| | Social-emotional | Language/communication | Cognitive | Motor |
| 30 months | - Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them
- Shows you what they can do by saying, "Look at me!"
- Follows simple routines when told (eg, helping to pick up toys when you say, "It's clean-up time")
| - Says approximately 50 words
- Says ≥2 words, with 1 action word (eg, "Doggie run")
- Names things in a book when you point and ask, "What is this?"
- Says words like I, me, or we
| - Uses things to pretend (eg, feeding a block to a doll as if it were food)
- Shows simple problem-solving skills (eg, standing on a small stool to reach something)
- Follows 2-step instructions (eg, "Put the toy down and close the door")
- Shows they know at least 1 color (eg, pointing to a red crayon when you ask, "Which one is red?")
| - Uses hands to twist things (eg, turning doorknobs or unscrewing lids)
- Takes some clothes off by themselves (eg, loose pants or an open jacket)
- Jumps off the ground with both feet
- Turns book pages 1 at a time when you read to them
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| 3 years | - Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave (eg, at child care drop off)
- Notices other children and joins them to play
| - Talks with you in conversation using at least 2 back-and-forth exchanges
- Asks, who, what, where, or why questions (eg, "Where is mommy/daddy?")
- Says what action is happening in a picture when asked (eg, running, eating, or playing)
- Says first name when asked
- Talks well enough for others to understand most of the time
| - Draws a circle when you show them how
- Avoids touching hot objects (eg, stove) when you warn them
| - Strings items together (eg, large beads or macaroni)
- Puts some clothes on by themselves (eg, loose pants or a jacket)
- Uses a fork
|
| 4 years | - Pretends to be something else during play (eg, teacher, superhero, dog)
- Asks to go play with children if none are around
- Comforts others who are hurt or sad (eg, hugging a crying friend)
- Avoids danger (eg, not jumping from tall heights at the playground)
- Likes to be a "helper"
- Changes behavior on the basis of where they are (eg, place of worship, library, playground)
| - Says sentences with ≥4 words
- Says some words from a song, story, or nursery rhyme
- Talks about at least 1 thing that happened during their day (eg, "I played soccer")
- Answers simple questions (eg, "What is a coat for?" or "What is a crayon for?")
| - Names a few colors of items
- Tells what comes next in a well-known story
- Draws a person with ≥3 body parts
| - Catches a large ball most of the time
- Serves themselves food or pours water, with adult supervision
- Unbuttons some buttons
- Holds crayon or pencil between fingers and thumb (not in a fist)
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| 5 years | - Follows rules or takes turns when playing games with other children
- Sings, dances, or acts for you
- Does simple chores at home (eg, matching socks or clearing the table after eating)
| - Tells a story they heard or made up with at least 2 events (eg, a cat stuck in a tree and a firefighter saving it)
- Answers simple questions about a book or story after you read or tell it to them
- Keeps a conversation going with >3 back-and-forth exchanges
- Uses or recognizes simple rhymes (eg, bat-cat, ball-tall)
| - Counts to 10
- Names some numbers between 1 and 5 when you point to them
- Uses words about time (eg, yesterday, tomorrow, morning, night)
- Pays attention for 5 to 10 minutes during activities (eg, during story time or making arts and crafts); screen time does not count
- Writes some letters in their name
- Names some letters when you point to them
| - Buttons some buttons
- Hops on 1 foot
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