Milestones, Look at me!

Do you ever wonder what your child should
be able to do at each age?

How is my Child Developing is a brochure developed by Prince George community service providers, providing information for parents on children from 3 months to 5 years old. If you would like a hard copy of the brochure containing the information below, come see us! We are on the 2nd floor of the Northern Interior Health Unit , 1444 Edmonton Street (across from the hospital) or phone Children First at 250-565-7331.

Remember there is a wide range of normal development and that each child will develop at his or her own pace. Should you have any concerns, please call any of the contact numbers below.

How is my Child Developing

3 months 6 months 9 months 12-15 months 18 months   24 months 3 years 4 years 5 years

Nine out of ten children have mastered these skills by the age indicated.

 

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By 3 months your baby should . . .

• Look at and follow your face when you are close to her 
• Smile, make cooing sounds, and suck well on the nipple 
• Enjoy being touched and cuddled 
• Stop crying when comforted

By 3-4 months your child should turn her head towards a sound or your voice and smile in response to others. Mention to your doctor if your infant consistently prefers to turn or tilt her head to one side only.

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By 6 months your baby should . . .

• Laugh and copy sounds made by a caregiver 
• Bang, shake and bring a toy to mouth 
• Swallow without tongue thrust and gagging 
• Roll over 
• Reach for a toy

By 6 months your baby should lift her chest up off a flat surface

By 6 months your child should be able to lift her chest up off a flat surface when lying on her tummy by pushing on her arms and straightening her elbows. See your doctor if you find your baby feels very floppy or very stiff.

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By 9 months your baby should . . .

• Begin pointing 
• Copy actions (e.g., wave bye, clap hands) 
• Sit by herself 
• Begin to crawl 
• Play with objects placed in hands 
• Use thumb and finger when picking up small pieces of soft food 
• Hand you objects 
• Probably be guarded with strangers

By 9 months your baby should be able to sit by him or herself

By 10 months your child should be saying lots of different sounds (babbling) and even be laughing out loud. Speak to your doctor if your baby consistently ignores one hand.

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By 12-15 months your baby should . . .

• Copy actions with everyday things (e.g., tries to comb hair, talk on phone) 
• Use many different connected sounds that sound like sentences (e.g., jargon) 
• Look at books and turn several pages at one time 
• Begin to say first word (e.g., up, more, all gone) 
• Point to some body parts (e.g., where is your nose) 
• Follow one-step directions (e.g., get your diaper) 
• Begin to crawl around the room, start pulling to stand and may stand alone 
• Be moving around furniture and may begin walking 
• Feed self finger foods 
• Move things from hand to hand

By 12-15 months your baby should begin to be able to say first words (e.g., up, more, all gone)

By 12 months your child should be interacting playfully with others (e.g, enjoys peek-a-boo, or patty cake).

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By 18 months your baby should . . .

• Be walking alone 
• Stack three or more blocks 
• Squat down and play 
• Try to feed self and try to hold own cup

By 18 months your toddler should be walking alone

By 19 months your child should use approximately 50 words

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By 24 months your child should . . .

• Use two word sentences (e.g., “more cookie”) 
• Walk up and down stairs with help 
• Follow two directions at a time (e.g., “Go get your boots and then put them on.”) 
• Eat with a spoon spilling little 
• Like running, climbing 
• Do several actions with one toy (e.g., dials phone, puts phone to ear and talks) 
• Turn pages one at a time and is interested in pictures 
• Talk about herself using her own name 
• Start to put pieces in a puzzle board

By 24 months your child should be able to follow two directions at a time

Ask your doctor if your child mostly walks on her toes, or if your child was walking well but now seems weaker or more clumsy.

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By 3 years your child should . . .

• Walk confidently with few stumbles and avoid bumping into objects 
• Show interest in toileting or be toilet trained 
• Follow longer directions (e.g., put on your coat, come outside and get a shovel.”) 
• Use short sentences (at least three words) 
• Begin to ask simple questions 
• Jump off floor with both feet 
• Understand words like big, little, one, all 
• Pretend with toys and act out a familiar event (e.g., act out a trip to the doctor) 
• Snip paper with scissors 
• Match colours (e.g., put the same coloured blocks together) 
• Begin to copy or imitate nursery rhymes
• Watch or copy other children 

 

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 By 4 years your child should . . .

• Listen to stories 
• Join sentences with “and” 
• Be mostly understood by others 
• Enjoy climbing on playground equipment and riding a tricycle 
• Stand on one foot briefly 
• Not always be able to distinguish reality from fantasy 
• Be interested in letters and numbers and can name 1 - 2 colours 
• Sing rhymes by herself
• Pull clothes on and off by self 
• Hold a pencil in an adult fashion 
• Draw a person with about five body parts (e.g., nose, eyes) 
• Copy a circle 
• Enjoy cooperative play with other children 
• Stay with an activity for at least three or four minutes 
• Play alone for 10 or more minutes 
• Go up and down stairs alternating feet, holding a railing 

By 4 years your child should enjoy cooperative play with other children

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By 5 years your child should . . .

• Count to 10 and say names of several colours 
• Use almost all adult sounds 
• Cut on a line 
• Tell stories 
• Show definite sense of humour 
• Memorize pattern books (e.g., Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?) 
• Hop on one foot 
• Run lightly on toes 
• Throw and catch a ball 
• Draw a person with nine body parts 
• Dress self with little help 
• Take care of own toilet needs

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Contact Numbers

Health Unit 250-565-7311

Your Family Doctor

Child Development Centre 250-563-7168

Infant Development Program 250-564-6408

Aboriginal Infant and Family Development Program 250-564-5941