Children's_Development

A basic outline of the expected pattern of children’s development. 3 months Physical development - Can hold their head up for several seconds and lift their head and chest when lying on tummy. - Can hold rattle for a few moments, but cannot usually look at it, at the same time. - Legs are not strong enough for holding weight when standing. Intellectual development - Follows adults with eyes, moves head where the noise comes from. - Shows eagerness when offered milk. - Presses palms together, and clasps hands. Communication - Makes noises when happy. - Turns head to sound. - Stops crying to sound of rattle. Emotional development - Quietens to sound of familiar voice. - Shows pleasure when handled, and talked to. - Shows distress at loud noises and excitement at sounds, which he likes.  Social development - Smiles. - Stares at parent or carer when being fed. - Reacts happily to familiar situations. 6 months Physical development - Lifts head and chest up higher now, when lying on tummy - Plays with feet when lying on back. Sits upright supported. - Kicks legs alternately. Will take weight on legs when held. Bounces. Rolls over. Intellectual development - Stares at toys within reach, and grabs toy with both hands.  - Uses whole hand to hold toys. Palmar grasp. - Passes toy from hand to hand. Watches toy fall. Communication - Starts to make tuneful double or single syllable sounds, eg 'muh-muh'. - Turns to where familiar voice comes from. Listens to voice. - Laughs to self while playing, also screams with delight and with irritation. Emotional development - Holds hands up to be lifted. - Touches breast or bottle when being fed. - Manipulates toys very well. Watches them at the same time. Social development - Is still friendly with strangers unless startled or familiar adult isn't there. - Loves 'Rough and Tumble' play. 9 months Physical development - Pulls to standing. But will not be able to lower himself back down. - Sits up unsupported. - Rolls along, wriggles and may crawl. Intellectual development - Recognises names. - Still learns about objects by putting them into mouth. - Points at books and pictures. Communication - Babbles away to self, in melodically repetitive syllables, eg 'Mamamama'. - Knows the meaning of 'bye' and 'NO!' - Shouts for attention, waits and repeats. Emotional development - Has favourite toys. - Starts to be wilful and have tantrums. - Likes to watch surroundings while being carried. Social development - Recognises family members. - Loves peek-a-boo, and may join in. - Offers toys to adults, but only drops toy into hand. Cannot place. 12 months Physical development - Might crawl upstairs. - Sits up easily from lying down. - May stand alone. Pulls self to standing from sitting, and down again. - Walks with hands held. Either one or both. Sits unaided for longer periods. May walk alone. Intellectual development - Loves to bang two toys/bricks together to make a sound. - Points at objects. Puts things in containers. Takes things out of containers. - Loves to bang two toys/bricks together to make a sound. Communication - Understands certain simple everyday words, such as cup or teddy. - May use a few words. Copies others. - Knows how to follow simple instructions. Emotional development - Shows affection. - Greets familiar adults with great pleasure form some distance. - Doesn't like to be parted from parent/carer. Social development - Puts toys in mouth less, and drools less. - Holds out arm or foot to help dress. - Can drink from cup with lid. Feeds self messily. 15 months Physical development - Manages stairs up, and sometimes down. - Sits down with a bump. May walk unaided but with uneven wide steps, and uses arms for balance. - Falls over frequently when walking. Intellectual development - Plays with bricks and can build tower of two. - Uses a very precise pincer grasp to pick up small things. - Uses both hands to hold pencil/crayon using the palmar grasp. Will scribble to and fro Communication - If wants something, will point at it. - Understands many words. Obeys simple instructions like 'give me your cup, please' - Points to named people or toys. Emotional development - Shows a lot of affection to family. - Still needs constant reassurance from parent/carer. Social development - Short attention span. - Chews larger pieces of food now. Better at using a cup and spoon. - Curious with new people. 18 months Physical development - Walks very well without needing arms for balance - Can manoeuvre large boxes and toys. - Runs but not when things in the way. Intellectual development - Scribbles backwards and forwards and does dots. - Will now build a three brick tower - Notices very small objects, and instantly picks up with precise pincer grasp. Communication - Loves to try and sing nursery rhymes. - Obeys simple requests, such as 'bring me your coat.' - Points and uses single words when wants something or shouts. Emotional development - Pretend play includes doll play and simple domestic play - Loves to explore and try everything out, without a sense of danger - Still needs familiar adult to be close by. Social development - Can help to undress self but not dress. - Can use cup without lid but spills a little, holds with both hands.  - Can feed self with spoon, but still plays with food. 2 years Physical development - Able to manoeuvre large toys with wheels. - Can run easily and round objects in the way. - Uses furniture to climb up high, and gets down again by self. Intellectual development - When shown a photo of someone known, will be able to identify them. - Scribbles in circles, back and forth and dots. Will copy a line and occasionally a V - Six cube tower. Communication - Recognises and points to more body parts - Loves to sing nursery rhymes. - Can speak around 50 words. Again, can understand many more than that. Emotional development - Likes dress-up games. - Wants instant gratification of requests, very reluctant to compromise. - Likes to role-play and pretend play. Social development - Says 'MINE' a lot when others try to play with favourite toys. - Drinks from a cup with no lid without spilling. Can spoon-feed self with no problems. - More ready for toilet training. 2,5 years Physical development - Still puts both feet on each step when coming downstairs. - Can run really well. - Jumps off bottom step feet together. Intellectual development - Loves to pick out small details in pictures in books. - Can now identify himself in a photo. - Holds his pencil with a better tripod grasp. Communication - Now can say at least 200 words. - During play, will talk about what he's doing. - Knows difference between you, me and I. Emotional development - Doesn't have an awareness of danger yet. - Still needs to be near parent or carer. - Tantrums are still happening but are less easy to stop. Social development - More realistic roll play. - When going to the toilet, he'll pull his pants down, but needs help to pull back up. - Might be able to last the whole night without wetting. 