In this topic, we will explore how the brains, bodies and emotions of babies and toddlers develop. Understanding the developmental stages from birth to five years will aid in the development of a curriculum that supports each child’s unique path of learning, growing and wellbeing. This understanding will help you to support children’s physical, mental and emotional health; and to observe and discuss any potential developmental challenges with their parents/caregivers so you can appropriately support the child’s individual needs.
By the end of this topic, you will understand:
- The four areas/domains of development
- The major developmental milestones from babies to toddler
- Influences on development for individuals and how they impact learning and engagement
- Brain development from baby to toddler
- The link between attachment and brain development.
Children are ready to learn from birth. The development of their brain in their first eight years helps to create a lifelong foundation for learning, health and wellbeing.
WATCH
The following 3-minute timelapse video shows a child’s first five years, focusing on physical appearance:
Scroll down to read more about the four areas of development and what they include.
Children are ready to learn from birth. The development of their brain in their first eight years helps to create a lifelong foundation for learning, health and wellbeing. The four (4) areas of development include physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and communication. The areas can also be referred to as ‘developmental domains’.
Physical
Growth stages in children are typically marked by weight and height. You may have heard of typical weight and height markers for children at different ages. This area of development also includes fine motor skills (e.g. picking up objects, using utensils and drawing with a pencil) and gross motor skills (e.g. catching a ball, hopping on one foot, doing a somersault and using the toilet) as well as perceptual motor skills (e.g. balance and coordination).
Cognitive
Cognitive development is about thinking and reasoning, and includes the ability to recognise people, understand concepts (e.g. time), count, and identify objects as well as know their use.
Social and Emotional
Social and emotional development in young children includes the ability to identify their emotions (e.g. ‘I am sad’, ‘I am happy’) and then have the ability to regulate those emotions, expressing them in a manner that is positive and respectful, and using these forms of expression to develop and maintain relationships with others.
Communication
Communication development refers to a child’s ability to communicate successfully. This includes talking, understanding the flow of conversations, and being able to actively listen and understand others. Children begin to communicate slowly using sounds, small words, then phrases, and they eventually progress to conversation and being able to talk about the past and present. All children will develop at their own pace, and as educators, we observe the development of skills rather than emphasise a timeline or age. Not every child develops in the exact same way, and especially during the first five years, children can vary quite a bit in each area. For instance, one child may advance more quickly in sensory and motor development, being able to run and catch balls, while their language development is slower. Another child may show much greater emotional regulation capabilities but be slower in terms of physical development.
Check your understanding
Think of an example for each of the four (4) areas of development that you would expect to see in babies or toddlers.
Click on the ‘Examples’ button to see some further examples.
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Physical
- Holding head up
- Sitting up
- Standing
- Walking
- Running
- Grasping and letting go of objects.
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Cognitive
- Recognising voices
- Naming objects
- Looking for objects (i.e. object permanence)
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Social and emotional
- Managing separation
- Cries when hungry or uncomfortable and usually stops when held
- Shows excitement as parent prepares to feed
- Takes a cue from the parent or principal carer regarding attitude to a stranger
- May ‘lose control’ of self when tired or frustrated
- Assists another in distress by patting, making sympathetic noises or offering material object.
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Communication
- Verbal communication: communicating with sounds, babbling, 1-2 words, then phrases
- Non-verbal communication: yawning, rubbing eyes, reaching out with hands, etc.
Children's development is the sequence of physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and communication changes that occur from birth onwards. Development is described in stages, and often these stages are broken down into different age groups:
- Birth to four months (0-4 mths)
- Four to nine months (4-9 mths)
- Nine months to one year (9 mths-1 yr)
- One to two years (1-2 yr)
- Two to three years (2-3 yr)
- Three to five years (3-5)
These age groups have their own set of developmental milestones, and we will look at the milestones for all six age groups, from baby to five years. For each milestone, we will explore the typical markers for the four areas of development. (Physical weight and height measurements are not included, given that these are so varied.)
