Children develop rapidly in the first five years of life. During this time, parents will observe changes in their child's physical, mental, social and linguistic abilities. While each child develops at his or her own rate, there are certain milestones that most children meet at a typical age. Parents can use these milestones as guidelines for what is to be expected during their child's early development.
The First Year
Toward the end of the first year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that babies are able to sit without support, crawl, pull up to stand, stand briefly without support and walk while holding onto furniture or walk without support. Babies can recognize and respond to their names, imitate gestures, associate names with objects, find hidden toys and wave bye-bye. They have also developed an attachment to parents and caregivers that leads to separation anxiety. At one year, babies can also understand and speak a few words such as "mama" and "dada."
The Second Year
At 24 months of age, most children can walk, run, climb stairs while holding onto a railing, kick a ball, scribble and build small towers with blocks. They may also be ready for potty training at this age. Two-year-old children engage in pretend play, sort objects by shape and color and have an increased attention span. They play more with other children, are more independent and may become more defiant than before. At this age, a child's vocabulary includes 50 to 300 words, and the child is able to use simple phrases and sentences.
The Third Year
At this age, fine motor skills and coordination improve. The Mayo Clinic states that three-year-old children can draw lines, hold pencils correctly and turn pages in a book. They can pedal a tricycle and walk up and down stairs by alternating feet. They begin to understand number and spatial concepts and are better able to sort objects. They no longer experience separation anxiety, and they engage more with other children. They can also answer simple questions and can say their names and ages.
The Fourth Year
At four years of age, children can draw simple shapes, use scissors and copy letters. They can get dressed by themselves, hop on one foot and throw overhead. They can count, name colors and print some letters. They engage in more imaginary play, cooperate more with other children and enjoy experiencing new things. Four-year-old children can speak in sentences, understand some of the rules of grammar and tell simple stories.
The Fifth Year
Five-year-old children are able to skip, climb, swing and do somersaults. They may be able to ride a bike and swim. They can also brush their own teeth and handle other hygienic tasks. They begin to understand time and sequencing, and they can differentiate between fantasy and reality. They can count to 10 or higher. Five-year-old children are more interested in playing with friends, are more independent, are more cooperative and follow rules better. They use more complex sentences and know their addresses and their first and last names.
