Milestones

What a child can usually do at each age, and how wide the normal range really is.

A wooden shape sorter box with a round, square and triangular hole cut in its lid, and the three matching wooden blocks lying beside it on a cream linen cloth.
Choosing toysMilestones 9 min read
What age is a shape sorter for?

The circle goes in months before the triangle does, and the gap between them is not impatience. It is the skill arriving in order.

A half-full wicker laundry basket of folded oatmeal-coloured cloths on a pale wooden floor beside a small wooden step stool, lit by soft window light.
Milestones 8 min read
How much activity does a toddler actually need? (180 minutes, and what counts)

Very little of the three hours has to look like exercise. There is also a second limit in the same guideline that almost nobody quotes.

A small chalkboard on a wooden tray with a circle, a cross and a square drawn in white chalk, a stick of chalk beside it, on a cream tablecloth
Milestones 10 min read
Should a 4-year-old be able to write their name before kindergarten?

Kindergarten teachers ask for something quieter than a written name, and it is not on any milestone poster. You can check for it at the kitchen table tonight.

A loose pile of small identical wooden counting discs on a cream tabletop, with four discs set apart from the pile in a short row.
Milestones 9 min read
When should a child be able to count objects, not just recite numbers?

A child can count to twenty and still not tell you how many buttons are in her hand. Only one of those is counting.

A short brass cylinder with a slanted base standing on a cream linen cloth, beside a large wooden knob and a wooden bead fixed on a curved wire.
MilestonesSafety 9 min read
Pincer grasp activities at 9 months, when everything still goes in the mouth

Everything still goes in the mouth, so most pinch activities are out. There is a cylinder that tells you which ones are safe.

Two oatmeal-colored couch cushions lying on a wooden floor beside a low wooden stool and the corner of a cream rug, in morning light from a window.
Is this normal?Milestones 9 min read
Is my toddler sensory seeking, or is this normal?

Crashing into the couch, spinning, chewing sleeves, wedging into tight spaces. There is one line that separates the ordinary version of this from the kind worth a phone call.

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Shelf setup, choosing toys, and knowing when your child is ready for the next thing.

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