Infant Milestones
As your baby blossoms, you’re probably wondering what kinds of things to look for! Look no further. We’ll break down all the different ways your child will amaze you with their development. It’s important to remember that every child reaches milestones differently, and that’s ok! Your baby is uniquely themselves and has their own timeline for progress.
Social/Emotional Milestones
As babies, their social and emotional milestones depend on their interactions with those around them. A few social/emotional accomplishments to keep an eye out for are:
they watch and mimic facial expressions like smiling, sticking their tongue out, or furrowing their brows,
they become calm when comforted by a trusted caregiver,
they communicate their feelings, such as happiness, sadness, fear, safety, etc, through their body language and voice.
Cognitive Milestones
Infants’ cognitive milestones are the basis for math and science concepts later in life. Here are a few things to keep an eye on to track their cognitive development:
they recognize patterns in their environment,
they explore simple shapes like squares, triangles, or circles,
as they get older, they interact with small quantities,
they learn how cause and effect work,
they use their senses to investigate their environment.
Language and Literacy Milestones
Babies are always working toward language and literacy milestones. Keep an eye out for these ways it could manifest:
they babble with “baby talk,”
they begin to use phonemes and simple sign language that are recognizable,
they explore printed materials, learning how to engage with the materials.
Fine Motor and Gross Motor Milestones
Their bodies are getting stronger every day, helping them reach their motor milestones. These are some of the ways it could present, so keep an eye out for:
they develop neck strength, lifting their head and not needing the support,
they roll from front to back and back to front,
they learn to crawl and walk,
they grasp objects such as toys, food, jewelry, or hair.
To discover more infant milestones, check out the CDC’s resource for developmental milestones at various stages.
If you’re concerned about your child’s milestone achievement, Miami County Help Me Grow is a local resource available to support you.