Stages of the child's development
Your child develops step by step. In the following pages, you will find information on the stages of development by age group for each developmental area.
All areas of development influence each other (motor, cognitive, socio-emotional, and language). For example, when your child learns new words (language), they can more easily express their emotions (socio-emotional) and relate to others (socio-emotional).
Knowing the stages of development helps you understand where your child is at. That way, you can help them move forward.
Every child develops at their own pace and may learn new skills a little earlier or a little later than other children. There are times when a child’s development is different from what is usually observed at their age. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s development, you can refer to the Have questions? page.
The five senses: The foundation of development
Your child’s development revolves around their senses. They relate to you and the world around them by touching, hearing, seeing, tasting, and smelling.
Touch
Touch is the first sense to develop in the womb. It is stimulated throughout pregnancy, for instance when a baby rubs against the walls of the uterus, or when someone touches the mother’s tummy.
When your child is born, they respond to skin-to-skin contact by calming their breathing and lowering their heart rate. Touch is very important to them.
Hearing
Your child can hear at birth—and even before. In their first months of life, they are especially sensitive to the voices they often heard in the womb. Familiar sounds reassure him. A gentle voice can often calm them, but a sudden loud noise will startle them.
At about 6 months, your child will look for the source of noises, even if they cannot see them (e.g., a dog barking behind them, the doorbell ringing).
If you notice that your child has little or no reaction to sound, talk to the healthcare provider responsible for their care as soon as possible.
After your baby is born, you will be offered a hearing screening (see Neonatal screening).
Sight
From birth, your child can see faces and shapes. At 1 month old, they will look for and at light that is not too bright. At 2 months, they start seeing the difference between colours and can follow a slow-moving person or object with their eyes. By around 1 year old, their field of vision will have expanded to match that of an adult.
If you have questions about eye or vision problems, see Eye problems.
Taste and smell
At birth, your child already has the sense of taste and smell. Very early on, they are able to recognize you by your smell. If breastfed, your baby can recognize variations in the taste of the milk based on the diet of the breastfeeding person.
For premature babies
If your baby is premature, their development is likely to be different from that of a full-term baby. This is normal. Your baby needs to continue their development outside the womb, and this can take time.
When assessing the development of a premature baby, the baby’s corrected age is used. This allows for realistic expectations and better support for the child (see Premature babies).
For more information, consult Québec’s leading authority on premature babies.
Préma-Québec
1-888-651-4909 / 450-651-4909
premaquebec.ca
Birth to 2 months
Motor development
Right from birth, your baby starts to move and be active. If their head isn’t supported, it will flop over. Little by little, they will develop the ability to lift their head when on their tummy.
Your baby’s movements are mostly involuntary. Many of them are reflexes, for example:
- The sucking reflex: Your baby will automatically suck when something is put in their mouth or between their lips. This enables them to drink milk or calm themselves by putting their fist in their mouth.
- The rooting reflex: Your baby will turn their head in the direction of the touch, when you stroke their cheek. This helps them find the breast or bottle.
- The Moro reflex: Your baby will startle and throw their arms out when they hear a loud noise or when they feel like they’re falling, for example if they are moved quickly. This is not a sign that your baby is nervous.
- The grip reflex: Your baby will tightly grip your finger if you touch the inside of their hand.
These reflexes will gradually disappear between the age of 3 and 12 months as your baby’s brain matures. They will be replaced by voluntary movements.
Cognitive development
From birth, your baby starts taking in information about the world around them through their senses. They discover caresses, voices, and light and respond to them. Little by little, they will learn to process, analyze, and memorize the information they receive, making connections as they go.
Socio-emotional development
Right from birth, your child is interested in interacting with you. They will enjoy engaging with you more and more.
They need your help to calm down. They also have a strong need for physical contact to feel safe.
Expressions of emotion range from crying to cooing. They also express emotions with their face and body (e.g., grimacing, stiff body).
Language development
Même avant sa naissance, votre enfant reconnaît votre voix et aime l’entendre. À sa naissance, il reconnaît les sons de sa langue maternelle. Il est prêt à communiquer avec vous, même s’il ne comprend pas le sens des mots.
Les pleurs sont le principal moyen de communication de votre enfant. Ils sont un réflexe pour exprimer des états désagréables.
2 to 4 months
Motor development
Certain newborn reflexes start to disappear. Your child starts to gain control of their head movements and can hold their head up more and more.
They are becoming more active. When lying face down, they raise their nose off the floor and lift and turn their head. They prop themselves up on their forearms and start lifting their upper body.
Lying on their back, they move their legs and play with their hands. They can grab a rattle that you put in their hand and bring it to their mouth. They can’t yet pick up objects intentionally.
For several months, your child will put everything they can in their mouth. It’s their way of exploring.
