Explaining the expected sequence for physical development for 0-8 years

[Ruthierhyme]

Page 49 of this CYPW handbook and greater detail in this Early Years Educator level 3 course book - search inside the amazon preview for the words 'physical development' and click to page 29

What is physical development p.49

This area of development is about learning how to master physical movements. It is usually subdivided into fine motor skills (such as tying shoe laces), gross motor movements (such as throwing a ball) and locomotive movements (such as balancing and walking). Physical development allows children to gain independence.

p.29

Birth to 4 weeks old: Reflexes such as

• sucking and swallowing reflexes
• rooting reflex - the baby will move their head to look for a nipple or teat if their cheek or mouth is touched. This helps the baby to find milk.
• grasp reflex
• startle reflex
• walking and standing reflex
• p.29 the asymmetertic tonic neck reflex - the coordinated movement of the baby's neck, arm and leg in conjunction with the head. If the baby's head is turned to one side, they will straighten the arm and leg on that side and bend the arm and leg on the opposite side. The ATNR reflex begins about 18 weeks after conception and should be fully developed at birth. Later this reflex plays an important role in hand-eye coordination, object and distance perception.
• p.29 falling reflex - the Moro reflex. Sudden movements which affect the neck gives the baby the feeling that they may be dropped. They will fling out arms and open hands before bringing them back over the chest as if to catch hold of something. THis reflex will disappear by 4/6 months.

1 to 2 months
Babies looking less curled up and startle less.
Turning from side to back
Briefly lifting head from the prone position
Head lag if baby is pulled to sitting position.
Uses hand to grasp carer's finger

2 to 3 months
Babies lift and turn their heads
Lifts head and chest off bed in prone position, supported on forearms
No head lag in sitting position
Legs kick vigorously, both separately and together
Can wave arms and bring their hands together over the body
Baby watches own hands and plays with own fingers
Can hold a rattle for a brief time before dropping it

4/6 months
Babies look like they are parachuting as they lift both their hands and feet up in the air and balance on their fronts.
Palmer grasp
All things taken to the mouth
Baby moves head around to follow people and objects
Rolls over from back to side and begins to reach for objects
Can sit with support

6/9 month
Use their fingers to feed#Can roll from front to back
Attempts to crawl but iften ends up sliding backwards
May grasp feet and place them in their mouth
Sits for longer periods of time
Baby may stand and cruise' around furniture, they may even stand or walk alone
Pincer grasp - thumb and for finger
Transfers toys from one hand to the other and looks for fallen toys

9 months to 1 year old
Baby will be mobil - crawling, bear-walking, bottom shuffling or even walking
Sits up independently and can lean forward to pick up things
May crawl upstairs and onto low items of furniture
May bounce in rhythm to music
Will point to desired objects
Can clasp hands and imitate adult's actions
Can throw toys deliberately
Can manage spoons and finger foods well

15 months
Pushes off with legs on sit-and-ride toys.
Probably walks alone with feet wide apart and arms raised to maintain balance, likely to fall over and sit down suddenly
Can probably manage steps and stairs with supervision
Baby can get to standing without help from furniture or people and kneels with support
Can bulid a few bricks and arrange toys on the floor
Can hold a crayon and turn several pages of a book at once
Shows a preference for one hand but may use either

18 months old
Walks confidently and can stop without falling
Can kneel, squat, climb and carry things around
Can climb onto an adult chair forwards and then turn around to sit.
Can come down stairs, usually by creeping backwards on their tummy
Can thread large beads
Can build a tower of several cubes
Can scribble to and fro on paper

2 years old
Can run safely
Can climb onto furniture
Can walk up and down stairs, usually with two feet to a step
Can kick a ball with some success but cannot catch yet
Can draw circles, lines and dots, using the preferred hand
Can pick up tiny objects using the pincer grasp
Can build a tower of 6 or more blocks with longer concentration span
Enjoys picture books and turns pages

3 years old
Can jump from a low step
Can walk backwards and sideways
Can stand and walk on tiptoe and stand on one foot
Good spatial awareness
Can ride a tricycle using pedals
Can climb stairs with one foot on each step, and down stars with two feet per step
Can control a pencil using a dynamic tripod grasp
Enjoys painting with a large brush
Can use scissors to cut paper
Copies shapes such as a circle

4 years old
Sense of balance is developing - may be able to walk along a line
Can catch, kick, throw and bounce a ball
Can bend at the waist to pick up objects from the floor
Enjoys climbing trees and frames
Can run upstairs, one foot per step
Can build a tower of bricks and other constructions as well
Can draw a recognisable person on request, showing head, l;egs and trunk
Can thread small beads on a lace

5 years old
Can use a variety of play equipment - slides, swings, climbing frames
Can play ball games
Can hop and run lightly on toes and can move rhythmically to music
Sense of balance is well developed
Child can skip
May be able to thread large-eyed needle and sew large stitches
Can draw a person with head, arms, trunk, legs, nose, mouth and eyes
Has good control over pencils and paintbrushes
Copies shapes such as a square

6 to 7 years old
Child has increased agility, muscle coordination and balance
Develope conpetence in riding a two wheeled bicycle
Hops easily, with good balance
Can jump off aparatus
Can build tall, stright towers with bricks and other constructions as well
Can draw a person with detail - with clothes and eyebrows
Can write letters of the alphabet with a similar grip to that of an adult
Can catch a ball thrown from one metre with one hand

8 years old
Drawing and writing are neater.
Cutting out is more accurate.
Can ride a bike easily
Can skip freely
Enjoys vigorous, energic games
Enjoys competitive games

9-11 years old
Greater coordination and speed when carryin g out both fine and large movements.

11-13 years old
Growth and physiological changes to bodies

13-19 years old
Occassional poor spatial awareness as a result of body shape changing quickly - particulary common in boys

For more reseach


Birth to five years old development timeline NHS

Development matters

An Illustrated guide to child development





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