Development
2-6 months
- Grasps a rattle, holds bottle with both hands
- Clasps hands together
- Reaches, pulls objects to mouth
- Pulls at clothes
- Picks up objects using “raking” motion with fingers
6-9 months
- Bangs object on table
- Transfers object hand to hand
- Claps hands together
- Feeds self finger foods
9-15 months
- Holds small object between thumb and index finger (pincer grasp)
- Marks on paper with crayon
- Puts three or more objects into a container
- Builds tower of two cubes
- Drinks from cup/feeds self with spoon
15-18 months
- Scribbling, imitates vertical stroke
- Builds tower of four cubes, puts four rings on stick
- Removes shoes and socks
- Turns knobs
2-3 years
- Copies a circle and a cross
- Strings four large beads
- Turns page in a book
- Snips with scissors on a line
- Buttons and unbuttons large buttons
4-5 years
- Copies a square
- Prints own name with a tripod pencil grasp
- Ties shoelaces
- Cuts on line continuously
5-6 years
- Copies a triangle
- Cuts out simple shapes
- Prints numerals from 1 to 5
- Color within lines
- Pastes and glues
Activities
Infants
- Offer your baby a rattle to hold
- Let your baby feel many different textures
- Help teach your baby to pick up small objects by offering small bits of food
Toddlers
- Show baby how to drop objects into a container
- Show your baby how to bang two small objects together
- Show your baby how to find a toy by pulling a cloth or blanket off a partly hidden toy
- Encourage playing with blocks and nesting toys
2-3 years
- Encourage play with puzzles, blocks, nesting toys and drawing materials
- Show your child how to draw shapes such as circles, lines, faces and stick figures
- Give your child an empty egg carton to use for “pockets” and have the child sort things such as different kinds of buttons, colors etc.
- Encourage cutting, using child safety scissors
- Sewing cards
- Finger painting
4-5 years
- Continue puzzles, drawing, sorting, cutting and gluing
- Watercolor paints with a brush
- Coloring books
- Help your child print simple letters such as his name
5-6 years
- Continue puzzles, drawing, sorting, cutting, pasting
- Use clay to help your child make objects and animals
- Show your child how to make simple recipes, such as cookies from a mix
- Help your child use a hammer, saw and nails with supervision
Sources
Denver Developmental Activities, Communications Works Developmental Milestones