Cognitive development
Your child repeats actions that give them pleasure, like sucking their thumb. They do this at random, they don’t yet act intentionally.
Your child starts being able to anticipate things. For example, they know they will be fed when they see the breast or bottle. Sometimes, this can help them calm themselves.
Socio-emotional development
In their second month, your child starts smiling intentionally. This is called the social smile. They imitate your expressions more and more (e.g., facial expressions, grimaces). By 3 months, they are better at recognizing familiar faces, especially yours.
Language development
Your child responds to your voice and the voices of people they know. They can produce sounds in response to your words and facial expressions. They don’t understand words yet, but they like to hear your voice.
They make different sounds depending on what they need (e.g., “aaa” or “arheu”). They still express themselves a lot by crying.
4 to 6 months
Motor development
Your child has more control over their movements. When lying on their back, they raise their head. They learn to roll from back to tummy and the other way around. They start sitting up with your help, using cushions for support. They take an interest in their feet, pedalling and putting their feet in their mouth.
They remain fascinated by their hands. They look at them and put their hands in their mouth. They can now pick up objects the size of their palm. They hold them, often drop them, and put the objects in their mouth.
Cognitive development
Your child begins to understand the connection between their actions and the results they produce. For example, they know that if they shake a rattle, it will make a noise, and that if they coo, they’ll get your attention.
They are increasingly capable of remembering daily routines (e.g., feeding, bath time). They can even anticipate routines and react when they change. Their memory is developing.
They can tell the difference between day and night. They start to distinguish between different events and objects. They also develop a preference for specific objects, such as a teddy, for example.
Socio-emotional development
Your child seeks out your company. They often laugh, sometimes breaking into fits of giggles. They may cry when they want to be close to you or want you to take care of them. They may show impatience if they’re unable to do something or have to wait.
They don’t always smile right away at people they don’t see every day. They may examine them more closely. This is a sign that your child is learning to tell them apart from the people they see every day.
Language development
Your child likes to hear you talk. They look at you when you talk to them. They express their needs with tears, cries, and cooing. They explore their voice, shouting on occasion and making new sounds or responding to the sounds you make.
6 to 9 months
Motor development
Your child is starting to move around on their tummy. They learn to crawl, first backward, then forward. Lying on their stomach, they can hold themselves up with their arms extended. They can sit for longer periods, first using their arms for support, then with no support.
At around 9 months, their hand-eye coordination improves. They can observe an object, then reach out to touch it or pick it up. They can intentionally pick up objects of various shapes and sizes. They also start being able to intentionally let things go. They can transfer objects from one hand to the other.
While feeding, they hold the breast or bottle with one or two hands. They start eating food with their fingers (see Foods). They discover the characteristics of food (e.g., soft, smooth, warm, cold) and develop their manual dexterity. They enjoy playing with bowls and utensils and throwing their food.
Cognitive development
Your child makes the connection between actions and their consequences. They start doing things intentionally, like throwing objects on the floor to see what happens or banging things together to make noise.
They start looking for objects they can only partially see. This is a sign that they are beginning to understand that objects continue to exist even when we can only see part of them or can’t see them at all. Later on, this will help them understand that you exist even when they don’t see you.
Your child is becoming aware of their body. They try to catch their reflection in the mirror. They don’t understand who this person is yet, but they’re eager to find out.
They often repeat the same actions and games. Repetition helps them understand the world around them.
Socio-emotional development
Your child has increasingly varied emotions. They can experience joy, fear, anger, and surprise. They are also attuned to your emotions. For example, they may cry if you raise your voice.
They feel a need to touch you (e.g., your hair, nose) to connect with you. They try to get your attention by smiling or babbling. Your funny faces make them laugh. Your child shows they like being with you.
They may react by crying in the presence of people they don’t often see. This fear of strangers is a normal stage of development. You are a source of security for your child, and they now have a better understanding of the difference between you and others.
They may cry when you leave their field of vision. At around 8 or 9 months, your child finds it harder to be separated from you and may cry when you leave. They experience separation anxiety (see Separation anxiety).
Language development
Your child is very interested when someone talks to them. They look at the person. They look for the source of voices and sounds. They also turn when their name is called.
They begin to communicate with purpose (e.g., they hold out their arms to be picked up). They understand some familiar words even though they can’t say them yet. For example, they will look around if someone says: “It’s mommy!”
They babble (e.g., “baba,” “mama”) and imitate the sounds made by people around them.
If your child doesn’t look for the source of noises, talk to the healthcare provider responsible for their care. You will be referred to the appropriate resources as required (e.g., audiologist, ENT specialist).
9 to 12 months
Motor development
Your child can now sit up on their own and is stable. They crawl on their belly or on hands and knees. They want to explore every corner of the house.
They start to stand up, using objects for support. They learn to get around by holding on to the furniture. This helps them prepare to take a step or two on their own. Their hand-eye coordination is constantly improving.
