Social-Emotional & Play Milestones

By 3-months:

  • Your baby will recognize favorite toys and will begin to reach for them
  • Occasionally self-soothe by sucking on hands and fingers
  • Your baby will begin to smile at you

 

By 7-months:

  • Enjoys social interactions
  • Can respond to other people’s emotions by crying, smiling, or laughing
  • Enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror

 

By 12-months:

  • Your baby will begin to show preferences for certain people and toys
  • Shy with strangers
  • Enjoy simple interactive games, like patty-cake and peekaboo
  • Sorting toys with holes of different shapes ( ex: ring stackers, shape boxes)

 

By 18-months:

  • Separation anxiety increases
  • Have more temper tantrums and become more defiant as they try to communicate and be independent

 

By 24-months:

  • Separation anxiety begins to fade
  • Start simple pretend play, like imitating what adults or other kids are doing
  • Become interested in having other kids around, but are more likely to play alongside them (parallel play) than with them (cooperative play)

 

By 36-months:

  • Takes turns in games
  • Expresses a wide range of emotions
  • Are spontaneously kind and caring
  • Start playing with other kids and separate from caregivers more easily