​Research shows that a child’s first three years are the most important time for learning. Assistance through programs such as Early Steps helps children proceed on the right path as they learn and develop.

Early Steps is a statewide system of early intervention services for families with infants and toddlers who are not reaching age-appropriate milestones.

With a focus on helping children reach their full potential in how they live, learn and play, Early Steps providers teach parents and other caregivers ways to improve child development through everyday routines. Locally through Easterseals Northeast Central Florida,  Early Steps North Beaches is helping little ones develop and learn to their highest potential. 

"At North Beaches Early Steps, our top priority is to help each and every child meet their individual developmental milestones," said Program Director Stephanie Ellis-Clark. "We understand that all children are special and that there is no comparison as to when a child will meet that milestone. Our focus is to make sure that we celebrate with them, every step of the way!"

In honor of national Easterseals 100th anniversary this year, Ellis-Clark offers 100 typical developmental milestones for children ages two months to three years based on CDC research, listed below. More information about Early Steps North Beaches can be found on the Easterseals Northeast Central Florida website. 

100 Typical Developmental Milestones
2 months old

• Begins to smile at people
• Can briefly calm himself
• Tries to look at parent
• Coos, makes gurgling sounds
• Turns head toward sounds
• Pays attention to faces
• Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance
• Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn’t change
• Can hold head up and begins to push up when lying

4 months old

• Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
• Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
• Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning
• Begins to babble
• Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired
• Lets you know if she is happy or sad
• Responds to affection
• Reaches for toy with one hand
• Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
• Watches faces closely
• Holds head steady, unsupported
• Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
• May be able to roll over from tummy to back
• Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at dangling toys
• Brings hands to mouth

6 months old

• Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
• Likes to play with others, especially parents
• Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
• Responds to sounds by making sounds
• Responds to own name
• Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
• Begins to say consonant sounds (jabbering with “m,” “b”)
• Brings things to mouth
• Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
• Begins to pass things from one hand to the other
• Rolls over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
• Begins to sit without support
• Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward

9 months old

• May be afraid of strangers
• May be clingy with familiar adults
• Has favorite toys
• Understands “no”
• Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
• Copies sounds and gestures of others
• Uses fingers to point at things
• Watches the path of something as it falls
• Looks for things he sees you hide, plays peek-a-boo
• Puts things in her mouth
• Moves things smoothly from one hand to the other
• Picks up things like cereal o’s between thumb and index finger
• Stands, holding on
• Can get into sitting position, sits without support
• Pulls to stand
• Crawls

1 year old

• Cries when mom or dad leaves
• Has favorite things and people
• Shows fear in some situations
• Hands you a book when he wants to hear a story
• Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
• Plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”
• Uses simple gestures, like shaking head “no” or waving “bye-bye”
• Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing
• Finds hidden things easily
• Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair
• Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container
• Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”
• Gets to a sitting position without help, and pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
• May take a few steps without holding on
• May stand alone

18 months old

• May have temper tantrums
• Shows affection to familiar people
• Says several single words
• Says and shakes head “no”
• Points to show someone what he wants
• Knows what ordinary things are for; for example, telephone, brush, spoon
• Points to one body part
• Scribbles on his own
• Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures; for example, sits when you say “sit down”
• Walks alone
• Can help undress herself
• Drinks from a cup and eats with a spoon

2 years old

• Shows more and more independence
• Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)
• Plays mainly beside other children, but is beginning to include other children, such as in chase games
• Knows names of familiar people and body parts
• Says sentences with 2 to 4 words
• Follows simple instructions
• Begins to sort shapes and colors
• Plays simple make-believe games
• Builds towers of 4 or more blocks and throws ball overhand
• Climbs onto and down from furniture without help and walks up and down stairs holding on

3 years old

• Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
• Shows a wide range of emotions
• Separates easily from mom and dad
• Dresses and undresses self
• Follows instructions with 2 or 3 steps
• Says first name, age, and sex
• Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
• Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
• Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle
• Climbs well and runs easily

​ 
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/all_checklists.pdf 

Shhh…don’t tell the children, but when they play, they are doing their most important work.

​That’s why Easterseals’ Early Step North Beaches offers free playgroups for local Early Steps children and their siblings through December.
 
The playgroups consist of circle time and gross motor time. Circle time is focused on enhancing cognitive, speech and peer interaction skill through songs, stories and sensory activities. Gross motor time uses mats, slides and balls to encourage children to jump, climb, balance and play.
 
Early Steps North Beaches offers playgroups through December 2018 in Flagler County and in east and west Volusia County:
 
·         Flagler County – 1st Friday of the month from 10 – 11 a.m. Dates: Aug. 4, Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, and Dec. 7. Location: 301 Justice Lane (Bldg. C), Bunnell, FL 32110
·         West Volusia County – 3rd Tuesday of the month from 10 – 11 a.m. Dates: Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15 and Dec. 20. Location: 156 McGregor Road, DeLand, FL  32720
·         East Volusia County – 2nd Tuesday of the month from 10 – 11 a.m. Dates: Aug. 14, Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11. Location: 1219 Dunn Ave., Daytona Beach, FL  32114
 
Caregivers must stay and participate with their child for the entire playgroup, and socks are required for playgroup playtime. For more details, contact Deanna M. McGrath, Early Steps Family Resource Specialist at 386-873-0365 X116 or email dmcgrath@esnecfl.org.