and what to expect next.

It is important to look at your child’s overall tendencies and clusters of behaviour. One or two concerns should not cause alarm. However, if your child is not frequently and consistently demonstrating more than a few of the listed items in each age category, print the following list, check your concerns, and discuss them with your healthcare professional.

Always talk to your health care or childcare professional if you have any questions about your child's development or well-being. This checklist was created to assist parents in recording the development and progress of their children within the certain age group. This checklist is not meant to be a substitute for the advice and/or treatment of health care and child care professionals trained to properly and professionally assess the development and progress of your child.

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At 2 months of age, does your baby:

• Suck well on the nipple?
• Feed every 2-4 hours during the day?
• Pay attention to faces?
• Follow movement with eyes?
• Startle or wake to loud or sudden noise?
• Calm when comforted by you or with rocking, touching, and gentle sounds?
• Move arms and legs?
• Have different cries?
• Briefly calm herself? (bring hands to mouth and suck on hand)
• Hold head up and begin to push up when lying on tummy or on your shoulder?
• Coo or make gurgling sounds?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• Touch your baby as you feed him/her. Hold your baby’s hand as he falls asleep. Kiss your baby 1000 times a day.
• Skin to skin can be for dads too! Especially so mom can have a break and have a shower. Have skin-to-skin cuddle time. Human touch is soothing for both you and your baby, with so many health benefits! So take off your shirt and hold baby often and stroke her gently.
• Sing and talk to your child using exaggerated tones of voice. Watch your baby's facial expressions and see how he reacts to different pitches.
• Carry your baby in a sling or front carrier on walks or as you go about your daily routine.
• Put your baby to sleep on her back, on a firm, flat surface.
• Dad can definitely be the funny guy. Make silly faces that will make your baby glow with a smile. As your baby gets older try fun games like peekaboo.
• Dads! Keep baby close by strapping on the carrier while you tackle household chores like vacuuming. Plus, it's double duty: baby bonding with daddy and cleaning up around the house.

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At four months of age does your baby:

• Follow a moving object or your face with their eyes?
• Glance from one object to another?
• React excitedly to sound, especially to your voice?
• Distinguish parents from other caregivers, especially the mother; tries to get her attention.
• Make sounds when looking at toys or people?
• Respond to you by making sounds and moving arms and legs?
• Laugh and smile or squeal in response to others' actions?
• Pushe up head and chest while on stomach, supporting self on elbows?
• Reach for objects?
• Hold head to steady went supported at the chest?
• Hold an object even if it's just momentarily when placed in hand?
• When you put a toy in baby’s hand, does your baby hold onto it for about 1 minute while looking at it, waving it about, or trying to chew it?
• When your baby sees the breast or bottle, does he seem to know he is about to be fed?
• Finish each feeding with in 45 minutes?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• You can only spoil fruits and vegetables. Your baby needs to feel safe and trust that you will come when they need you. You won't spoil your baby by holding her.
• No matter how terrible your voice is singing lullabies, or how horrible the song is that you just made up, your baby likes your voice the most. Sing, read, or say nursery rhymes.
• Be sure to give your baby plenty of tummy time. Your baby loves your face most, so be sure to get down to his level. Move bright coloured toys in front of your baby to encourage him to lift his head.
• Your baby loves gentle massages. When your baby is quiet and happy (you won't want to try it on a fussy baby) take 10 to 15 minutes to gently rub her legs, belly, arms, and neck.
• Dad can definitely be the funny guy. Make silly faces that will make your baby glow with a smile. As your baby gets older try fun games like peekaboo.
• Continue to bond with you baby by rocking your baby and holding your baby close. Making eye contact, talking to your baby, and having quiet time together everyday is how your baby learns to trust you.
• Dads! Keep baby close by strapping on the carrier while you tackle household chores like vacuuming. Plus, it's double duty: baby bonding with daddy and cleaning up around the house.