They can observe an object, then reach out to touch it or pick it up. They are getting better at handling objects. They try to pick up small objects with their thumb and index finger.
Cognitive development
Your child is increasingly making connections between their behaviour and the reactions it provokes (e.g., they understand that if they clap their hands, they make you laugh). They like trying new actions to see what happens, for example, pulling on the tablecloth to get their glass of milk.
They can perform actions in sequence to achieve a goal, like crossing a room on all fours to get a toy. They can also try different strategies to get something they want. For example, they may try to grab an object that is beyond their reach, then point to it to ask you to get it for them if they don’t succeed.
Although they may express a preference for a specific object, they still don’t play with it for very long, because their attention span is limited. When they are with someone, they can spend more time on the same activity.
They will look at what you show or point out to them. They increasingly imitate other people’s gestures and actions. It’s how they learn.
Socio-emotional development
Your child experiences joy, fear, anger, and surprise. They communicate their emotions and needs more clearly than before, even if they don’t speak yet. They often reach out to be picked up and protest when something doesn’t suit them. They like being with you and having your attention, and they seek you out. In some situations, they start observing your reactions before they act.
Separation anxiety is still present. Your child may cry when they see you leave. This is normal (see Separation anxiety).
Language development
Your child understands certain words and phrases when you use them with gestures. They start to follow simple instructions (e.g., when you reach out your hand and say “Give”), and they know the meaning of “no.” They can point to a few body parts when you ask them to (e.g., “Where is your nose?”).
They express themselves with gestures, shaking their head to say “no,” clapping their hands for “bravo,” and waving to say “bye-bye.” They show what they want by moving their hand in the direction of an object, then learn how to point. They gesture and babble at the same time (e.g., “babababa,” “mamama”). They increasingly imitate the sounds and noises you make, such as animal noises, for example.
12 to 15 months
Motor development
Your child can walk, or is getting close. They’re skilled crawlers and are starting to climb one or two steps of the stairs on their hands and knees. They easily move from one position to another: lying down, sitting up, on all fours, standing holding on to furniture.
Their movements are more precise and confident. They try to stack objects and place small cubes inside big ones, balls in holes, or rings on a cone. They can pick up small objects using their thumb and index finger.
They hold their cup with both hands and can put it down without dropping it. They are getting better at using a spoon, but still need help filling it.
First shoes
Before your child takes their first steps, shoes are useless for motor development. When your child starts walking, it’s best for them to be barefoot. Outdoors, they need shoes or boots to protect their feet from what’s on the ground.
Footwear should be flexible and you should be able to bend the front of the sole with light pressure. Shoes are preferable to boots because boots provide more support than necessary.
Footwear should fit snugly. Check shoes regularly to make sure they still fit properly, as your child’s feet can grow quickly.
Cognitive development
To learn, your child needs to experiment. For example, if they drop something on the ground, they will try to drop something else to understand what’s going on. That’s why they knock over containers, shake or throw things, and bang things together.
More and more, they are anticipating what will happen. For example, they may laugh before you even tickle them, because they know what’s coming.
They like playing with the same toys and repeating the same actions. This helps them build on what they’ve learned and gain confidence before they try something new.
They use what they know to try new things. For example, they try to stack books because they saw you stacking blocks.
They play with different objects, understand what they’re for, and use them for their intended purpose (e.g., rolling a toy car, turning the pages of a book, stacking blocks).
Socio-emotional development
Your child continues to experience primarily joy, fear, anger, and surprise. They may show impatience when things don’t go the way they want. They may still react to being separated from you, at bedtime, for example. They look to you for comfort when they experience emotions that make them feel upset or uncomfortable.
They like to make you laugh by clowning around and getting your attention. They may start a game of peekaboo or hide and seek just for fun.
Language development
Your child increasingly wants to communicate with you and the other people in their lives. They understand a number of words they hear often (e.g., “milk,” “nap time,” “bath”). They also understand simple instructions when accompanied by gestures (e.g., “Come sit here,” while pointing at the spot).
They point at things they’re interested in to show them to you or ask for them. They look at you to get your attention. They like to repeat what they hear.
They continue to babble, stringing together several syllables in a row (e.g., “badadadabababa”). They generally say their first words around 12 months. These often designate people close to them (e.g., dada, mama) and familiar objects (e.g., a ball, the cat). It is normal that certain words will not match adult speech (e.g., “banky” for “blanket”).
15 to 18 months
Motor development
By now your child is walking (see above First shoes). They walk with their legs apart and arms out for balance.
They climb stairs on all fours and go down stairs backwards, sliding on their tummy. They climb on chairs. They rummage in cupboards and touch everything.
They learn how to screw and unscrew a lid. They can turn door handles and the pages of a book. They start to undress, removing items such as socks, hats, even their diaper. If you help them put on a sweater, they can hold up their arms and push them through the sleeves.
