Milestones

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

A round wooden peg board with small colored pegs, some standing in holes and some lying loose beside it, and a small wooden color die on a cream tablecloth.
Is this normal?Milestones 9 min read
My 5-year-old cheats at board games and cries when she loses. Is that normal?

At five, fairness runs in one direction only. The cheating and the crying are two different problems, and only one of them needs you.

A small wooden cup on a pale oak floorboard with three wooden balls, two inside the cup and one beside it.
Choosing toysMilestones 10 min read
What should a first-birthday toy actually do? Three jobs a 1-year-old can already do

At twelve months there are three things a child can already do. Buy for one of them rather than five.

A wooden hand-grab peg puzzle board with lift-out shaped pieces
Milestones 8 min read
When do toddlers start doing puzzles?

Puzzles are not on the milestone list at all. There is still an order, and skipping a step is why the jigsaw ends in tears.

A wooden ring-stacker left part-built on a rug beside a low shelf of wooden toys
Is this normal?Milestones 8 min read
How long should a toddler play independently?

Most parents expect far more than the research supports. There is also a predictable minute where the stretch collapses.

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