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At six months of age does your baby:

• Make high-pitched squeals?
• Recognize familiar faces and begin know if someone is a stranger?
• Reach for objects in view?
• Sit with support (pillows, bumbo chair, lean on his/her hands.)
• Bring hands or toys to mouth?
• Pull at your hair, glasses or lips?
• Sleep and feed at more predictable times?
• Roll from back to side?
• Grunt when unhappy?
• Respond to his/her name?
• Have different cries for when he or she is hungry, wet, tired?
• Push up on his or her hands when on tummy, rock or try to get into a crawling position by getting up on her hands and knees?
• Smile when given attention?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• Your growing baby now may be interested in food! It’s a good time to find out what to feed your baby.
• Give your baby plenty of tummy time and use toys to try and encourage your baby to be active.
• Play peek-a-boo and use a variety of facial expressions while you talk
• Allow baby to explore age appropriate toys with their mouth and tongue (be sure that the toys are large enough so that baby does not risk choking)
• Read with baby. “Reading” can simply mean describing pictures without following the written words.
• Encourage two-way communication. When baby coos or babbles, be sure to respond and take turns in “conversation”.
• A consistent bedtime schedule is very important to helping your baby sleep through the night. Choose a part of the routine you want to be involved in like bathtime. This will help baby understand that when Dad says its bathtime, it's will be bedtime soon too.
• When I try to tell you something by looking, reaching, smiling or crying, try to understand what I may be saying and say it with words.
• Teach your baby how to kick his legs in the bathtub or put fun colourful sock on your baby’s feet to encourage him to grab his legs.

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At nine months of age does your baby:

• Sit without support?
• Start to move with alternate leg and arm movement? (crawling)
• Understand small instructions? (“wave bye!”, “no. don’t touch.”)
• Pick up small items with thumb and first finger? (eat cheerios)
• Play games like peek-a-boo with you?
• Fuss or cry if you look or behave differently?
• Stand with support when holding your babies hands into standing position?
• Hold and drink from a bottle and places pacifier in mouth?
• Mimic facial expressions and gestures?
• Look for a toy you have hidden?
• Start to look and reach for food that is nearby?
• Focus on objects near and far?
• Make sounds or gestures to get help or your attention?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• Give your baby things to make noise! (Pots, pans and spoons.)
• Snuggle and cuddle your baby throughout the day, still having your quiet time.
• Let your baby join at the supper table. Even if your baby is not eating, it’s a great opportunity to foster family time and start a healthy mealtime routine. Give your baby lots of opportunities to feed himself.
• Read your baby books with short sentences and simple pictures. Be sure to let your baby hold the book and turn pages. Don’t worry if you miss pages and the story doesn’t make sense. Your baby may like to read the same book over and over and over again! That’s okay too! Babies like repetition.
• Teaching you baby now to drop toys into buckets when he empty’s them, or put objects into containers, helps your baby learn the fine art of “tidying up” early!
• Children wake up to a whole new world every day. This means that we are seeing many things that you have seen 1000 times before, for the first time. Be sure to make time to notice all of the little things, put names to objects I notice. (“The snow is falling! Burr! Snow is cold.”)

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At Twelve months does your baby:

• Take things out of containers?
• Stand and/or pull up to furniture?
• Pick up small items using tips of fingers?
• Hold, Bite and chew crackers?
• Understand simple requests and questions? (“Where is the doggie?”, “Find your ball!”)
• Combine sounds together? (“dah-dee” “eeah- dooo”)
• Constantly use three or more words? (They don’t need to be clear)
• Show emotions such as mad, happy, sad, fear and affection?
• Start games with you or show you toys?
• Clap Hands?
• Dance?
• Eats an increasing variety of foods?
• Wanting to be more independent? (feed self with spoon, kick pants off when trying to get him dressed)
• Uses mamma and dada in proper context?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• Learning to walk takes lots of practice! Encourage your baby to use props and push chairs, toys, boxes and laundry baskets across the floor.
• Give baby brainy games to play with. (cups that stack in one another)
• Have baby look at their reflection in the mirror and point out each body part
• Read daily from big, colorful books and let baby turn the pages
• Keep track of where baby is in their feeding development. Well meaning friends and family may give baby food inappropriate for their age.
• Introduce baby to new textures through food, toys, clothes, sponges, etc.
• If baby is already walking, let them try riding toys that they can sit on and scoot across the floor.
• Encourage baby to dance and sway to music.

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At 15 months of age, does your baby:

• Recognize some body parts?
• Climb the stairs?
• Repeat actions that make you laugh?
• Show an interest in pictures?
• Imitate simple words and actions?
• Try to squat to pick up a toy?
• Remove her socks?
• Use connected sounds that seem like stories?
• Pick up and eat finger food?
• Imitate some animal sounds?
• Stack objects?
• Have more of a predictable/regular sleep schedule?
• Eat an increasing variety of foods?
• Respond to their name being called?
• Try to use sounds and words to tell/show you something while pointing/reaching and looking at you?