0-4 Months
By four months, babies can respond to affection and let you know if they are happy or sad.
They can reach for a toy with one hand and watch faces closely.
The milestones expected to be reached by four months include the following:
| Cognitive | Babies can reach out for toys with one hand, follow moving things with their eyes, and recognise familiar people and things at a distance. |
| Language/ Communication | Babies can babble with expression and can copy sounds they hear. They can also use different types of cries to show things like hunger, pain or tiredness. |
| Social and Emotional | Babies can smile spontaneously at people. They can copy some facial expressions and like to play with people (they might even cry when play stops). |
| Physical/ Movement | Babies can hold their heads steady unsupported. They can push down on a hard surface using their legs and push themselves up using their arms. They might be able to roll over. |
Watch
The following almost 5-minute video, created for parents, will demonstrate how a baby’s development typically looks like at the age of 4 months: (the video starts at 1:25)
4-9 months
By nine months, babies can play peek-a-boo, and they love to put things in their mouths.
They can also pick up objects, such as a cracker between their thumb and index finger.
The milestones expected to be reached by nine months include the following:
| Cognitive | Babies can watch the path of something as it falls, look for things they see someone hide, put things in their mouth and move things from one hand to the other. |
| Language/ Communication | Babies can understand the word 'no'. They can make a lot of sounds like ‘mamama’ and ‘bababa’, and they can copy sounds and gestures of others. They can also use their finger to point to things they want or see. |
| Social and Emotional | Babies may be afraid of strangers or clingy with familiar adults. They respond to other people's emotions. |
| Physical/ Movement | Babies can get themselves into a sitting position, sit without support and can often crawl or perhaps even stand while holding onto something. |
WATCH
The following almost 7-minute video, created for parents, will give you ideas about toys and activities that facilitate a baby’s development at the age of 9 months: (the video starts at 0:49)
9 months - 1 year
By one year, babies can copy gestures, bang things together and will often try to say words.
They can repeat sounds or actions to get attention.
The milestones expected to be reached by one year include the following:
| Cognitive | Babies can explore things in different ways, such as by shaking, throwing, tasting and banging. They can look at the correct object or picture when it is named. They can also follow simple directions such as ‘Hold the cup’ as they start to use objects (e.g. a brush or spoon) correctly. |
| Language/ Communication | Babies can respond to simple spoken requests and use simple gestures such as nodding or waving. They can make sounds with changes in tone and say simple words such as ‘mama’ and ‘dada’, and they often try to say words you say. |
| Social and Emotional | Babies have favourite things and people, but they can be shy or nervous with people they do not know. They can show fear in certain situations and use sounds or actions to gain attention from people. |
| Physical/ Movement | Babies can pull themselves up and stand while holding onto things and often can take a few steps too. They may even stand without support. They can put out their arm or leg to help with dressing, and use their index finger to poke things. |
WATCH
The following 3-minute video, created for parents, will demonstrate how a baby’s development typically looks like at the age of 1 year: (the video starts at 0:42)
1 to 2 years
This stage sees a lot of growth for children as they learn about and understand their world, and find their ability to express their voice.
The milestones expected to be reached by two years include the following:
| Cognitive | Toddlers can begin to sort shapes and colours. They can follow two steps in a row, such as ‘Pick up your shoes, and put them in the wardrobe’. They can name items in a picture book and build towers of four or more blocks. |
| Language/ Communication | Toddlers can name familiar people and body parts, say sentences with two to four words, and follow simple instructions. They can also repeat words they hear in a conversation. |
| Social and Emotional | Toddlers at this stage copy others, especially adults and older children. They often do what they were told not to, in order to explore their autonomy. Their play is mainly beside other children but is starting to include others. |
| Physical/ Movement | Toddlers at this stage can stand on their tiptoes, kick a ball and begin to run. They can climb onto and down from furniture without help and walk up and down stairs holding on to someone's hand. |
WATCH
The following 3-minute video, created for parents, will demonstrate how a child’s development typically looks like at the age of 2 year: (the video starts at 0:38)
2 to 3 years
By three years, children are completing the toddler stage and entering into the pre-kinder stage.
