Physical Development Milestones in Children

Children change drastically from birth to age 5. There are so many physical development milestones to keep track of. Chart the milestones your child reaches, such as first words, first steps, first skips and first hops. If your child seems to have missed any important milestones, check with your doctor.

  1. 1 year old

    • There are several milestones your child should reach by the time he is 1 year old. According to "What to Expect the First Year," "your baby should be able to walk holding onto furniture, will probably be able to clap hands or wave bye-bye, drink from a cup independently, pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumb and forefinger, stand alone momentarily, say dada or mama discriminately and say one word other than mama or dada and may possibly be able to indicate wants in ways other than crying, play ball, stand alone well, speak baby gibberish and walk well."

    2 years old

    • Toddlers are well known for their curiosity and wanting to be more independent. The Child Development Institute says that by age 2, your toddler should be able to walk well, go up and down stairs or steps independently, run, use utensils to feed himself, turn a single page of a book, kick a ball, try to dress herself and use building blocks. Keep in mind that toddlers are trying to become their own people at this age, so encouraging your child to do things on his own fosters independence.

    3 years old

    • Physical development in children by the age of three includes running well, marching, standing on one foot briefly, riding a tricycle, feeding self well, putting on shoes and socks by themselves, unbuttoning and buttoning, building a tower of 10 blocks and pouring from a pitcher, according to the Child Development Institute. By this age your child should also be able to say almost a thousand words, say short sentences and recite short stories or rhymes. Read to your young child every day and aim for an hour of physical activity each day.

    4 years old

    • By preschool age, children are very independent little beings and, according to the Child Development Institute, should be able to hop on one foot, draw figures, wash their own face, brush their teeth, dress themselves, cut paper with scissors, jump, throw a ball and play some organized games in groups. Children this age tend to be very inquisitive. They are not asking questions to be annoying; they sincerely want to learn. Help your child learn by answering her questions as well as possible.

    5 years old

    • A kindergartner has come a long way since he was 1 year old. School-age children may be able to do such things as write some letters and numbers, tie shoes, keep their balance, get dressed without assistance, skate and ride a scooter, says the Child Development Institute. Keep your kindergartner's mind active as well by helping her count beyond 10, teaching her to write her name and reading stories with her.

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