Here are some activities for you and your baby to help encourage development:

• Give your baby opportunities to play with stuffed animals/dolls and show him how to be caring. Use actions and words like, “gentle, so soft.” Show him how to feed, rock, put to bed or bathe the doll/stuffed animal.
• Put on some silly songs with lyrics that give listeners instructions like “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”. Dance with baby while following song directions.
• Let baby play with a musical instrument. Babies love hearing sounds they make by beating a drum or playing notes on a piano. You can make a drum, by using a wooden spoon and box/tin.
• Blow bubbles for baby. Let baby touch them, watch them soar through sky and pop when they land.
• Fill up a bucket with blocks of different sizes, textures and colors. Ensure that none are small enough to be swallowed if baby decides to explore them with their mouth. Allow baby to explore the blocks with all of their senses.
• Go through family photos with baby and encourage them to point out familiar family members.
• Read to your baby. Encourage them to point out familiar objects in the illustrations.
• Your baby still needs quiet time with you, without background noises.
• Help your baby find ways to self soothe, and calm themselves when upset- cuddling, favourite blanket/ toy.

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At 18 months of age, does your toddler:

• Walk alone?
• Squat to pick up toys?
• Stack blocks?
• Show affection towards people or his toys?
• Look at you when she talks?
• Repeat words overheard in conversation?
• Eats a variety of coarsely chopped table foods?
• Hold and drinks from a cup?
• Point at familiar objects and people in pictures?
• Understands “in” and “on”?
• Have a regular sleep schedule?
• Point to show you something?
• Help you with dressing by putting out arms and legs?
• Walk up a few stairs while holding your hand?
• Say 20 or more words? (They don’t need to be clear!)

Here are some activities for you and your toddler to help encourage development:

• Don’t be afraid to let your toddler take risks. Your toddler needs practise running, climbing, jumping, swinging, going up and down stairs/slides.
• Stay close, because I may get hurt and need a hug/kiss!
• Let your toddler explore play-doh and crayons on paper! Remember, its not about the finished product, but the learning process!
• Help your toddler pick out familiar sounds like, trucks, horns, birds and dogs barking.
• Make animal noises and encourage your toddler to imitate you. Encourage him by clapping and smiling!
• Your child is watching you, and wants to do things like you! Let your child help sweep, play dress up or pretend to cook.
• Children thrive with routine. Your toddler will know what comes next and feel safe and secure with routine. Show your toddler what is expected of her by making rules and setting limits.
• Encourage your toddler to kick a ball on the ground. Gradually build up to rolling ball so she can kick it while in motion.

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At 2 years of age, does your toddler:

• Ask for help using words?
• Usually play with toys in pretend play, without mouthing them?
• Enjoy sitting to listen or look at book?
• Use both hands equally to play and explore toys?
• Try to run?
• Eat with a utensil, with a little spilling?
• Play in a squat position?
• Make scribbles and dots on paper or in sand?
• Copy your actions? (when you clap, he claps.)
• Able to self calm in car rides when not tired or hungry?
• Able to self soothe when upset?
• Can be away from parents when with supportive and familiar people?
• Say “no”, and try to do some things without help?

Here are some activities for you and your toddler to help encourage development:

• Your toddler is learning about his/her feelings. Give his feelings words, and show him that you understand.
• Give your toddler cups to pour water into and from, in the bath.
• Help your toddler become independent by encouraging her to get dressed, do housework, open containers and close doors.
• Provide toys that allow your child to be active! Don’t be afraid to let your toddler take risks. Your toddler needs practise running, climbing, jumping, swinging, going up and down stairs/slides. Stay close, because I may get hurt and need a hug/kiss!

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At 2.5 years of age, does your toddler:

• Name common objects and people?
• Recognize themselves in pictures or mirrors?
• Copy what the older kids are doing?
• Show an interest in singing with you?
• Play well with other children?
• When playing, will your toddler act out daily routines? (Like, cleaning, feeding doll.)
• Scribble on paper?
• Remove clothing that’s already unzipped or undone?
• Jump off a step or off ground with both feet?
• Drink from a cup and put it back down without spilling? (some accidents are okay!)
• Use word endings when speaking? (monkeys, cookies, sleeping.)
• Listen to stories?
• Kick a ball?

