Review of Milestones By Age 5
You might be thinking to yourself, “how is my baby already 5 years old?!”. A lot of time has gone by, but so have many milestones worth celebrating! Keeping in mind that development happens at different rates, you can give or take several months on what is expected. However, watch for their growth and development by age group and be regularly discussing your child’s growth and development with your physician. Each child grows in their own unique way, but there are milestones to look for in the way they play, learn, speak, behave, and move. From birth onwards, you will be noting your child’s height, weight, when they crawl, stand and walk, utter their first words and develop their motor skills. By age 5 your child’s language, thinking and motor skills will change dramatically. Every milestone is an exciting time for parents and child alike, here’s what to look forward to:
Year 1
You can read all about baby’s first year milestones in our article here.
Year 2
At 13 months, your baby will most likely finger feed and play with their spoon (not to mention their food). By 15 months old, they may try to use the spoon for its intended purpose. Over the next few months, your little one may also be able to scribble and make other marks on paper with colors. And if you can believe it, by 18 months your baby may be walking, pressing buttons, moving objects and basically grabbing anything within reach. They might also understand 10 times as many words as they speak and communicate through pointing and gesturing activities. By 24 months, your child may experience a range of emotions from fear to excitement to confusion. They are now prone to more tantrums at this age (you’ve been warned). At two years old, they might even be able to retrieve and give toys when asked, recognize a familiar picture and know if it is upside down. Two year olds may also be able to use two to three words together, like asking for more food or water and may even run and go up and down stairs.
Year 3
At three years of age, your child might be able to walk up the stairs holding the railing and balance for a moment on one foot. They might start to unbutton large buttons, open doors, stack objects by size and pedal on a tricycle. A 3 year old may ask and answer simple questions and speak clearly. They’ll be able to communicate their toilet needs and follow instructions that involve 2 to 3 steps. They might also be able to solve puzzles with 3 to 4 pieces, copy a circle and build towers with more than 6 blocks. They will show affection for friends and family.
Year 4
Your 4 year old may hop in place and throw a ball above their head. They usually want to wash their hands without help and pour and mash their own food, as well as begin to play with other children creatively and cooperate. They know their own sex, age, name and might even answer out loud to questions like “how are you?” Most 4 years olds may be able to point to 6 basic colors when asked, sing a song or recite a nursery rhyme and count some numbers.
Year 5
Social and Emotional
At 5 years old, your child may become more sociable and want to please their friends and want to be liked. They will be more likely to please adults and agree with rules and show concern and empathy for others. They might like to sing, dance and act out stories and also tell more what is real and what is make believe. Your 5 year old may show more independence like wanting to visit a neighbor (even though they should still be supervised).
Language and Communication
5 year olds speak clearly, like telling stories and using complete sentences. They might start to learn grammatically correct sentences like, “May I go to the bathroom?” They should also know their name and address at this point.
Cognitive Learning, Thinking and Problem Solving
A 5 year old may understand time better and concepts like yesterday and tomorrow, and even count, print several capital letters, their name, and geometric shapes. They’ll know about things used every day like food and money.
Movement Physical and Developmental
At 5 years, children start to become very active. They like to run, stand on 1 foot and balance for around 10 seconds. They may also be able to hop, skip, swing, climb, and even do a somersault. When eating, they might want to use a fork and spoon and maybe a table knife with supervision. They may also use the toilet on their own and put their shoes on correctly.
By the time your child is ready to graduate Kindergarten, you’ll wonder where the time went!!!
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. Please consult your child’s healthcare provider directly for medical advice, diagnoses, and treatments. If you have specific questions or concerns about the health or development of your child, consult your child’s physician.