Your Child’s Growth and Development
Watching your child grow and learn new skills is exciting! As parents and caregivers, your role in their development is very important. Research shows that the first six years affect the rest of your child’s life, shaping the person he'll become. These early years are the key to brain development and learning!
Every child grows and develops at his own speed. Parents should be aware of the average growth and developmental milestones a child reaches by a specific age. Finding a delay early and seeking treatment is important.
Here are important milestones you can expect to see in your child.
At 13 to 18 months
At 1 ½ to 2 years
At 2 to 2 ½ years
At 2 ½ to 3 years
At 3 to 4 years
At 4 to 5 years At 13 to 18 months, your baby is becoming a toddler and his feelings can change very quickly. One minute he will be clinging to you and the next he will be pushing you away and saying “no.” During this time, your toddler can: - Stand alone.
- Start to walk and run.
- Crawl up and down stairs – stay with him.
- Climb – stay close by.
- Stack three or more blocks.
- Feed himself.
- Colour with large crayons.
- Put together simple puzzles.
- Point to:
- At least three different body parts.
- People he knows.
- Pictures in books.
- Say 20 words or more.
- Copy a few animal sounds.
- Use simple words:
- “All gone.”
- “Mine.”
- “No!”
| Toys for a 13 to 18 month old:
- Picture books and photo albums
- Blocks; different shapes and sizes
- Plastic containers to open, close, fill, and empty
- Plastic cups, bowls, and spoons
- Wooden puzzles with knobs
- Dolls, doll clothes, and blankets
- Balls to throw and kick
- Musical toys
- Pop-up toys
- Push and pull toys
- Riding toys
- Bubbles
- Large crayons and paper
- Large cardboard boxes to use as playhouses, tunnels, or cars
- Child-sized table and chairs
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At 1 ½ to 2 years, your toddler may start to have tantrums. This is normal. When your toddler is upset, she might: - Scream.
- Kick or stomp her feet.
- Throw things.
- Hit or bite.
- Pull hair.
Your job is to teach her about the feelings she has. Name her feelings: happy, sad, or mad. During a tantrum:
- Stay calm.
- Speak softly.
- Take a deep breath and count to 10.
- Hold her, if it helps to calm her.
- Distract her with a toy or a song.
Your toddler is not being bad when she is having a tantrum. Remember, children under the age of 2 can only control their feelings half of the time. After a tantrum:
- Do not punish your toddler. She did nothing wrong.
- Hug your toddler and praise her for calming down.
Between 1 ½ to 2 years, your toddler is exploring his world. He can:
- Run and climb.
- Walk backwards and turn in circles.
- Take off shoes, socks, or a hat.
- Build a tower with four to six blocks.
- Do simple puzzles.
- Make scribbles or dots on paper.
- Turn pages of a book and point to pictures.
- Put objects into a small container.
- Say 100 to 150 words.
- Name clothing and body parts.
- Name animals in books.
- Start to use two to four words together:
- “Daddy hat.”
- “Mommy draw flowers.”
- “What’s that?”
| Toys for a 1 ½ to 2 year old:
- Bath tub toys
- Simple puzzles
- Play dough
- Shape sorter with two to three shapes
- Stacking toys
- Finger puppets
- Riding toys with pedals
- Wagon or sleigh
- Dress up clothes, hats, and purses
- Small blankets for dolls or stuffed animals
- Plastic tool set, or tea set
- Covered sandbox, pail, and shovels
- Yogurt tubs, egg cartons, crayons, finger paint, and paper for crafts
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At 2 to 2 ½ years, your toddler is becoming more and more independent. Routine is important. She likes things to be done the same way every time. This makes her feel happy and safe. At this age, a toddler’s thinking is very concrete. If you say “it’s raining cats and dogs,” she will be looking for cats and dogs. She can only think about what is happening now. It doesn’t mean much to her to tell her what is happening tomorrow. Remember that at this age, your toddler is continuing to understand her emotions, so temper tantrums may continue. Be patient and understanding. Tell her you love her and give her lots of hugs and kisses. During this time, your toddler:
- Jumps off the floor with both feet.
- Kicks a ball forward.
- Runs without falling most of the time.
- Removes her clothing when it is already unzipped or unbuttoned.
- Builds a tower with at least six blocks.
- Washes and dries her hands.
- Brushes her teeth with help.
- Draws a straight line with help.
- Uses more than 350 words.
- Understands size: big and little.
- Recognizes familiar signs, such as stop signs.
