Little Learners Infant Development Guide

Tiny Tips...

There are so many milestones to look

Next Steps

6 – 9 Months: Seat your baby on the floor, then sit down cross-legged facing her. Sing this song (any tune will do), acting out the commands with her hands in yours.

Help your baby make the movements herself, even if it means holding her ankles and stomping her feet for her. This helps develop two-hand coordination.

• Clap, clap, clap your hands • Clap your tiny hands • Clap, clap, clap your hands • Clap your tiny hands

forward to as a baby develops. From the first eye contact and early smiles to discovering toes or reaching for toys, watching a child grow is an amazing experience.

Developmental milestones are a set of skills or age-specific tasks that most children accomplish during a specific age range.

Although each milestone has an age level, the actual age when a normally developing child reaches that milestone can vary significantly. Every child is unique—and thank goodness for that!

18 Months

9 – 12 Months: Stand your baby upright in the middle of the bed, carefully supporting her with your hands under both arms. Help her bounce up and down, lifting her off the bed, then landing her in a standing position. If your baby is already walking, you may be able to just hold her hands, once she gets used to the springy motion of the bed. Helps develop standing and walking skills.

Our Little Learners program was designed to help parents choose the appropriate toys through the major milestones of a baby’s development.

Walks backwards Descends Stairs Runs Uses 50 words Aims when throwing a ball Uses a spoon

This booklet offers examples of the key developmental milestones by age and skill.

New parents and veterans alike can now be confident they are choosing the appropriate toy for their child.

Just Ask! For help finding toys to match your baby’s development stage, talk to one of the Toy Experts at Learning Express Toys!

For more information on Little Learners, please visit learningexpress.com/littlelearners

Ability to stack blocks Emergence of hand preference Ascends stairs Kicks and throws balls Uses 10 words Responds to simple commands

2 Years

3 Years

Unbuttons buttons Rides tricycle Cuts paper with scissors Catches ball with arms Understands taking turns Names colors Counts objects

Little Learners Infant Development Guide

Gross Motor Gross motor skills are the abilities required to control the large muscles of the body, including arms, legs, and torso (trunk).

These skills are needed to maintain balance and coordination, and make activities such as sitting, crawling, and walking possible.

Fine Motor Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the body (fingers, hands, and arms) that promote such functions as writing, drawing, cutting, gripping small objects, fastening clothing, and building with blocks. Fine motor skills encompass dexterity and strength.

Months

Language Language is made up of socially shared rules that include what words mean, how to make new words, how to put words together, and what word combinations are best in what situations. Speech is the verbal means of communicating, which involves articulation, voice, and fluency.

Social Social skills are needed to communicate, persuade, and interact with others. Social skills allow children to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, understand and express their own feelings, and interpret others' feelings.

Fine Motor

Social

Cognitive

Language

Can elevate chin.

Baby mouths fisted hand.

Discerns mother’s voice.

Cries out in distress.

2

Sometimes lifts head during tummy time. More refined movement with arms and legs. Head bobs when held or sitting.

Hands open most of the time.

Starts to focus eyes.

Smiles for first time. Begins to self soothe (putting hands to mouth to suck on.)

Slowly starts to follow a light or object with eyes. Recognizes people from a distance. Starts to cry or get fussy when bored or when activity doesn’t change.

Makes cooing or gurgling noises.

Turns head toward sound.

3

Props on forearms during tummy time. Can hold head up during tummy time.

Inspects fingers. Bats at objetcs.

Holds rattle when placed in hand.

Smiles spontaneously. Expresses disgust. Understands relationship between speaker and voice.

Can definitely follow objects 15cm from face. Recognizes parents or caregivers.

Chuckles. Vocalizes when spoken to.

Waves and kicks arms. Sits upright when supported. Possible to roll front to back. Pushes legs down when feet are on a surface.

Tries to grab your hand.

Clutches at clothes.

Brings hands together.

Recognizes various faces and smells.

Has different cries for different reasons. Enjoys playing hide & seek.

Shows emotion such as anxiety, anger, and dissatisfaction. Will mimic some facial expressions. Excited when toys are presented.

Coordinates hand and eye movements. Tests things by putting items in mouth.

Has belly laughs. Vocalizes when alone. Stops crying to a soothing voice. Begins to babble and mimics sound.

Can roll front to back. Sits supported Rocks back and forth.

Reaches objects by hand and grasps. Begins transferring rattle from hand to hand.

Expresses displeasure when toy is removed. Talks to mirror image.

Looks around at nearby things.

Tries to get things that are out of reach due to curiosity.

Increases vocalization to toys and people. Turns head to voice.

Sits unsupported. Average age for teeth to come in.

Shakes rattle. Bangs toys on table surface. Tries picking up items with fingers.

Persists to obtain toys out of reach.

Becomes anxious when removed from parents. Enjoys being tickled and cuddled. Anticipates being picked up by raising arms. Starts to recognize familiar faces.

Holds own bottle. Enjoys pushing items off of a surface and looks for it when it goes missing. Drinks from cup held by adult. Imitates waving hello and goodbye.

Responds to name. Babbles as if having a conversation. Makes Da Da and Ma Ma sounds, but may not know the meaning.

Crawls on abdomen. Sits from lying down position. Crawls on hands and knees. Stands supported. Pulls to stand.

Can use thumb and fingers to pick up cubes. Able to drink from cup unaided.

May be fearful of strangers.

Has a favorite toy.

Plays peek-a-boo. Looks for things that are hidden.

Da Da and Ma Ma discriminately.

Understands "No."

Stands unsupported. Begins walking unsupported.

Starts to use items correctly, such as hairbrush and drinking cup.

Throws toys away.

Hands you a book for reading.

Cooperates in dressing.

Able to point out correct object when you name it.

Says 2-3 words but understands several words. Responds to spoken requests. Uses simple gestures.

1

Cognitive Cognitive skills are the mental capabilities one needs to successfully learn. Underlying cognitive skills must exist in order to think, prioritize, understand, plan, remember, and solve problems.

Gross Motor

4

5-6

7-8

9-10 11-12

Alerts to a voice or sound.

Creates throaty noises.