The development of children is influenced by speech, movement and play. Children’s development is dependent on their cognitive and physical abilities. These are tasks that most children can accomplish by a particular age. While there’s a range that most children can achieve developmental milestones within a certain age range, others may go beyond it. Children may speak as young as 18 months old, but others might not start speaking until they are 48 months. According to studies, prenatal and postnatal characteristics may influence the age at which newborns reach particular developmental milestones (Flensborg-Madsen & Mortensen, 2017). The best way to monitor your child’s progress is for parents to study developmental charts, and work closely with health professionals. For a child to grow, the time between six months and five years is crucial. Normally developing babies should be able to control their muscles better at six months. This is especially true for the trunk and extremities. A baby should be able grab and move things. Unusual development in this age group is defined by an inability of the infant to grasp and support its limbs against gravity. A baby’s nutrition needs will exceed those of a nursing mother after 6 months. Supplemental meals are recommended for mothers to offset this shortfall. Lack of nutritious food can cause mental and physical retardation in newborns. Some babies may crawl as young children. Some infants can stand up and sit on their own. The first 12 months of a baby’s life are characterized by a general development in skill (Zhou & Smith, 2021). Infants start to improve their fine motor skills at 12 months. Infants learn to manipulate knobs and move according to music. They also can use crayons and pens to draw and write. Babies can climb, descend and walk backwards.
Infants can recognize the words “hey”, “no,” and other similar sounds between 1 and 2. Children aged two-to three years old can use their names and respond to them. Children can identify and recognize bodily organs at this age. Three year olds are more likely to imitate the actions and words of their parents. This age group is capable of cooking without causing any problems. Three years of age, children are able to count and identify colors. Children reach this stage when they can use and learn more words, and also pick out and choose their clothes. Two- to three year olds can participate in jumping, running, or kicking with other classmates. Children aged between 3 and 6 years old are called preschoolers. The children’s skills in motor, speech and cognition continue to improve after they turn three. Children are most chatty when they reach the age of four. They have a vocabulary of approximately 500 words. As children get older, their vocabulary becomes more complicated and they can answer questions. At age four, children begin speaking clearly. Children are more curious at this age.