Children are actively learning about the world as they perceive it from the time they are in the womb. Here is a table of some of the cognitive milestones infants and toddlers typically develop.
Table \(\PageIndex{1}\): Cognitive Milestones (
Developmental Milestones
by the
CDC
is in the public domain)
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Typical Age
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What Most Children Do by This Age
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2 months
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-
Pays attention to faces
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Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance
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Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn’t change
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4 months
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-
Lets you know if she is happy or sad
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Responds to affection
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Reaches for toy with one hand
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Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it
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Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
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Watches faces closely
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Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance
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6 months
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-
Looks around at things nearby
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Brings things to mouth
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Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
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Begins to pass things from one hand to the other
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9 months
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-
Watches the path of something as it falls
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Looks for things he sees you hide
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Plays peek-a-boo
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Puts things in mouth
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Moves things smoothly from one hand to the other
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Picks up things like cereal o’s between thumb and index finger
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1 year
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-
Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing
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Finds hidden things easily
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Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named
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Copies gestures
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Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair
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Bangs two things together
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Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container
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Lets things go without help
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Pokes with index (pointer) finger
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Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”
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18 months
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Knows what ordinary things are for; for example, telephone, brush, spoon
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Points to get the attention of others
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Shows interest in a doll or stuffed animal by pretending to feed
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Points to one body part
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Scribbles on own
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Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures; for example, sits when you say “sit down”
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2 years
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-
Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers
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Begins to sort shapes and colors
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Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books
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Plays simple make-believe games
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Builds towers of 4 or more blocks
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Might use one hand more than the other
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Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.”
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Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog
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