Milestones

Infants and Newborns  

Your baby is a precious gift, and we are humbled and honored to be a part of their journey from the very beginning. We are here to ensure a smooth transition and to communicate their emotional, mental and physical growth to you. To your child, the Marvelous Child Development Center is a home away from home.  

Our highly trained infant teachers partner with you to ensure your baby’s needs are met every step along the way whether it is dietary, emotional or physical. They create accommodating routines and nurturing classroom environments that foster social and emotional development. They study your child closely and acquire a mutual language to establish trust and rapport.  

In addition to age-appropriate, eco materials inspired by Reggio Emilia approach, your  baby will also be introduced to language, music, sensory play, art, and fine/gross motor activities that are documented and shared with you via HiMama. (link?) 

  

At the Marvelous Child we believe that play is the highest form of research and the best way to develop into a worldly individual. We teach your children age-appropriate social skills and engage in creative and purposeful play. We know that children who delve into multitude of social and learning experiences will enjoy learning throughout their lives.

To nurture the “whole child” we explore a different theme every month and provide the infant classroom with new materials and related activities tied to the topic at hand.  

   

Discover Reggio (leading back to the Reggio link)  

  

Developmental Milestones (we need images, Elenka, should I ask someone to create the images?) 

  

Pinecone image (Age 1-3 months)  click on image and information pops up.  

  • Smiles at the sound of voice  

  • Neck muscles become stronger, head bobs then is held erect  

  • Turns head from side to side when placed on abdomen  

  • Brings hands or objects to mouth  

  • Looks at hands  

  • Opens and closes hands  

  • Follows light, faces and moving objects  

  • Listens to sounds  

  • Holds, then drops a rattle or other object  

  • Active leg movements  

  • Beginning to reach hands to objects  

  • Raises head and chest when lying on stomach  

   

·Chesnut image (Age 4-7 months) 

  

  • Grasp, moro, root, and tonic neck reflexes (reflexes normally present in young infants) disappear  

  • Balances head well  

  • Sits with support, back is rounded  

  • Begins to support body with legs when held in standing position  

  • Rolls from back to front and front to back by 6 months  

  • Moves object from one hand to other  

  • Grabs feet and toes when lying on back  

  • Makes "swimming" motions with arms and legs when placed on abdomen  

  • Begins drooling (not always a sign of teething)  

  • Naps two to three times a day, for one to three hours each (on average)  

  • Begins to sleep longer at night (six to eight hours consistently)  

  • Has full color vision, able to see at longer distances  

  

Black walnut image (8-12 months) 

  • Rolls over easily from front to back and back to front  

  • Sits leaning forward on hands at first, then unsupported  

  • Bounces when supported to stand  

  • Gets on hands and feet and rocks back and forth  

  • May creep, scoot, crawl - backwards first, then forward  

  • Begins to pull up to stand  

  • Babbles "mama", "dada" interjects "oh-oh" 

  • Reaches for and grasps objects using whole hand  

  • Can hold an object in each hand  

  • Plays peek-a-boo  

  • Imitates gestures 

  • Grasps object with thumb and finger by 8 to 9 months  

  • Begins teething, usually starting with the two center front teeth in the lower jaw, then the two center front teeth in the upper jaw  

  • Learns to drink from cup  

  • Puts everything into mouth  

  • Naps are usually twice, sometimes three times a day, for one to two hours each (on average)  

  • May begin to awaken during the night and cry  

 

Hazelnuts  (1-2 years) 

 

  • waves bye-bye and plays pat-a-cake 

  • by 18 months understands one-step questions and commands such as "Where is the ball?" 

  • by 24 months understands two-step questions and commands such as "Go to your room and get your shoes." 

  • understands object permanence (a hidden object is still there) 

  • understands the cause and effect relationship better 

  • likes to explore drawers and boxes to see what is inside 

  • make-believe play increases (i.e., may imitate housework or feed a doll) 

  • can point to body parts (i.e., nose, hair, eyes) when asked 

  • begins to understand use of certain objects (i.e., the broom is for sweeping the floor) 

  • may ask for parent's help by pointing 

imitates animal sounds and noises 

  • at one year, says four to six simple words 

  • by 18 months, says two word sentences (i.e.,"Mommy up") 

  • uses negative phrases such as "No want" 

  • plays along side others without interacting, called parallel play 

  • may begin clinging to parents around 18 months 

  • may begin to say "no" more frequently to commands or needs 

  • may use a blanket or stuffed animal as a security object in place of the parent 

 

Pecan (2-3 years old) 

 

  • walks up stairs unassisted 

  • rides a tricycle 

  • washes and dries hands 

  • stacks 10 blocks 

  • easily draws straight lines and copies a circle 

  • can stand on tip-toes 

  • uses spoon well and feeds self 

  • dresses and undresses self except for buttons and laces 

  • can concentrate on tasks for 8 or 9 minutes 

  • bladder and bowel control are usually established; uses potty chair or toilet 

  • may sleep 11 to 13 hours total, may still take a short afternoon nap 

  • speaks in two or three word sentences and progresses further 

  • can remember simple rhymes or lyrics 

  • uses "please" and "thank you" 

  • refers to self by using own name 

  • names colors 

  • understands size differences 

  • understands past tense (yesterday) 

  • understands long sentences 

  • understands prepositions and pronouns 

  • asks "why" constantly 

  • says full name and age 

  • may have fears of certain things (i.e., dark, monster under bed, going down the drain) 

  • attempts to solve problems 

  • remembers certain events 

  • can point to the correct picture when asked a simple question about it. 

 

Acorn (4 years of age) 

  • sings a song 

  • skips and hops on one foot 

  • catches and throws a ball overhand 

  • walks downstairs alone 

  • draws a person with three separate body parts 

  • builds a block tower with 10 blocks 

  • understands the difference between fantasy and reality 

  • will ask questions constantly 

  • likes to tell stories 

  • may use some "bad" words (if heard spoken repeatedly) 

  • begins to understand time 

  • may obey parent's rules, but does not understand right from wrong 

  • believes that his/her own thoughts can make things happen 

  • very independent, wants to do things on his/her own 

  • selfish, does not like to share 

  •  mood swings are common 

  • has a number of fears 

  • may have imaginary playmates 

  • likes to explore the body and may play doctor and nurse 

  • fights with siblings 

  • will often play with others in groups 

 

 

Hickory nut (5 years of age) 

  • jumps rope 

  • balances on one foot with eyes closed 

  • uses scissors 

  • begins learning to tie shoes 

  • dresses self 

  • knows address and phone number 

  • recognizes and recites the alphabet 

  • permanent teeth may begin coming in 

  • knows the days of the week and months 

  • can name coins and money 

  • can understand commands with multiple instructions 

  • talks frequently 

  • increased understanding of time 

  • curious about real facts about the world 

  • may compare rules of parents with that of friends 

  • generally more cooperative and responsible than 4 year olds 

  • eager to please others and make them happy 

  • has good manners 

  • dresses self completely without help 

  • gets along well with parents 

  • likes to cook and play sports 

  • as child enters school, he/she may become more attached to parent