Three-year-old children are able to pedal a tricycle, carry on conversations with two to three sentences, and name their friends.
The milestones expected to be reached by three years include the following:
| Cognitive | Pre-kinders can work with simple buttons, levers and moving parts. They can draw or copy a circle, do puzzles with three to four pieces and turn the pages of a book one at a time. |
| Language/ Communication | Pre-kinders can say their name and age, and talk well enough that strangers can understand them. They understand prepositions such as ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘under’. They also understand personal pronouns such as ‘me’, ‘we’ and ‘you’. |
| Social and Emotional | Pre-kinders can take turns at games, show a wide range of emotions, show affection without prompting and show concern for a friend. They may get upset with major changes in routine. |
| Physical/ Movement | Pre-kinders can climb well and run easily, and very often, they can pedal a small tricycle. They can use pencils and crayons to make basic shapes and lines. |
3 to 5 years
From three to four years, children are considered pre-kinder, and at four years, they are kinder age.
Kinders like to sing, dance and act; and develop friendships. They can count 10 or more things and can copy simple geometric shapes.
The milestones expected to be reached by five years include the following:
| Cognitive | Children by the age of five (5) can count 10 or more things, draw a person who has at least six body parts, and can print some letters and numbers. They can play board games and tell you what they think will happen next in a book. |
| Language/ Communication | Children by the age of five (5) can sing a song (e.g. ‘Wheels on the Bus’) or recite a short poem. They can also use future tenses, for example, ‘Daddy will come home’. |
| Social and Emotional | Children by the age of five (5) often fluctuate between being demanding and cooperative. They can cooperate with other children and are increasingly creative with make-believe play. |
| Physical/ Movement | Children by the age of five (5) can catch a bouncing ball and pour liquid into a container. They can use a fork and spoon, and pour and mash their own food with supervision. They can do a somersault, and swing and climb. They would have also developed the physical skills required to go to the toilet independently. |
Use the following documents from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations as reference guides to help you remember the key milestones from baby to toddler:
- Developmental Milestones and the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standards
- Developmental Milestones From Baby to Toddler
Check your understanding
Children's development can vary a lot, even among children of the same age. Knowing how children develop is not meant as a way to label them. Rather, it is meant to assist you to support children to grow from where they are now.
The developmental process in children is:
- Irregular
- Unique to each individual
- May include regression in preparation for forward movement.
In other words, it is very likely that any two children you care for of the same age will be at different stages of development. For instance, one 2-year-old may be able to memorise and share rhymes in a book, while another may still be using very simple words but can run like the wind.
Developmental milestones are a guideline for educators, not a set of standards to which a child’s development should be compared. Child development is influenced by a range of factors, including genetics, family environment and parenting styles. Children need the opportunity to practise skills and develop. With the variety of lifestyles people lead today, the factors impacting development are endless. This results in children progressing in the four areas of development in their own way, in their own time.
The milestones expected to be reached by five years include the following:
| Cognitive | 5-year-olds can count 10 or more things, draw a person who has at least six body parts, and can print some letters and numbers. They can play board games and tell you what they think will happen next in a book. |
| Language/ Communication | 5-year-olds can sing a song (e.g.'Wheels on the Bus') or recite a short poem. They can also use future tenses, for example, 'Daddy will come home'. |
| Social and Emotional | 5-year-olds often fluctuate between being demanding and cooperative. They can cooperate with other children and are increasingly creative with make-believe play. |
| Physical/ Movement | 5-year-olds can catch a bouncing ball and pour liquid into a container. They can use a fork and spoon, and pour and mash their own food with supervision. They can do a somersault, and swing and climb. They would have also developed the physical skills required to go to the toilet independently. |
Supporting children’s individual needs
In your role as an early childhood educator, it is important to possess an understanding of development to provide nurturing care for children during all developmental stages and to be aware of each child’s individual needs for support. When you see individual differences in children of a similar or same age, consider:
- What you are expecting children to do given what you know about them.
