Children and young peoples development from birth to 19 years
Physical Development
Birth to 3 month
Babies develop basic reflexes that they need to survive e.g. sucking, swallowing, coughing, gagging, elimination, grasping, blinking and startling
Babies keep their hands clenched in fist most of the time
Babies can turn from side to back
Arm and leg movements are jerky and uncontrolled
Babies turn their head towards the light an stare at bright and shiny objects
Babies use their fingers to grasp the carers fingers
Can lift head and chest off the bed in prone position, supported on forearms
Can kick vigorously, both separately and together
Babies can hold a rattle for a brief time before dropping it
4 months to 6 months
Will begin to use a palmer grasp and can transfer objects from one hand to the other
Can move his or her head around to follow people and objects has good head control and can sit with support when supine the baby plays with his or her own feet
Explores objects by shaking, hitting, turning, dropping, and throwing.
Might be able to hold his or her own bottle
6 months to 9 months
Can roll from front to back
May grasp his or her feet and place them in his or her mouth
Can sit without support for long periods of time
Begins to use the pincer grip with thumb and index finger
Explores everything by putting it into his or her mouth
9 months to 12 months
Can sit up on his or her own and can lean forward to pick up things
May be able to crawl upstairs and onto low items of furniture
Pincer grip is now well developed
Can clasp hands and imitate adults actions
Can throw toys deliberately 1 to 2 years
Can probably walk alone, with feet wide apart and arms raised to maintain balance
Can stand up without holding furniture or people and can kneel without support
Can point to desired objects
Can walk confidently and can stop without falling
Can climb onto an adults chair forward and then turn around to sit
Can thread large beads
Can build a tower of several
Birth to 3 month
Babies develop basic reflexes that they need to survive e.g. sucking, swallowing, coughing, gagging, elimination, grasping, blinking and startling
Babies keep their hands clenched in fist most of the time
Babies can turn from side to back
Arm and leg movements are jerky and uncontrolled
Babies turn their head towards the light an stare at bright and shiny objects
Babies use their fingers to grasp the carers fingers
Can lift head and chest off the bed in prone position, supported on forearms
Can kick vigorously, both separately and together
Babies can hold a rattle for a brief time before dropping it
4 months to 6 months
Will begin to use a palmer grasp and can transfer objects from one hand to the other
Can move his or her head around to follow people and objects has good head control and can sit with support when supine the baby plays with his or her own feet
Explores objects by shaking, hitting, turning, dropping, and throwing.
Might be able to hold his or her own bottle
6 months to 9 months
Can roll from front to back
May grasp his or her feet and place them in his or her mouth
Can sit without support for long periods of time
Begins to use the pincer grip with thumb and index finger
Explores everything by putting it into his or her mouth
9 months to 12 months
Can sit up on his or her own and can lean forward to pick up things
May be able to crawl upstairs and onto low items of furniture
Pincer grip is now well developed
Can clasp hands and imitate adults actions
Can throw toys deliberately 1 to 2 years
Can probably walk alone, with feet wide apart and arms raised to maintain balance
Can stand up without holding furniture or people and can kneel without support
Can point to desired objects
Can walk confidently and can stop without falling
Can climb onto an adults chair forward and then turn around to sit
Can thread large beads
Can build a tower of several