They may scribble with a large crayon. It’s normal for them to still use either hand with no preference.
Cognitive development
Your child is still experimenting with the consequences of their actions. They will try different things with the same object to compare what happens (e.g., dropping a cup from their high chair, throwing it).
They continue exploring different ways to achieve a goal (e.g., if an object is out of reach, they might push a chair into place and try climbing up).
They solve simple problems through trial and error (e.g., trying various ways to put on a shoe). Soon, they’ll go straight to a solution they’ve already discovered works well.
They’re taking an interest in a broader range of activities, such as sorting things, putting together wooden puzzles, or playing with musical instrument (e.g., cymbals, xylophone).
Socio-emotional development
Your child continues to experience a variety of emotions. They still find it hard to deal with frustration. Little by little, they are growing more self-confident and assertive.
They enjoy interacting with adults. They accept the company of other children for increasingly long periods and can play alongside kids their own age, but each has their own game or activity. During this parallel play, they observe what other children are doing and how adults react. They are gradually learning how to behave around others.
They may sometimes take something that doesn’t belong to them. They still don’t understand the concept of sharing or ownership.
Language development
Your child is interested in you and listens to what you say, even though their attention span is still limited. They understand simple, everyday instructions (e.g., “Go get your teddy”) without you always having to use gestures. They can point to body parts and objects that you name. They try to repeat words and imitate animal and vehicle sounds.
They say words on their own, such as “daddy” and “mommy,” as well as some useful words like “done”, “fall”, “more” and “milk.” First words vary from child to child.
18 to 24 months
Motor development
Your child is walking without help. They need to move. They run, stop, change direction, crouch down, stand up, start running again, and fall down. They bump into everything, it’s normal!
They can go up stairs on two legs, holding your hand or the handrail and putting both feet on each step. They can kick a ball to make it roll. They dance and spin around when they hear music they like. By about 24 months, they can do a standing jump.
They’re getting more and more skilled with their hands and can now use them together in different ways to complete a task (e.g., holding a container with one hand while trying to unscrew the lid with the other).
They are becoming more adept at using a spoon on their own. They can undress on their own and help you dress them.
They still hold their crayon awkwardly with their entire hand. They scribble more than draw, and don’t necessarily understand the boundaries of the sheet of paper.
At the table, they hold their spoon well and bring it to their mouth with food in it. They like doing things on their own. This need for independence is evident in other activities as well, including brushing their teeth, washing, getting dressed, brushing their hair, and so on.
It’s normal for you to want to do simple tasks for your child. But it’s important to let them experiment. That’s how they practise and learn to like doing things. With practice, they’ll become more adept.
Cognitive development
Your child can now imagine objects and people when they’re not there. Their memory is growing, and they know that what they don’t see continues to exist. Your child needs to understand this to be able to talk about people and things they don’t see in the here and now.
They can play by pretending to perform everyday actions (e.g., eating with an empty spoon). They also like to play at imitating you (e.g., pretending to cook or clean).
They increasingly understand what things are for. For example, they know that a broom is used for sweeping the floor.
They gradually realize that there is a before and after in their daily routines (e.g., before bedtime, after mealtime), even if they don’t yet have a clear notion of time.
They also start to recognize themselves when they look in the mirror. This is a sign that they understand they are a separate individual. It is the basis of their need to assert themselves.
Socio-emotional development
Your child enjoys having fun with you. They like it when you show affection, and they show affection in return. They also enjoy making you happy and receiving your approval and encouragement. They may want to help you in order to make you happy. They are beginning to feel new emotions like pride, shame, and jealousy. It’s a sign that they are more aware of being a person in their own right.
Your child needs to explore and be assertive. At 24 months old, they want to do everything on their own: eat, drink, dress, and undress. Sometimes they make a mess or have trouble because they’re still learning. They start asking you more clearly for help (e.g., they hand you a toy they can’t get to work). Their successes give him confidence in their abilities.
They’re curious around other children, but still play mostly on their own. They have a hard time sharing. It will be easier at 3 or 4 years old. They may sometimes be aggressive in asserting themselves (e.g., hitting, biting). They need to learn to manage their emotions and respect limits (see Structure). This takes time.
Language development
Your child enjoys communicating with you during routines and games. At around 18 months, they can understand short sentences without the help of gestures. For example, they understand when you say “Go get your ball” without pointing at the ball. By 24 months, they can follow instructions such as “Put the ball inside.” They often repeat words in order to learn them, even if they don’t reuse them right away.
Their vocabulary is growing. By around 18 months, they’re using more words (including animal and vehicle sounds). Around 24 months, they start using two-word combinations (e.g.: “Daddy gone,” “More milk”). It’s normal for them to have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds. Your child learns pronunciation by listening and trying.