- Any changes that have just occurred in the child’s life and development.
- Broader risks in terms of the stressors and support differences available to the child.
Chronic stress in a child's life, which often includes things such as racism, health conditions or their family's financial situation, can have a significant impact on the development of a child’s brain and body. Being under stress prevents a child from relaxing their brain. This effects a person’s ability to learn and absorb information, and practise set skills. It is likely that, for any experiences or play spaces you provide—from mealtime to play—children that are the same age will take part in different ways depending on their individual abilities. Your patience and anticipation of these differences will help create a positive learning environment for every child.
Identified developmental problems
How can you observe and support the children’s individual developmental needs? Dr. Rona Novick, a leading expert in developmental variations in children, recommends being aware of the following:
- Observe what the child does know and is able to do. Focus on the skill set the child has and use this to encourage development.
- Pay attention to the learning style or learning pattern of a child over time. If a child suddenly regresses, be aware of any changes in their life and the impact the changes may be having. Remember that development often happens with some regression before a child makes a new leap. However, life challenges the child cannot control (such as big changes at home) can also cause them to regress for a time.
- When concerns emerge, look for and ask about ways to support the child and their family.
- If you have serious concerns about a child’s development, it is important to document your concerns and consult other appropriate educators to discuss what they are seeing and experiencing with the child.
- Discuss any disability or chronic health issues with the parents to learn how you can best support the child.
If you have concerns regarding a child’s development, as a Certificate III educator, you should follow your workplace’s policies and procedures. Additionally, in accordance with the workplace procedures, consult a more qualified and more experienced educator/early childhood teacher or the service’s director before alarming parents and referring them to a health professional. In the event a conversation is determined to be required, due to the sensitive nature of the topic, it is best to approach the conversation carefully, ensuring only your observations are shared and politely suggesting a visit to a health professional. It is vitally important to never label or self-diagnose children as this qualification does not provide the training or qualify you to do so. Only a trained health professional can diagnose developmental delays.
This information sheet, the Red Flags Early Identification Guide (for children aged birth to five years) was developed by the Queensland Government’s Child and Youth Community Health Service to outline some of the most common red flags and developmental concerns an educator may observe.
Early childhood interventions help babies and young children with developmental delays or disabilities. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is Australia’s national scheme for funding reasonable and necessary supports for children with disability or developmental delay and adults with disability. You can read more about early intervention on Raising Children Network.
WATCH
The following 4-minute video published by Raising Children Network explains how families can receive support under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) if there are concerns about the child’s development:
There are also professional supporting services for early childhood educators, such as KU’s Inclusion Support Program, that can support educators in facilitating children’s development. You can read more about the inclusion support program and the available agencies here.
Check your understanding
The development of the brain starts before birth and continues into adulthood. Early experiences affect the quality of the brain’s development. In the first few years of life, the number of neural connections formed is at its highest.
Foundation of brain health
The science of early brain development is a rapidly evolving field. Based on all the research so far, it is clear that early child development from birth to five years is a foundation for not only the child's life but for a prosperous society. As someone who has significant relationships with young children, your ability to nurture a child and their brain health will have a lasting impact on the child and their community.
WATCH
Watch the following 2-minute video from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University to find out more about brain development in young children:
Findings in brain science in children
Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child has summarised the essential scientific findings from the science of early childhood development. Click on each finding to read more about them.
What does this mean in your role as a childcare professional?
You should:
- Consciously support babies and toddlers in appropriate serve and return behaviours to help their developing brain.
- Provide a variety of opportunities for children to engage with physical, emotional, social and cognitive play because they all help the brain develop.
- Be aware that, while short-lived stress can help in healthy development, any chronic stress in a child's life may be impacting their behaviour. Your ability to show empathy instead of judgement or punishment can act as a buffer for their brain.
WATCH
The following 4-minute video summarises the Centre’s findings regarding child development:
The findings can also be read here.
