The first two years of your child’s life are crucial for development. Each child develops at their own pace, but there are some developmental milestones that parents can use as a guideline to monitor the growth of their young child. These are monitored based on your child’s age and encompass verbal milestones and other developmental milestones like problem-solving, cognitive abilities, and physical development.
Cornerstone Academy also follows these guidelines to aid parents and children in these crucial educational and developmental years.
0-12 Months
During the first few months of your baby’s life, your baby won’t do much more than eat and sleep. However, around 3 months of age, your child will start to fulfill various developmental and verbal milestones.
Verbal Milestones
After their first few months, your baby might:
- Make cooing sounds.
- Smile or laugh.
- Know your voice.
- Have different cries for different needs.
In the latter 6 months of their first year, your baby might:
- Say their first word, such as “mama” or “dada.”
- Respond in some way to their name.
- Notice music and toy sounds.
- Understand simple commands.
Developmental Milestones
After 6 months, your baby might:
- Lift arms to be picked up.
- Show several facial expressions.
- Sit without support.
12-18 Months
In the first year of life, your child will start to transition from baby to toddler. With this comes a myriad of milestones in your child’s cognitive, verbal, and emotional development.
Verbal Milestones
Between 12-18 months, your child might:
- Say as many as 10 words.
- Understand and respond to situations with words like “uh oh.”
- Understand basic words or commands.
Developmental Milestones
Between 9-18 months of age, your baby might start walking! This is a major milestone in a child and parent’s life. They may also:
- Clap when excited.
- Show objects they like.
- Follow simple directions.
18-24 Months
By this age, your child is in full “toddler mode” and their verbal and developmental skills will accelerate.
Verbal Milestones
By 18-24 months, your child might:
- Use simple 1-2 word phrases.
- Ask simple questions.
- Speak 50 or more words.
Developmental Milestones
By this age, your child might:
- Start copying or mimicking what you do.
- Point to show you something.
- Climb on or off a couch without help
How to Help Your Child’s Development
As parents, you are your child’s first teacher. There are many ways you can help their verbal and nonverbal development through their first two years of life.
In the early months, this includes:
- Making faces and smiling.
- Speaking with inflections.
- Talking to them.
- Looking at books.
After 6 months, this includes:
- Reading books even if they don’t understand.
- Playing interactive games.
- Talking about your activities.
Between 12-24 months, this includes
- Letting your child lead conversations.
- Talking slowly with your child.
- Expressing ideas or feelings.
- Grouping objects such as colors or shapes.
At Cornerstone, we are monitoring your child’s development and are happy to discuss your child’s needs to keep them best aligned with these guidelines. However, if you have any serious reservations about your child’s development, talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns.
