Developmental Chart for Babies

Understanding how babies learn can help you make the most of teaching opportunities. Babies learn foundational spiritual truths the same ways they learn other things-through their senses, by doing, and through relationships.

Newborn

• Sees objects 8 to 10 inches from eyes.
• Searches for something to suck.
• Keeps hands fisted but grasps adult's finger when palm is touched.
• Communicates through crying.
• Enjoys touching, holding, and rocking.
• Responds to soothing teachers at church.

1 to 3 Months

• Eyes slowly follow moving objects.
• Holds head up and turns it from side to side.
• Finds hands and mouths them; attempts to grasp objects.
• Responds to human voices.
• Expresses unhappiness and excitement; smiles and coos.
• Learns trust as needs are met by teachers.

4 to 6 Months

• Uses hands together; can grasp, hold, and mouth objects.
• Rolls from stomach to back-turns and twists in all directions.
• Sits up with support.
• Responds to name.
• Coos, gurgles, chuckles with joy; may begin to understand more of what you say.
• Responds to happy times at church.

7 to 9 Months

• Transfers objects from hand to hand; has good control in manipulating objects; waves bye-bye.
• Sits up for longer periods of time; sits freely with good head control.
• Begins to scoot, crawl, pull to standing position, and sidesteps around objects.
• Watches your mouth; starts imitating sounds; begins to learn "no."
• Gets excited about playing, especially with parents, cries when separated from mother.
• Develops associations between good feelings and hearing about God and Jesus.

10 to 12 Months

• Coordinated hands; may feed self or hold cup.
• Crawls well; may stop to pick up objects; pulls up to standing position.
• Enjoys playing games, rolling back and forth, and imitating teachers and parents; shows preference for favorite toy.
• Begins to understand what adults say; may say mama and dada; learns independence.
• Shows feelings of hurt, anger, and happiness.
• Likes the same familiar teachers at church.