Key insights about brain plasticity
Given that the brains of young children are the most flexible and their neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change and develop) is at an all-time high, the early years of learning, exploration and consolidation are pivotal. Here are three key insights to remember about brain plasticity:
- Every experience or interaction a child has will stimulate the growth and strengthen of neural pathways.
- Children should always have access to challenging experiences—this assist in brain development.
- Children are ready to learn, and require nurturing adults to provide the opportunity and time.
Sensitive periods of development
As children develop, there are certain periods in brain growth that represent windows of opportunity. Many scientists believe that, if a child has not been able to meet the needs of that window, when it closes, the opportunity is lost. Other scientists believe the developmental opportunity can still be realised, it is just harder for the child. These windows are often called ‘sensitive periods of development’. As an early childhood educator with the ability to influence the lives of young children, understanding developmental milestones and brain development will equip you to contribute positively to the opportunities inherent in each stage of development for the children in your care.
WATCH
The following 2-minute video explains the importance of sensitive periods in brain development:
Check your understanding
Attachment is an emotional bond with another person. Attachment theory, which began with the work of a British psychologist and psychoanalyst named John Bowlby, relates to how these bonds help in a child's development.
WATCH
The following 7- minute video is a TED talk by a 7-year-old girl who explores how important positive experiences and meaningful connections are for children’s brain development to thrive by five.
Attachment theory
Attachment refers to the relationship between an infant and its primary caregiver (usually the mother). This relationship is designed to help the infant's immature brain use the mature functions of the parent’s brain to organise its own processes. During the first three years of life, attachment is the primary focus of brain development. This is when the foundation is laid in the psyche for optimism, trust, dependency, empathy, and the development of conscience. These attachment processes are dependent on the availability of one loving, consistent, warm, and encouraging caregiver.
The basic premise behind attachment theory is that caregivers who are responsive, dependable and available to the needs of a baby or toddler help the child to develop a sense of security from which to explore the world.
Note
Babies and toddlers will develop attachments to those who meet their needs and with whom they have regular positive interactions. This often starts with the family and extends to educators.
In his work, Bowlby identified four stages of attachment. Click on the stages to read more about each:
THINK
Can you see the connection?In previous sections, we explored the impact of social and emotional factors on the healthy growth of a child's brain. We also looked at the way chronic stress can negatively impact brain development, and how a quality relationship with an adult can buffer the impact of stress.
While Bowlby's attachment theory was developed in the 1950s, it still has a role today in understanding the healthy development of children. The stages of attachment also relate to the developmental milestones, where children at the age of nine months begin to recognise their favourite people and, by one year, may become shy and nervous with strangers.
All of these lessons weave together to help you make sense of how children grow and develop and how you can support this process.
Styles of attachment
Psychologist Mary Ainsworth conducted work in the 1970s that led to a model depicting styles of attachment.
This research focused on children between the ages of 12 and 18 months and examined the way the children responded when they were briefly left alone and then reunited with their parents.
The four (4) major styles of attachment Ainsworth identified are as follows3:
| Ambivalent attachment | Children with this style show heightened distress when a parent leaves and are almost inconsolable. This style is considered uncommon and is often related to reduced parental availability. |
| Avoidant attachment | Children with this style tend to show no preference between a caregiver and a complete stranger. This may result from abuse or neglect. |
| Disorganized attachment | Children with this style may resist or avoid a parent and tend to show a mix of disoriented, dazed or confused behaviours. This lack of attachment can be the result of inconsistent caregiver behaviour. |
| Secure attachment | Research indicates that positive stable nurturing relationships with parents and caring adults are essential to a child’s healthy development. Caring interactions, stimulation and love allow a child to feel safe and secure and develop healthy brain connections.
Children with parents and caregivers who give attention, respond and interact with the child often are healthier, more successful, have better language, maths and social skills and continue to be productive members of society into adulthood. When a child shows distress when separated from a parent, and joy when they come together again, this is an indication of healthy, secure attachment. In this case, children are also often comfortable with caregiver reassurance. People who have developed this type of attachment are self-contented, social, warm, and easy to connect to. They are aware of and able to express their feelings. They also tend to build deep, meaningful, and long-lasting relationships. Adults with secure attachments are even well-liked in the workplace. |
If separation from the primary caregiver occurs during the critical period and there is no adequate substitute emotional care, the child will suffer from deprivation. This will lead to irreversible long-term consequences in the child's intellectual, social, and emotional development.
