Developmental Guide
Understanding age-appropriate interests and focus areas for children from newborn to pre-kindergarten.
Why Age Matters
Children's developmental needs and interests change dramatically from birth to age 5. Our age-appropriate activities are designed to support your child's natural growth and development at each stage.
Age Brackets
Newborn (0-3 months)
Newborns are developing their senses and beginning to discover the world around them. They respond well to high-contrast visuals, gentle sounds, and supported tummy time.
Early Explorer (4-7 months)
Early explorers are beginning to interact with objects and understand simple cause and effect relationships. They're developing motor skills like rolling and sitting with support.
Crawler (8-11 months)
Crawlers are on the move! They're mastering mobility, understanding that objects exist even when hidden, and developing skills like clapping and beginning to pull up to stand.
New Walker (12-16 months)
New walkers are taking their first steps toward independence. They're developing early language, can stack objects, and use gestures like pointing to communicate their interests.
Active Toddler (17-24 months)
Active toddlers are building vocabulary, exploring their physical capabilities through climbing, developing cognitive skills through sorting, and beginning imaginative play.
Young Preschooler (2-3 years)
Young preschoolers can engage in longer periods of independent play, match objects by attributes, understand and retell simple stories, and play alongside peers.
Mid Preschooler (3-4 years)
Mid preschoolers engage more actively with peers, can follow simple rules, create stories with a beginning and end, and apply basic logical thinking to solve problems.
Pre-Kindergartener (4-5 years)
Pre-kindergarteners work together in play, tell detailed stories, develop strategies for managing emotions, and build foundational skills for reading, writing, and mathematics.
Kindergartener (5-6 years)
Kindergarteners are developing reading and writing skills, understanding basic math concepts, refining fine motor skills for writing and crafts, and learning to follow structured rules and routines.
Pro Tip
While these categories provide a helpful framework, remember that every child develops at their own pace. Some may be ready for activities from an older age bracket, while others might benefit from revisiting activities from earlier stages.
Age-Appropriate Interests & Focus Areas
This guide shows how interest categories align with each developmental age bracket, with suggested focus areas that nurture growth at the right time.
Newborn (0-3 months)
Early Explorer (4-7 months)
Crawler (8-11 months)
New Walker (12-16 months)
Active Toddler (17-24 months)
Young Preschooler (2-3 years)
Mid Preschooler (3-4 years)
Pre-Kindergartener (4-5 years)
Kindergartener (5-6 years)
How to Use This Guide
This alignment ensures developmentally appropriate activities that nurture each interest area at the right time in a child's growth journey. Here's how to use it:
- Identify your child's age bracket from the categories above.
- Note the recommended interest categories for that age - these are areas where children typically show engagement and developmental readiness.
- Use the focus areas to guide specific activities within each interest category.
- Observe your child's responses and adjust activities based on their unique interests and developmental progress.
Remember: This guide is a starting point, not a strict blueprint. The best activities are those that engage your child and bring joy to their learning experiences.