Baby's Developmental Milestones
Why tracking baby milestones is important
Toy and activity guidelines often have large age generalizations and every child's development is unique. "Once you know where your child is at, you'll be able to stimulate him more appropriately," says Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, author of Good Kids Bad Habits. By paying attention to your child's physical and mental progress you'll be better equipped to choose appropriate play activities.
There's also a safety factor in recognizing milestones. "Parents need to be ahead of the game to prevent accidents," says Dr. Carol Cooper, author of Baby Milestones. Once your child is pushing up on his hands while on his tummy and sitting with support, crawling isn't far off. Knowing the order of milestones helps you make safety changes to your home just before you need them.
