6.4: Social Emotional Milestones
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As infants and toddlers interact with other people, their social and emotional skills develop. Here is a table of social and emotional milestones that they typically experience during the first two years.
Table \(\PageIndex{1}\): Social and Emotional 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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Begins to smile at people
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Can briefly calm self (may bring hands to mouth and suck on hand)
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Tries to look at parent
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4 months
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Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
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Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
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Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning
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6 months
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Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
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Likes to play with others, especially parents
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Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
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Likes to look at self in a mirror
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9 months
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May be afraid of strangers
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May be clingy with familiar adults
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Has favorite toys
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1 year
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Is shy or nervous with strangers
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Cries when mom or dad leaves
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Has favorite things and people
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Shows fear in some situations
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Hands you a book when wants to hear a story
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Repeats sounds or actions to get attention
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Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
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Plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”
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18 months
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Likes to hand things to others as play
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May have temper tantrums
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May be afraid of strangers
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Shows affection to familiar people
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Plays simple pretend, such as feeding a doll
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May cling to caregivers in new situations
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Points to show others something interesting
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Explores alone but with parent close by
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2 years
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Copies others, especially adults and older children
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Gets excited when with other children
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Shows more and more independence
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Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)
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Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games
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