3 years Physical development - Uses the pedals on a trike, and steers well. - Moves large toys about easily. Sits on bottom with ankles crossed - Steers and runs round obstructions with ease. Intellectual development - May name all colours but sometimes mixes up blue and green. - Can copy a circle, a V, T, H and a cross. - Able to thread big beads and built 9-block high towers and small bridges with bricks. Communication - Can recite numbers up to 10 but only able to count 3 objects. - Able to have simple conversations with others. - Recites more rhymes and can sing some songs. Emotional development - Pretend play is more dramatic and incorporates made up objects and people. - Loves helping with the housework and other chores. - Will show a little understanding of past and present Social development - Tidies up well. - Still requires help with buttons, laces, zips, etc. - Plays well with others, during pretend play. 4 years Physical development - Can use ladders and will climb up trees. - Better with ball games. Can throw, catch and kick well, and can now bounce a ball. - Runs upstairs with total efficiency. Intellectual development - Can build 10-brick high tower, bridges and can copy 6-brick steps. - May decide what drawing/painting is before it's done. Now draws people with heads, bodies, legs, and mostly with arms and fingers too. - Knows primary colours. Communication - Can count 4 or 5 objects, and can recite up to 20. - Can sing several songs or rhymes. Knows own name, age and address. - Very inquisitive, always asking questions such as 'what does that mean'' Emotional development - Understands about past, present and future. - Sympathetic to little brother/sister or friends when hurt or upset. - Loves Vivid pretend play and dress-up. Social development - Now has best friends. Is sometimes hostile and sometimes friendly. - Able to get dressed and undressed by self but not yet able to manage some hard to reach buttons and laces. - Expertly uses fork and spoon when eating. 5 years Physical development - Expert at all outdoor activities such as swinging, climbing and sliding. - Can now balance on either foot easily for about 10 seconds. Hops for longer. - Able to walk along a thin line. Intellectual development - Can now draw figures with all features, including head, body, arm, legs and face. - Now knows more colours and can match well. Excellent handling of pens and pencils. - Can now copy a square, a triangle, and L, H, V, Y, X, T, O, U, C and A Communication - Will now recite own name, address, age and sometimes knows birthday. - Still loves to listen to stories, and will use them in play later. - Only confuses the letter S with TH, or F with TH now. Emotional development - Has definite best friends with whom he is usually friendly and obliging. - In pretend play, will carry on stories to the next day. - Normal conduct more restrained reasonable and self-sufficient. Social development - Lots of complex play, using more and more imagination. - Shares very well and doesn't argue very much. - Can now get dressed and undressed by self. 7 years Physical development - Large muscles in arms and legs are more developed than small muscles. Children can bounce a ball and run, but it is difficult to do both at the same time. - Even though children are tired, they may not want to rest. You will need to plan time for them to rest. Intellectual development - Things tend to be black or white, right or wrong, great or disgusting, fun or boring to them. There is very little middle ground - With increased ability to think and reason, they enjoy different types of activities, such as clubs, games with rules, and collecting things. - They are still very self-centered although they are beginning to think of others. Communication - With an increased ability to remember and pay attention, their ability to speak and express ideas can grow rapidly. - When you suggest something, they may say, "That's dumb," or, "I don't want to do it." Social and emotional development - They are beginning to see things from another child's point of view, but they still have trouble understanding the feelings and needs of other people. - Many children need help to express their feelings in appropriate ways when they are upset or worried. 10 years Physical development - Is interested in developing strength, skill, and speed; likes more complicated crafts and work-related tasks - Engages in active, rough-and-tumble play (especially boys); has great interest in team games. - Girls are beginning to develop faster than boys Intellectual development - Capable of prolonged interest; can do more abstract thinking and reasoning. - Likes reading, writing, and using books and references. - Likes to collect things. Emotional development - May have some behaviour problems, especially if not accepted by others. - Is becoming very independent, dependable, and trustworthy. Social development - Is very group and club oriented but always with same sex; -  boys, especially, begin to test and exercise a great deal of independence. - Is most interested in friends and social activities; likes group adventures and cooperative play. 12 – 15 Physical development - Experiences sudden and rapid increases in height, weight, and strength with the onset ofadolescence. - Girls are gradually reaching physical and sexual maturity. Boys are beginning to mature physically and sexually. Intellectual development - Needs to feel important in world and to believe in something - Increasingly able to memorize; to think logically about concepts; to engage in introspection and probing into own thinking; to plan realistically for the future. Emotional development - Worries about grades, appearance, and popularity; is withdrawn, introspective. - Directs verbal anger at authority figure. Social development - Withdraws from parents, who are invariably called "old-fashioned." - Needs less family companionship and interaction. - Has less intense friendships with those of the same sex; 16 – 19 years Physical development - Has essentially completed physical maturation; physical features are shaped and defined. - Probability of acting on sexual desires increases. Intellectual development - Seriously concerned about the future; beginning to integrate knowledge leading to decisions about future. - May lack information or self-assurance about personal skills and abilities. Emotional development - May appear moody, angry, lonely, impulsive, self-centered, confused, and stubborn. - Has conflicting feelings about dependence/independence. Social development - Relationships with parents range from friendly to hostile. - May be strongly invested in a single, romantic relationship. - Usually has many friends and few confidants; dates actively; varies greatly in level of maturity; may be uncomfortable, or enjoy activities, with opposite sex