- Remembers and understands familiar stories.
| Toys for a 2 to 2 ½ year old:
- Toddler books
- Puzzles of different sizes, textures, and colours
- Play dough
- Blocks of different shapes and sizes
- Crayons and paper
- Sidewalk chalk
- Musical instruments
- Tricycle or other pedal toys
- Cars and trucks
- Dolls and stuffed animals
- Balls of different sizes
- Empty plastic bottles or milk cartons to knock down with a ball
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At 2 ½ to 3 years, your child is starting to show more interest in other people. He is getting along better with other children and is getting better at sharing his toys. He is learning right from wrong. Remember that you are his role model. He is always watching you and learns more from what you do than from what you say. Between 2 ½ to 3 years of age, your child:
- Walks up the stairs.
- Stands on one foot for a short time.
- Turns pages in a book one at a time.
- Dresses or undresses with help.
- Likes to tell simple stories.
- Uses five to eight words in a sentence.
- Understands questions such as:
- Talks about things that happened in the past, such as a trip to grandma’s house.
- Can be understood by people outside of the family most of the time.
| Toys for a 2 ½ to 3 year old:
- Books from the library
- Puzzles
- Play dough
- Blocks of different shapes and sizes
- Musical instruments
- Dress-up clothes, hat, and purse
- Sand toys
- Tricycle with helmet
- Cars and trucks
- Dolls and stuffed animals
- Small and large balls
- Things for drawing and scribbling:
- Paper
- Markers (non-toxic)
- Pencils
- Crayons
- Paint (non-toxic)
- Sidewalk chalk
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At 3 to 4 years, your child is becoming more independent. She is doing more things on her own. During this time, your child is also beginning to understand the cycle of life. She is learning that plants, pets, and people die. Answer your child’s questions about death. Teach her, love her, and guide her. During this time, your child’s balance is getting better. He can:
- Go up and down stairs with one foot on each step.
- Stand on one foot for one to three seconds.
- Hop on one foot.
- Catch a ball with outstretched arms.
Your child can also:
- Cut paper with scissors.
- Hold a crayon or pencil in the right way.
- Undo buttons and zippers.
- Talk more like an adult.
- Tell stories that have a beginning, middle, and an end.
- Follow three-step instructions, such as:
- Get some paper.
- Draw a picture.
- Give it to mom.
- Use some words with endings, such as:
| Toys for a 3 to 4 year old:
- Books and simple puzzles
- Paper, pencils, and crayons
- Chalk and chalkboard
- Paint and paint easel
- Felt board and felt pieces
- Beads and threading laces
- Tricycle and helmet
- Ball games
- Bat, baseball, and a glove
- Hockey stick and a puck
- Soccer ball
- Paper activities
- Dot-to-dot
- Simple mazes
- Tracing
- Craft supplies
- Children’s scissors
- Non-toxic glue
- Toilet paper tubes
- Yogurt or margarine tubs
- Sand, gravel, and marbles
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At 4 to 5 years, your child is learning that everyone is different. As she learns, she may ask a lot of questions. It’s important for you to listen to her questions and answer her as honestly as you can.
Remember that she is following in your footsteps. She will listen to your words and watch your actions. Swearing is common at this age. When your child swears, he often doesn’t know the meaning of the words and may think the words are funny. React calmly and be sure that you don’t swear. During this time, your child is also learning about secrets. Some secrets are good and some are bad. For example: - A surprise party is a good secret.
- Someone hurting a child is a bad secret.
Between 4 to 5 years of age, your child:
Is speaking more clearly.
- Can remember her address and phone number.
- Knows all the letters in the alphabet.
- Knows the first letter of her name.
- Uses complete sentences.
- Tells long stories.
- Talks about the past, present, and future in detail.
- Talks about numbers and amounts:
- Is either right or left handed.
- Can hold a pencil correctly and can draw:
- Lines and shapes.
- A few letters and numbers.
- Pictures of people.
| Toys for a 4 to 5 year old:
- Books
- Picture dictionary
- Story book
- Sports equipment
- Bat, baseball, and glove
- Hockey stick and puck
- Soccer ball
- Skipping rope or a hula hoop
- Two-wheeled bicycle with training wheels and a helmet
- Board or card games
- Play money
- Building sets (like Lego®)
- Jigsaw puzzles
- Marbles
- Paper activities
- Dot-to-dot, mazes, and tracing
- Coping letters, shapes, and numbers
- Craft supplies
- Pencils and crayons
- Non-toxic markers, paint, and glue
- Construction paper
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If you would like more detailed information or have concerns, please call us at 519-258-2146 ext. 1350. Ask about the Nipissing District Developmental Screens. These screens are easy to complete with your child at 13 different age stages. They suggest activities to do with your child to help with learning. Remember to spend time teaching and playing with your child every day!
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