Can briefly calm themselves (may bring hands to mouth and suck on hand)

Begins to smile at people, or look at their parents.

Begins to follow things with eyes and recognized

A caregiver can support this by:

1. Using calming methods used at home by their families.

2. Encourage newborns to follow a brightly colored toy.

3. Use positive language when the child looks or recognizes their caregivers.

Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning.

Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired.

It can hold a toy, shake it, and swing at dangling toys.

A caregiver can support this by:

1. Put toys or rattles in your baby's hands and help them to hold it.

2. Hold the baby upright with feet on the floor, and swing or talk to the baby as they "stand" with support.

3. Set steady routines for sleeping and feeding.

Copies others, especially adults and older children.

Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in the chase game.

Shows more and more independence.

A caregiver can support this by:

1. Encourage the child to help with simple chores at home, like sweeping and making dinner. Praise the child for being a good helper.

2. At this age, children still play next to each other and don't share well. For play dates, give the children lots of toys to play with. Watch the children closely and step in if they fight.

3. Give the child attention and praise when they follow instructions. Limit attention to defiant behavior. Spend a lot more time praising good behaviors than punishing bad ones.

Shows affection for friends without prompting.

Says words like "I", "me", "we", and "you" and some plurals like "cars, dogs, and cats"

May get upset with major changes in routines.

A caregiver can support this by:

1. Encourage children to play together.

2. Work with your child to solve the problem when upset.

3. Talk about the child's emotions. For example, say "I can tell you feel mad because you threw the puzzle piece." Encourage your child to identify feelings in books.

Tells a simple story using full sentences.

Uses future tense: for example, "Grandma will be there"

Shows more independence. For example, may visit a next-door neighbor by himself(with adult supervision when needed)

A caregiver can support these by:

1. When reading to the child, ask them to predict what will happen next in the story.

2. Teach the children time concept words like morning. afternoon, evening, today, tomorrow, and yesterday. Start teaching the days of the week.

3. Keep a handy box of crayons, paper, paint, safety scissors, and glue. Encourage children to draw and make art projects with different materials.