Here are some activities for you and your toddler to help encourage development:

• Playing dress up with your toddler will help grow his/her imagination! Use old clothes, jewellery, boxes or anything that you can use with imagination to play. Your toddler will act out things that are familiar, and this will help your child learn about relationships.
• Homemade play dough with tools for rolling, cutting and poking help your child grow sensory abilities. Tasting a clump of play dough is normal.
• Use cookie cutters, or even more delicious, MAKE COOKIES!
• Give your toddler opportunities to play with other children his age.
• Gluing and pasting objects to paper is a really great activity. Let your toddler use safety scissors and explore cutting!
• Keep your toddler active by playing his or her favourite music! Have races, do some yoga! (easily downloaded on youtube)
• Building with blocks and getting to knock things down is the best form of excitement!
• Encourage your toddler to be independent and allow them to pick out clothes for the day! It’s totally okay if you think they look silly, or their socks don’t match!
• Letting your toddler help with household chores, it encourages responsibility.

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At 3 years of age, does your child:

• Speak clearly? (understood all the time by family?)
• Carry on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences?
• Follow instructions with 2 or 3 steps?
• Turns book pages one at a time?
• Build towers of more than 6 blocks?
• Screw and unscrew jar lids or turn door handle?
• Show concern and affection for crying friends using words and actions?
• Show a wide range of emotions, and uses facial expression?
• Dress or undress without help?
• Co-operate with parent’s requests…. (Half of the time?)
• Throw a ball forward?
• Walk up and down the stairs, using hand rail?
• Share… some of the time?
• Listen to stories, books, or music for more than 5-10 minutes?
• Draw a circle and a cross, even if its tracing yours?
• Have a complete set of baby teeth.

Here are some activities for you and your child to help encourage development:

• Your child loves to laugh and is learning how to develop a sense of humour! Being silly and playing silly games, will help your child to know what is funny. Draw pictures of a fish with a moustache or a snake with legs!
• Your child may be afraid of things that didn't bother them before. Cuddle and help your child feel protected and safe.
• Fill up a craft box so your child can be creative using glue, yarn, wood, Clay, scissors, pencils, markers, odds and ends.
• Give your child chances to use scissors, glue, markers and crayons. Remember it's not with the furnished product looks like, but rather the process.
• Make reading a family time, before bed. Use your voice to change between characters and make it exciting! Your child may ask you to read the same book over and over, and that's okay! It just means your child needs/ and is getting something from that book.
• Children around three years of age should have a vision, hearing, and dental check up!
• Ask your healthcare professional or visit a public health agency where the services are available in your community!

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At 4 years of age, does your Child:

• Dress and undress themselves?
• Snip paper with sissors?
• Pretend to be a mom or dad during play.
• Are noticeably more independent.
• Build a tower of 10 blocks.
• Use sentences of 5 to 6 words.
• Look for adult approval? (“Dad! Watch this!”)
• Ask and answer a lot of questions?
• Speak clearly enough for strangers to understand them.
• Say rhymes or sing children’s songs?
• Can describe something that has happened to them.
• Tell a short story as well as recall parts of a story.
• Tell what is happening in a picture when you ask?
• Stand on one foot.
• Move forward and backwards easily.
• Can go up and down stairs without holding on to anything for support.
• Take turns and share with other children when in small group activities?
• Draw a person with 3 or more body parts?
• Use a toilet during the day?
• Try to comfort someone when upset?

Here are some activities for you and your child to help encourage development:

• Your child needs to be heard so they know that they are special. Listen when she talks to you. Be sure to stop whatever you are doing whether it's a phone call or dishes, and genuinely listen to your child.
• Give your child opportunities to play with other children. If your child is not in school, they need to be involved in group activities on a regular basis.
• Your child is never too old or too big to be hugged!
• Children thrive on routines so try to keep predictable bedtime routine's and morning routines.
• Help your child practice skills such as lacing, drawing, cutting and gluing!
• Set up an obstacle course that your child can practice gross motor skills such as walking, skipping, jumping over things and running.
• Your child will learn best by playing and through using his or her imagination. Monitor computer, TV and video game use, and encourage your child to be more active outside.

