What is child development?
Child development refers to how a child becomes able to do more complex things as they get older. Development is different than growth. Growth only refers to the child getting bigger in size
* Gross motor: using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, walk, run, etc., keeping balance, and changing positions. * Fine motor: using hands to be able to eat, draw, dress, play, write, and do many other things. * Language: speaking, using body language and gestures, communicating, and understanding what others say. * Cognitive: Thinking skills: including learning, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning, and remembering. * Social: Interacting with others, having relationships with family, friends, and teachers, cooperating, and responding to the feelings of others.
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age range.
Zero to Three offers these milestones for how children develop and the role that parents play at different stages. The emphasis here is more on social and emotional development:
Gross Motor Mean age Normal Range
In prone head up only 1 month 0 to 3 months
Head steady at shoulder 2 months 1 to 4 months
In prone head up to chest 2 months 1 to 4 months
In prone head up to forearms 3 months 2 to 5 months
In prone head up with extended arms 4 months 3 to 6 months
Rolling front to back 4 months 3 to 6 months
Rolling back to front 5 months 4 to 7 months
Sitting with support 5 months 4 to 7 months
Sitting independently 6 months 5 to 9 months
Creeping on tummy 7 months 5 to 10 months
Crawling hands and knees 8 months 6 to 11 months
Pulls to a stand 9 months 6 to 12 months
Cruises 11 months 9 to 14 months
Walking 12 months 9 to 17 months
Running 15 months 13 to 20 months
Jump on two feet 24 months 17 to