Child development encompasses physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual milestones. Many factors contribute to the pace at which a child develops, including parenting styles, trauma, environmental changes and new siblings. Think of child development in terms of stages rather than age, and don't worry if your child reaches the stages slightly earlier or later than other children. If you see signs of significant delay, though, discuss them with your doctor.
Infant Development
The first 24 months of life bring the most developmental changes for your baby. He learns using his five senses. He observes everything, and uses his hands and mouth to explore the world within his reach. As a small infant, crying serves as your child's only means of communication. As he grows and observes, he begins to imitate facial expressions. Eventually, your child will smile and laugh to convey positive sentiments, and he will shut his eyes or turn his head to communicate "no" or other negative messages. By the age of 2, a child should have a vocabulary of approximately 50 words and be able to string together two- or three-word sentences, according to ParentFurther.
According to the University of Florida's "How I Grow" series, a child's physical development milestones include sitting up and rolling at around 6 months. He then learns to creep or crawl, followed by pulling up and "cruising," or walking while holding onto furniture. By 12 months, many children can walk short distances unassisted. Your child also gradually develops the motor skills necessary to use a spoon and drink from a cup.
Toddler Development
Intellectual milestones between the ages of 3 and 5 include learning to count, naming colors and beginning to grasp the concept of time. Reading aloud and talking with your child helps her improve her language skills and expand her vocabulary from about 300 words at age 3 to about 2,500 words by age 5, according to ParentFurther.
Your child's physical ability develops from beginning to run and climb unsteadily at 3 to skipping, jumping and hopping confidently by age 5, according to the PBS "Child Development Tracker." Around age 3, your toddler will begin to show increased dexterity, allowing her to hold crayons with her fingers and assemble simple jigsaw puzzles. Around age 5, she will have the dexterity necessary to manage buttons, zippers and writing utensils.
Young Child Development
Young children learn to read at different paces. Reading to your child and encouraging him to read will expedite his intellectual development. The PBS "Child Development Tracker" reports that by 9 years of age, most children can read fluently and can comprehend and apply vocabulary strategies. In mathematics, 6-year-old children can generally count to 200, and around the age of 9, they begin to learn simple multiplication.
Physically, children in this age bracket learn to catch and throw a ball and ride a two-wheel bicycle, and they might practice balancing on a curb, beam or one foot. A child's ability to successfully combine motor skills with physical acts develops with practice. Physically active children, involved in team sports or dance or swim classes, develop faster than children with a sedentary lifestyle.