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At 5 years of age, does your Child:

• Separate easily from you?
• Recognize most letters of the alphabet?
• Can count 10 or more objects?
• Know the names of at least 4 colours?
• Understand the basic concepts of time?
• Know what household objects are used for, such as money, food, or appliances?
• Count out loud on fingers to answer “how many are there?”
• Agree to rules most of the time?
• Show independence?
• Usually play well with others?
• Able to distinguish fantasy from reality but enjoy playing make-believe and dress-up?
• Carry on a meaningful conversation with another person?
• Tell longer stories about own past-tense experiences?
• Cooperate adult requests most of the time?
• Somersault and possibly skip?
• Swing and climb?
• Hop on one foot?
• Walk straight on a line only steeping off once or twice?
• Use the toilet by themselves? (They may still wet the bed, though.)
• Draw or copy lines, simple shapes and a few letters?
• Draw a person with a head, a body, arms, and legs?
• Dress and undress themselves? (although they may still need help tying shoelaces.)
• Eat with a fork, spoon, and possibly a flatware knife?

Here are some activities for you and your child to help encourage development:

• Your child is going to love the park or playground, allowing your child to climb swing slide and explore the equipment on her own and try new things, teaches them how to take risks. Let them play, and use imaginations. Try to limit the amount you tell them "no" or to "stop" unless your child is in danger.
• Why can't your child run up the slide? don't you remember how much fun it was when you ran up a slide as a child?
• Help your child feel important and give them a few simple jobs.
• Fill up a craft box so your child can be creative using glue, yarn, wood, Clay, scissors, pencils, markers, odds and ends.
• Help your child learn about feelings of others through stories, movies and books. Characters in books and movies have feelings and experiences, are afraid or have a things to overcome similar to your child. Sometimes as parents it's hard for us to understand why something so simple is such a big deal for children. that's why relating to a certain character, helps children feel as though they are not alone.
• Play games like, hide and seek, and tag! This helps your child learn rules, how do you take turns, counting and winning or losing.
• Your child has lots to say! Take opportunities to talk throughout the day about things that are interesting to your child. When your child comes to you it's especially important to genuinely be interested and listen. It's only for a few minutes, so be sure to stop whatever you are doing, hang up the phone, or stop doing dishes, get down to your childs eye level and listen.

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At 6 years of age, does your Child:

• Skip across a room?
• Walk on a curb or parking beam without falling?
• Copy shapes, lines and letters?
• Cut out simple shapes?
• Know right from left on own body?
• Understand some words about time and order? (Morning, yesterday, last, next...)
• Catch a ball?
• Skip with ease?
• Usually have good balance and enjoy running, jumping, skipping, and other forms of physical play?
• Dress themself?
• Speak clearly enough to be understood by everybody?
• Are able to describe a favourite television show, movie, story, or other activity?
• Tell about own experiences and ask about yours?
• Understand and identify sounds at the beginning of some words? ("what does ball start with?" "Buh")
• Can hold a pencil or crayon properly?
• Recognize some simple and familiar words?
• Tell you their age and birthday?
• Complete washroom routines without help?
• Listen while others are speaking?
• Help others?
• Play cooperatively with two or more children? (20 minutes)

Here are some activities for you and your child to help encourage development:

• "Monkey see, monkey do!" Your child is watching and learns best by example. You are teaching your child the difference between right and wrong.
• Your child is learning how to express emotions. Helping your child to understand that it's OK to be angry but it's not OK to hurt others, hurt themselves, or break things. Teach him to use his words by first recognizing when he is angry and putting a name to that feeling. Helping your child find other things he can do when he feels this way, rather than telling him what to do.
• Your child is ready to be more independent and wants to explore the neighbourhood. Once your child shows you that they know the safety rules, encourage your child to use a bicycle to visit friends in the neighbourhood. (with you, of course.)
• It is OK for your child to say "no" to his or her friends and adults when they feel uncomfortable. You are showing your child respect and how to be respectful when you are not forcing them to hug a family member. The same goes for being affectionate, try your best to match your child's comfort level when reading a book or saying good night.
• Take the time out of your week to watch a TV show or movie with your child. They have lots of questions and you would have the best answers.
• Encourage "family fun" time. you can all go for a walk or learn how to ride a bike, Play a board game when it's raining or even bake cookies together!
• At this age children may be afraid of the dark, thunderstorms, animals and monsters. Reading books about fears, listening to your child tell you about his or her fears and talking about when you were a kid with the same fear, will help your child feel safe.

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Remember: Always talk to your health care or childcare professional if you have any questions about your child's development or well-being. This checklist was created to assist parents in recording the development and progress of their children within the certain age group. This checklist is not meant to be a substitute for the advice and/or treatment of health care and child care professionals trained to properly and professionally assess the development and progress of your child.

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