Child Development

Table 1: Physical development
Age range Description of the stage An example of how this impacts on other aspects of development
0 – 3 months Turns head to feed from one side to another.
Can produce tears when they cry.
Follows movement by rolling eyes.
Wiggles fingers and clenches fists to play.
Emotional: The baby may cry when the mother moves out of sight.
3 – 6 months Will make and hold eye contact.
Can move objects to their mouth with fingers.
Reaches out to grab interesting objects.
Rolling over from back to belly.
Starts to sit up with support.
May start teething.
Social: Gets involved in things happening around them.
Intellectual: Learns through sensory play.
6 – 9 months Sitting up longer without support.
Crawling or Rolling towards objects.
Can swap objects from one hand to the other.
Starts to use fingers to feed. Intellectual: gaining access to wider environment and exploring with senses.
Social: starting to be more independent with activities around them.
Emotional: starts to get attached to the Carer.
9 – 12 months Starts to crawl quicker and can stand up with support.
Can move object from one end to the other repeatedly.
Can feed with spoon.
Intellectual: Babies are more aware of their environment and can identify missing objects.


1 – 2 years

Walking up and down the stairs with support.
Can jump with both feet and kick a ball.
Enjoys playing with others.


Social: Enjoys the company of others.
Emotional: Becomes less attached and more independent.
2 – 4 years Able to go up and down the stairs.
Can run and climb on low objects.
Can build objects on top of each other (soft bricks and jigsaw puzzles).
Communication: Can describe what they doing.
Intellectual: Can play independently with many toys (slides).
Social: Enjoys playing alongside other children.
4 – 7 years Can ride bicycles without support (balance).
Can change directions.
Can pour, thread and use scissors.
Starts to write short words....