Your Baby’s Development: Key Milestones from 4 to 24 Months

Kids & Company Blog

Your Baby’s Development: Key Milestones from 4 to 24 Months

As a new parent, navigating the early stages of parenthood can be both exhilarating and overwhelming, especially as you anticipate and watch your baby reach new milestones. As your baby grows, each stage brings exciting new developmental steps, journeys, and goals. From the early days of their first smiles and playful interactions to the adventure of walking, every moment is a step forward in their journey of discovering and engaging with the world around them. In this blog, we'll explore the key developmental milestones from 4 to 24 months, highlighting both social and physical achievements. Whether it's rolling over, pulling up to stand, or mastering the art of walking, we'll offer tips and insights to support your child's growth at each stage. Get ready to celebrate these incredible mini milestones and learn how you can foster your baby's development through engaging activities and playful exploration.

4-7 months: Early Exploration Begins

At this stage, your little one is starting to explore their world and make those adorable social connections with you! It’s such an exciting time.

Social Milestones: You might notice their first smiles and hear those sweet baby giggles. They’re even starting to have little “conversations” with you, babbling away!

Physical Milestones: Your baby will likely be rolling over and reaching for things. It's amazing to see them grasping toys and discovering how to move around.

Tip: Encourage tummy time to help strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles, which are key to later milestones like sitting up and crawling

8-12 Months: Gaining Independence

Wow, your baby is growing up! During this phase, they really start to show off their personalities and become more independent.

Social: You’ll see a range of facial expressions—happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise. And they’ll definitely react when you leave the room. It’s a big deal for them!

Physical: Look out for crawling, sitting up on their own, clapping hands, and waving. Plus, they’ll start pulling themselves up to stand. It’s all about discovering what they can do!

From 12-24 months, most children have achieved the big milestone, walking! Walking is just the beginning of a whole new set of motor skills, and new mini milestones. These include, but are not limited to, balancing, running, climbing, learning to jump, and stairs.

Some words of wisdom, before a child can walk on their own, they first need to master standing independently and maintaining their balance. There are many ways to set up a play space to help encourage this kind of movement and skill development. Try encouraging them to step over objects like broomsticks, stuffed animals, or toys. Additionally, Walking on different surfaces—such as carpets, sand, grass, or wood chips—and navigating small inclines at the park can also enhance their stability. Do not stress over little trips and falls, as this is normal while adjusting to new surfaces.

Quick Kids & Company Tip!

Try taking your little one outside to a grassy field—it’s a great place for them to practice walking and standing without the temptation of walls or furniture to hold on to! The soft grass is cushioned for the trips and falls that are normal at this stage, and also provides an unstable surface to challenge balance.

12-15 months: Mini Movers

Your little one is on the move! This is such a fun stage where they’re starting to really explore their world.

Social: You’ll see them imitating your actions, which is just adorable. They might start pointing at things to show you what they’re interested in and expressing their affection with sweet little hugs.

Physical: Get ready for standing on their own and taking those first wobbly steps! They’ll also enjoy pointing to pictures in books, showing their curiosity about everything around them.

15-18 Months: Little Communicators

Communication is really starting to blossom at this age! Your baby is becoming a little chatterbox in their own way.

Social: They’ll try to say three or more words (beyond just “mama” and “dada”), which is so exciting. You might also see them scribbling and playing with toys in simple, imaginative ways, showing preferences for their favorites.

Physical: Watch out for them crawling up and down stairs—what a big milestone! They’ll love rolling and catching a ball too, honing their coordination skills.

18-24 months: Curious Adventurers

Wow, your toddler is becoming quite the little adventurer! This stage is all about exploration and learning.

Social: They’ll start picking up new words from conversations and may even begin using short sentences or phrases. It’s amazing to see their vocabulary grow!

Physical: They’ll be walking across new surfaces, and with a bit of support, they’ll tackle stairs by placing one foot on each step. Plus, they might even start using a spoon for eating—such a big step toward independence!

Final Thoughts

Remember, each child grows at their own pace, so don’t worry if they reach some milestones a little earlier or later than others. Celebrate each small victory, from their first laugh to their first step, and most importantly, enjoy the journey of watching your child grow! To download these mini-milestones please click here!

For more information from Kids & Company on child development, baby advice, new milestones, and more, please find our recent blogs below:

How To Help Your Toddler Adjust to a New Baby

The Power of Fresh Air and Naps: A Guide for Happy, Healthy Babies and Toddlers

The Ever-Important 18-Month Milestones and the First Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)