Cognitive Developmental Milestones
Cognitive milestones represent important steps forward in a child's development. Throughout human history, babies were often thought of as simple, passive beings. Prior to the 20th-century, children were often seen simply as miniature versions of adults. It wasn't until psychologists like Jean Piaget proposed that children actually think differently that adults do that people began to view childhood and adolescence as a unique period of growth and development.
Adults often dismissed the remarkable intellectual skills of infants and very young children, but modern thinkers and researchers have discovered that babies are in fact always learning, thinking and exploring the world around them.
Even newborn infants are actively taking in information and learning new things. In addition to gathering new information about the people around and world around them, babies are also constantly discovering new things about themselves.
From Birth to 3 Months
The first three months of a child's life are a time of wonder. Major developmental milestones at this age are centered on exploring the basic senses and learning more about the body and the environment. During this period, most infants begin to: * See objects more clearly within a distance of 13 inches * Focus on moving objects, including the faces of caregivers * Tell between sweet, salty, bitter and sour tastes * Detect differences in pitch and volume * See all colors in the human visual spectrum * Respond to their environment with facial expressions * Demonstrate anticipatory behaviors like rooting and sucking at the site of a nipple or bottle
From 3 to 6 Months
In early infancy, perceptual abilities are still developing. From the age of three to six months, infants begin to develop a stronger sense of perception. At this age, most babies begin to: *