I can...

At 3 months

  • Follow movement by turning head
  • Watch objects pulled by a string
  • Move arms and legs easily
  • Coo or gurgle
  • Raise head when lying on tummy
  • Quiet when a familiar voice is heard
  • Startle at loud noises
  • Enjoy being hugged, soothed and cuddled
  • Cry when hungry or uncomfortable
  • Smile back at people

I can...

At 6 months

  • Enjoy quiet/soothing sometimes and talking/playing at other times
  • Roll over
  • Try putting everything in mouth
  • Turn head toward sounds
  • Reach for and hold objects
  • Coo, Babble, squeal, laugh
  • Be soothed and love to be touched and held close

I can...

At 9 months

  •  Creep or crawl
  • Respond to my name
  • Know caregivers from strangers
  • Say "MAMA" or "DADA"
  • Imitate sounds
  • Stand, holding onto a support
  • Hit two objects together
  • Understand common words like "no, bye, all gone, night-nite"
  • Sit without help
  • Turn pages of a book

I can...

At 12 months

  • Wave "bye-bye"
  • Show affection
  • Say a few words besides "mama or dada"
  • Walk with one hand held
  • Show many emotions such as happiness, sadness, discomfort and anger
  • Be interested in other children
  • Feed myself with a spoon/fingers/cup
  • Want caregivers to be where I can see them

I can...

At 18 months

  • Try putting on own shoes
  • Let you know what I want
  • Point to familiar things when named
  • Walk without help
  • Speak 10 to 20 words
  • Show different emotions such as happiness, fear, sympathy, modesty, guilt, or embarrassment
  • Bring objects to show you
  • Imitate your behavior
  • Show interest in other children
  • Look at something pointed to from across room

I can...

At 2 years

  • Jump, run and climb stairs
  • Sometimes use 2 word sentences
  • Often do opposite of what's asked
  • Refer to myself by my own name
  • Learn about rules but not able to remember the rules
  • Try new things and explore new places but want to know that you are nearby
  • Show affection by returning a hug or kiss
  • Pretend in my play

I can...

At 3 years

  • Be toilet training during the day, usually dry during the night
  • Talk and usually be understood
  • Use three word sentences
  • Pedal a tricycle
  • Kick a ball
  • Copy drawing a straight line
  • Name 6 body parts
  • Play briefly with other children
  • Sometimes express feeling with words
  • Think about feelings of others
  • Use imagination to create stories and play activities
  • Shift emotions quickly as I learn to handle emotions
  • Pay attention longer now

I can...

At 4 years

  • Ask questions
  • Play make believe
  • Dress myself, except for fasteners
  • Put together 7-12 piece puzzle
  • Climb up and down a slide
  • Match or name some colors
  • Love to retell my favorite stories
  • Have favorite activities and playmates
  • Understand simple home rules
  • Share and take turns but am possessive of favorite toys
  • Begin to control frustration
  • Start to understand danger

I can...

At 5 years

  • Play organized games
  • Follow a 3 step direction
  • Cut with a scissors
  • Copy familiar shapes
  • Draw a person with 6-8 body parts
  • Catch a bounced ball
  • Count to 10
  • Can predict what might happen in books when you read to me
  • Talk to familiar adults and children

My family can...

At 3 months

  • Give me interesting things to look at
  • Give me big, soft and safe toys
  • Sing and read to me
  • Comfort me by talking in a soft and soothing voice
  • Hold me to feed me
  • Breast or bottle feed on demand
  • Throw away leftover breast milk/formula
  • Put me to sleep on my back

My family can...

At 6 months

  • Look at colorful books with me
  • Talk to and play with me
  • Baby proof everything
  • Offer mashed or solid food as soon as I show signs
  • of chewing motion
  • Introduce infant juice in a cup not a bottle
  • Let me sleep 2 to 3 times a day
  • Put me to sleep on my back

My family can...

At 9 months

  • Play games with me like "pat-a-cake", "so big", "peek a boo" and ball games
  • Sing and read to me
  • Talk to me about what I am seeing or doing
  • Give me a safe place to move around
  • Offer small amounts of well cut up slightly cooked food
  • Avoid foods that may cause choking
  • Put me to bed without a bottle

My family can...

At 12 months

  • Let me turn the pages of a book we are looking at
  • Play with me, read to me, sing to me, and talk to me
  • Help me learn what I shouldn't do by saying "no" in a firm quiet voice
  • Stay within eyesight
  • Switch from formula to whole milk
  • Serve liquids only in a cup
  • Include me at family meals

My family can...

At 18 months

  • Match toys to my age with no small pieces
  • Show me what I can do and use simple, one-step directions
  • Hold me and read simple stories
  • Teach me simple songs
  • Divert me from things I should not do
  • Offer variety of foods and allow me to choose amount and type of food as my growth is slower now
  • Avoid using food as a reward or punishment

My family can...

At 2 years

  • Help me learn new words
  • Tell or read me short stories
  • Talk to me about things I do and see
  • Help me learn new words
  • Be calm and comforting after my temper outbursts, I need to know that you love me
  • Be consistent with what I can and cannot do
  • Offer lots of choices
  • Watch milk/juice intake, too much can decrease appetite for solid foods
  • Encourage water
  • Remember portion sizes as 1 tbsp. per year of age

My family can...

At 3 years

  • Take me to the public library and help me get my own library card
  • Let me help with simple household chores
  • Help me put my toys away
  • Model when to say please, thank you and sorry
  • Schedule a dental visit and ask about sealants, thumb sucking or pacifier use
  • Contact my school district to schedule an appointment for Early Childhood Screening

My family can...

At 4 years

  • Read with me every day
  • Let me make meaningful choices every day
  • Give me crayons, markers so that I can practice drawing
  • Pay attention to me when I am talking
  • Give me opportunities to play with other children
  • Respect my food dislikes
  • Avoid giving me foods high in sugar or fat such as candy, soft drinks or chip snacks

My family can...

At 5 years

  • Read, Read, Read to me
  • Sort and count all kinds of household things with me
  • Let me help plan activities and events
  • Catch me being good and encourage all the things I do
  • Point out familiar symbols and words for me to know
  • Show a variety of emotions
  • Recognize that my appetite will vary from day to day
  • Feed me foods from the basic food groups

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