How children grow from birth to six
A milestone is a skill most children learn by a certain age. Milestones come in an order, but each child has a range of time to reach them.
Four areas of development
- Physical: big moves (sitting, walking) and small hand moves (holding a crayon).
- Thinking (cognitive): exploring, remembering, solving small problems. Piaget called 0–2 years the sensorimotor stage: babies learn by touching and tasting. 2–7 years is preoperational: pretend play, "me-first" thinking.
- Language: crying, cooing, babbling, first word near 12 months, 2-word sentences near 2 years.
- Social-emotional: trust, feelings, playing with others.
Some milestones
| Age | Typical skills |
|---|---|
| 3 months | lifts head, social smile |
| 6 months | rolls, babbles, reaches |
| 12 months | stands or walks, first words |
| 2 years | runs, 2-word phrases, pretend play |
| 3–5 years | climbs, hops, tells stories, takes turns |
Attachment and the adult’s role
Attachment is the strong bond between a baby and a caring adult. Bowlby said babies are born ready to stay close to a carer for safety. Ainsworth showed that babies with a secure attachment use the carer as a "safe base" to explore.
Serve and return is how this bond grows. The baby sends a signal (a cry, a smile, a point). The adult answers kindly. Each back-and-forth builds brain connections. In the first years, the brain makes more than one million new connections every second.
Good care means: feeding, sleep, clean nappies, safe play, talking, reading and singing. Play is the main way young children learn.
Guiding behaviour and essential skills
Toddlers say "No!" and have tantrums because they want to do things alone but cannot yet control big feelings. Guidance teaches; harsh punishment only frightens.
- Routine: the same order each day helps children feel safe.
- Redirect: move the child to a safe activity ("Let’s throw the ball, not the cup").
- Simple choices: "Red cup or blue cup?" gives control.
- Name feelings: "You are angry because the tower fell."
- Praise the action: "You shared the blocks. Kind!"
- Child-proof the space so fewer "no"s are needed.
Jobs and qualities
Jobs include early childhood educator, anganwadi or nursery worker, child nurse, paediatrician, speech therapist, child-care centre owner and nanny. Common qualities: patience, warmth, good observation, clear communication, reliability, first-aid training and a police/background check.
Challenges, safety and cultural variety
Challenges for families: poverty, poor nutrition, parental stress, illness, lack of child care, screen time (WHO advises no screen time under 2 and at most 1 hour a day for ages 2–4).
Neglect and abuse
- Neglect: basic needs (food, care, safety, medical help) not met.
- Physical abuse: hurting a child, including shaking a baby.
- Emotional abuse: constant shaming, threats or rejection.
- Sexual abuse: any sexual contact or exposure.
What a worker does: listen calmly, do not ask leading questions, write down facts with date and time, and report quickly to the safeguarding lead or a child-protection service. In many countries, workers with children must report by law. In India, call Childline 1098.
Cultural variety
Families differ: some co-sleep, some use cribs; some carry babies all day; some have grandparents as main carers. A good worker respects these choices when they are safe, and asks families about their customs and home language.
Research and inquiry skills
- Explore: ask a clear question, e.g. "Does reading aloud help toddlers learn words?"
- Investigate: use trusted sources (health agencies, universities) and simple methods: observation, survey, interview. Get permission and protect privacy.
- Process: sort the data, make a tally or chart, check if a source is biased or out of date.
- Communicate and reflect: share findings in simple words, cite sources, and say what you would do better next time.
Key formulas and definitions
- Four areas: physical, thinking (cognitive), language, social-emotional
- Stages: infant (0–1), toddler (1–3), preschooler (3–6)
- Piaget: sensorimotor (0–2), preoperational (2–7)
- Attachment (Bowlby, Ainsworth): secure base → confident exploring
- Serve and return: child signals → adult responds → brain connections grow
- Guidance: routine, redirect, choices, name feelings, praise
- Safeguarding: listen → record facts → report (India: 1098)
- Choking test: object narrower than about 3.2 cm = unsafe under 3
Worked examples
1. A 15-month-old keeps pulling books off a shelf. What should the carer do?
Redirect: give a basket of board books to pull out and put back. Move breakable books higher. Praise when the child puts a book in the basket.
2. A 9-month-old cries when the parent leaves the room. Is something wrong?
No. This is separation anxiety, common from about 8 months. It shows attachment is forming. A calm goodbye and quick return help.
3. A toy has parts 2.5 cm wide. Can it be given to a 2-year-old?
No. 2.5 cm is less than 3.2 cm, so the part fits in the test tube and is a choking risk for under-3s.
Common mistakes
- Treating milestones as fixed dates. Each child has a normal range.
- Thinking picking up a crying baby "spoils" it. Quick comfort builds secure attachment.
- Using smacking or shouting to stop tantrums. It teaches fear, not self-control.
- Questioning a child in detail about suspected abuse. Listen, record facts and report; trained people investigate.