Child Development Stages And Fun Activities

Child development stages and stimulating activities by Similac<sup>®</sup>

Child development stages

Every child is unique, and children don’t all reach key development milestones at the same time. Development is measured in three key areas: motor development, social development, and communication (language). Knowing what development stages to expect can help you as a parent to create a stimulating environment for your child.

	Motor development	Social development	Language development
1 to 2 years	Gets from sitting to standing position on his own Takes his first steps Can throw a ball Can drink from a cup Stacks items or places them into a container Dances (or waddles!) to the sound of music	Plays alongside other children, but not necessarily with them Eats with the family and feeds himself Imitates your actions	Can pronounce a dozen words but understands many more Tries to speak in sentences, but usually incomprehensible Knows many gestures, such as pointing at something he wants
2 to 3 years	Shows improved dexterity (can hold and draw with a crayon, eat with a fork, etc.) Likes to run, jump, climb, etc. Can complete simple puzzles Is able to dress and undress himself to a certain extent	Can play alone and concentrate on one thing Is more social playing alongside other children, but still doesn’t fully understand the idea of sharing Likes to play pretend Starts to show empathy	Speaks in small sentences (2-4 words) Is curious and asks questions Understands concepts (e.g. hot vs. cold) Knows the number 2 (as in 2 of something)

Fun ways to stimulate your child’s development:

Motor activities for toddlers

Lay his favourite toy on the ground across the room and have him try to get to it on his own.
Drawing on large paper with crayons or outside with chalk.
Matching games with shapes.
Let him eat with utensils and feed himself as much as possible.