Cognitive Stages of Development for Babies and Toddlers

Watching our children develop as they grow older is one of the most rewarding experiences a parent can have. From the first smiles and giggles to their first words and developing conversational skills, seeing children learn how to interact with the world around them is both fascinating and downright entertaining. But many of us aren’t sure exactly what to look for to ensure our little ones are cognitively on track. So, what should we be looking for, and when should we watch for it? How should we be fostering this kind of development among our children?

Why is Keeping Track of Cognitive Development Important?

Cognitive development encompasses the growth of several different characteristics, including knowledge, critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and relationship-building. In early childhood, the development of these skills is particularly important, as they create a foundation for children to build off of as they age when it comes to relating to and understanding the world around them. When we foster cognitive development in our children, we enable them to reach their full potential as autonomous individuals. Cognitive development enables children to learn how to care for themselves, make appropriate decisions, and solve problems independently.

Stages of Cognitive Development

When looking for stages of cognitive development in your child, it’s important to remember that all children are different. Cognitive development stages may overlap, with some skills taking slightly longer to develop than others.

Birth to two months:

• During this stage of cognitive development, babies can only clearly see objects at close range, about 10 inches away from their faces.
• While distant sight isn’t fully developed, babies can still follow objects or people at a distance as they move and can see images with high contrast.
• Infants at this stage of development should be actively seeking visual stimuli. They begin to differentiate things that are familiar from new things.
• Babies at two months old will be able to recognize the faces of their caregivers and may begin to develop preferences.
• While object permanence is still undeveloped, infants will begin to look at objects for several seconds during this initial stage of cognitive development. They may begin to wave their arms at objects that are dangled in front of them.

Two to six months:

• Babies begin to understand routines between two and six months. They recognize, for instance, that crying can cause the appearance of their caregiver.
• From two to six months, infants also begin to develop more of their motor skills, along with a purposeful sensory discovery of their bodies. This exploration typically begins by looking at their hands and reaching to touch different body parts.
• During the latter part of this stage, babies will begin reaching out to grab different objects. They also begin exploring different objects with their mouths, a much-loved stage of development by parents.
• Children nearing six months old should begin playing with different objects, banging them on surfaces like the floor or a table.

Six to twelve months:

• During this stage of development, babies begin to understand object permanence and will look for objects even when placed out of sight. At close to nine months of age, babies can engage in peek-a-boo-type games with their caregivers.
• Babies at this age will begin to pick up objects with both hands and may bang them together.
• Both separation and stranger anxiety may begin to emerge at this age.
• Throughout these months, motor abilities will also advance, allowing for sensory exploration of their environment through various means, including inspecting, reaching, holding, mouthing, and dropping objects.
• Through trial and error, babies at this stage of cognitive development will also begin to learn cause and effect. They can utilize objects in a functional manner, for example, pushing a button to open a box of toys.

Twelve to eighteen months:

• After their first year of development, babies should be able to search for objects they see a caregiver hide.
• They also begin using their index fingers to poke at objects or get them out of tight spots.
• By 15 months, babies begin stacking objects, can scribble with crayons on paper and dump out things like toys by turning their containers upside down.
• Sounds and gestures can be copied.
• Later in this stage, pretend play may begin to emerge, though this play is egocentric, involving only the children themselves.

Eighteen to twenty-four months:

• Toddlers nearing two years of age will begin to learn problem-solving strategies and develop the ability to plan their actions.
• Object permanence has been fully established, and toddlers can search for objects without seeing them be displaced and anticipate where familiar objects may be.
• Pretend play will begin to involve others; a toddler may pretend to feed a baby doll.
• Toddlers start to imitate housework like sweeping or wiping off the table.
• At this age, your little one will likely be pointing at everything around them to show interest in those things.
• Simple verbal commands like “Sit down” or “Come here” can be followed.
• Children begin to hold things in one hand while using the other hand.
• Toddlers at two years old may begin to show interest in using switches, knobs, and buttons on toys.
• Items like toys can be put where they belong, like on a shelf.

Twenty-four to thirty-six months:

• During this stage of cognitive development, toddlers are able to follow directions in two steps.
• After drawing, toddlers between two and three years old can describe what they have drawn.
• Children begin to understand simple time concepts, can count to three, can identify shapes, and can compare two different items.

Supporting Your Baby’s Cognitive Development

Cognitive development happens quickly among babies and toddlers. One minute, they’re just learning to recognize their caregivers, and the next, they can follow instructions and make their own plans. Because so many big changes are happening in such a short amount of time, many parents are unsure what signs of cognitive development they need to watch for as their child ages. Luckily, access to this information is made simple with our Curious Baby Activity Cards. Our cards can help you better understand what developmental goals are expected at every stage of your little one’s growth. They will provide you with various activities to do with your child throughout their development.