Childhood is filled with constant physical development. While major muscle groups develop to allow a child to walk and run, her fine motor skills are also improving for tasks like drawing lines and cutting with scissors. Meanwhile, a child is growing in height and weight to accommodate her new physical skills.
Infancy
During his first few months, a baby develops many physical skills. By 3 months, he's grasping toys and lifting his head and chest off the ground when lying face-down, according to the National Network of Child Care. At 12 months of age, Medline Plus explains that he will pull himself up to stand and start walking, either with or without help from a hand or nearby furniture.
Toddler
A toddler is very active, and her new physical abilities allow her to explore her environment more than ever before. Healthy Children, a website created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, reports that a 2-year-old shows signs of coordination and balance with the ability to carry several toys at once, kick a ball and stand on tiptoe. According to Medline Plus, he'll also be able to pedal a tricycle, run, go up and down stairs and feed himself by the end of his toddler stage.
Preschool Age
Preschool introduces children to new experiences and opportunities to learn. PBS reports that a child this age shows marked improvement in fine motor skills; most children can cut along a line, copy shapes and print a few letters during this stage. Meanwhile, she exhibits signs of major muscle development as she learns to catch a ball, ride a bicycle and skip, says Medline Plus.
School-Age
Children in school are finally able to start participating in sports like T-ball and soccer. They also lose all their baby teeth during this phase, says Medline Plus. Significant changes occur in a child's body during his school-age years. Healthy Children explains that girls begin to develop breasts around age 10 and start menstruating at around age 13, while boys see growth of their genitalia and pubic hair beginning around 11 years of age.
Considerations
Delays in development, though rare, should not be ignored. Any significant lapses in growth or physical changes should be reported to a pediatrician. Healthy Children advises parents to measure their child's development against a set of norms for each specific phase to look for potential delays. For example, a baby should be able to walk by 18 months and follow simple instructions by age 2.