Negative experiences, the lack of secure attachments and toxic stress can derail brain development. Where there is no buffer (caring adult) to the stressor in the child’s life the child’s stress response system stays activated or alert. The extended absence of caring adults can trigger the stress response system thus causing overload. This is known as toxic stress. The child’s stress response system is set permanently on high alert.
When the child’s stress response system stays activated, for example in situations of extended abuse, there are serious lifelong consequences. Brain connections are weaker and fewer and the areas of the brain devoted to learning and reasoning can be damaged.
Insecurely attached children are likely to develop fewer social skills and have lower levels of communication skills. An insecurely attached child may frequently become anxious, even in benign circumstances.
You can read more about the impact of negative experiences and the lack of secure attachment on Simply Psychology.
Your role in attachment
As an early childhood educator, you have the opportunity to develop strong, secure and consistent emotional support for the children in your care. The quality of this support has a direct influence on the emotional bond or attachment of a child and the development of their brain. A knowledge of attachment theory and how it is demonstrated in a child's style of attachment will help you to have empathy and understanding of what might be happening emotionally in a child when they are separated from their parents or family members.
As an educator you also need to consider the attachment the parent/family will have to the child. In many situations the parent can be distressed when leaving the child at the service. Educators must support families with empathy and respect if they see signs of separation anxiety during drop-offs. Parents/families may have their own reasons why they experience emotional hardship during drop-offs. Having positive relationship between parents and educators helps easing parents’ separation anxiety.
You can implement the following practices to foster healthy attachment for children in your care:
- Spend one-on-one time with the child.
- Encourage the child to engage with their peers.
- Acknowledge and support the attachment the child has with their parent or family.
- Comfort the child through verbal communication and affection.
- Set up a stable and consistent routine in the morning for the child separating from their parent or family. Over time this allows the routine to be predictable for the child and creates a sense of security and trust.
- Monitor the child throughout the day and be sensitive to the child’s emotional needs.
- Encourage families to bring comfort objects to support babies and children to help them feel calm and secure. They are usually snuggled at bedtime, but can sooth babies and children throughout the day as well. Some common comfort objects are soft toys (such as teddy or plushie), blankets or part of parent’s clothing. You can read more about comfort objects here.
Check your understanding
Use the following questions to check your knowledge. You can check the correct answer by clicking on the 'Answer' button:
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List the four (4) developmental areas and describe one way you could support children’s development in each area.
- Physical: Have outdoor time. Provide resources such as walkers, bikes, slides, balls and a range of drawing and art materials. Encourage tummy time.
- Emotional/social: Set up environments that encourage children to engage, role model positive relationships. Discuss children’s feelings and emotions.
- Cognitive – Provide opportunities in the day for children to problem solve and make a choice. Set up matching, memory and identifying experiences.
- Language: Engage with children regularly, ask children questions, use flashcards, stories and songs to practice the language. Role model correct use of language, where age-appropriate correct language mistakes.
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List some common factors that influence and impact on children’s development.
- Genetics
- Environment
- Temperament
- Culture
- Life events
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What are sensitive periods in child development?
Sensitive periods of development represent windows of opportunity during brain development. Many scientists believe that if a child has not been able to meet the needs of that window when it closes, the opportunity is lost. Other scientists believe the developmental opportunity can still be realised; it is just harder for the child. -
As an educator, how can you support a babies and toddlers brain development?
- Being responsive to children
- Providing a stimulating environment
- Letting children explore by mouthing
- Providing different sensory opportunities.
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Is it healthy for a child to create an attachment? Why/why not?
Yes – should cover the importance of developing abilities to build relationships and trust another person – this benefits relationships built later in life. Also allows child to have trust and security that their needs will be met.
