What Should Your Preschooler Know at Different Ages?

What are Developmental Milestones and
Why are they Important

Physical Milestones: Gross Motor Skills
for Preschoolers

Physical Milestones: Fine Motor Skills
for Preschoolers

Communication and Cognitive
Milestones for Preschoolers

Personal and Social-Emotional
Milestones for Preschoolers

Is my child hitting their developmental milestones?

We know that parents in Singapore are often concerned about how their kids are progressing, especially in the early years between two and six.

During the baby days, you may have recorded your child’s first smiles, the first attempts at rolling over and crawling, and those precious first steps! Apart from celebrating these magical moments, you would also be assured that your baby is developing well.

Now that your baby has grown into a lively preschooler, what abilities or skills should he or she have? To answer this question, you’ll need a list of developmental milestones—but don’t worry, we’ll help you along!

What are Developmental Milestones, and Why Are They Important?

Although every child grows and learns at a different rate, and this is absolutely normal, research has given us a clear picture of how the average child develops.

For instance, most children learn to crawl when they are about nine months old! Skills such as crawling and walking are known as developmental milestones, because they are usually acquired by a certain age.

If a child reaches several developmental milestones earlier than expected, he or she could be an advanced learner.

However, if a child takes much longer than expected to reach a milestone, it could mean that a child needs more experiences in that area. It could in some cases be a sign of a developmental delay for various reasons.

In both scenarios, a child might need extra support—from a professional such as a pediatrician or child psychologist—in order to reach his or her full potential. By knowing what to look out for, you can notice if something seems out of the ordinary, and decide if you want to seek help.

Parents who are Singapore citizens can log into the HealthHub website or app (App Store | Google Play) to access a personalized milestones guide for their children. For your convenience, we’ve also listed these milestones below!

Physical Milestones: Gross Motor Skills for Preschoolers

Gross motor skills (also known as large motor skills) require whole-body movements, and they involve the large muscles in our torso, legs, and arms. Examples of early gross motor skills are sitting up, standing, crawling, and walking.

At Shaws, when we focus on the gross motor skills, we also include the core muscles that are important for balance and coordination.

Children with gross motor difficulties may try to avoid sports and exercise. They may also feel drained by everyday activities like sitting in a classroom or moving through a crowded environment.

Below are some important gross motor skills to look out for in your preschooler:

Age	Milestone	How to Assess	When to Expect
2 years (playgroup)	Standing and taking a few steps without support	When your child is in a standing position, try letting go. They may tumble at first, but soon, they’ll be able to stand on their own for 10 seconds or more.	From 14.5 months
	Bending to pick up toys	Notice if your child bends to pick up a toy, and returns to a standing position without sitting down or pushing against the floor.	From 15.5 months
	Walking independently	Can your little one walk without help? Don’t worry if they are still unsteady—they will be able to take confident steps soon!	From 16 months
	Walking up stairs with support	Your child may attempt to climb up the stairs while holding on to an adult or the handrail.	From 21.5 months
4 years (N2)	Walking down steps independently	Your child might try walking down several steps, without the help of an adult. They might still hold on to the handrail—let them practice stair-climbing in a safe environment!	From 24.5 months
	Kicking a ball	Show your child how to kick a ball, and see if they imitate you. Don’t worry if your child misses—give it time!	From 26 months
	Jumping with both feet in the air	Your little one may have started jumping off curbs and steps. Observe if they are also able to jump with both feet in the air at the same time!	From 32.5 months
3 years (N1)	Balancing on one foot (one second)	This is a skill that needs strength, coordination, and body awareness. See if your child can balance on one foot for at least one second, without support.	From 37 months
	Pedaling a tricycle	Your little one may take a while to learn how to work the pedals on a tricycle. Stand a short distance away, and let him or her pedal towards you!	From 41.5 months
	Walking up and down the stairs	You may notice that your child is now able to use alternating feet to walk up and down the stairs independently.	From 43.5 months
	Balancing on one foot (more than one second)	Play balancing games with your child, and see if he or she can balance on one foot for two seconds or more, without support.	From 46.5 months
5–6 years (K1/K2)	Hopping on one foot	Play games like hopscotch with your child. See if your child is able to hop on one foot (at least twice) without support.	From 53.5 months
5–6 years (K1/K2)	Balancing on one foot (more than five seconds)	As your child’s muscles get stronger, he or she will be able to balance on one foot for five seconds or more, without support.	From 57 months

Age	2 years (playgroup)
Milestone	Standing and taking a few steps without support
	Bending to pick up toys
	Walking independently
	Walking up stairs with support
How to assess	When your child is in a standing position, try letting go. They may tumble at first, but soon, they’ll be able to stand on their own for 10 seconds or more.
	Notice if your child bends to pick up a toy, and returns to a standing position without sitting down or pushing against the floor.
	Can your little one walk without help? Don’t worry if they are still unsteady—they will be able to take confident steps soon!
	Your child may attempt to climb up the stairs while holding on to an adult or the handrail.
When to Expect	From 14.5 months
	From 15.5 months
	From 16 months
	From 21.5 months
Age	3 years (N1)
Milestone	Walking down steps independently
	Kicking a ball
	Jumping with both feet in the air
How to assess	Your child might try walking down several steps, without the help of an adult. They might still hold on to the handrail—let them practise stair-climbing in a safe environment!
	Show your child how to kick a ball, and see if they imitate you. Don’t worry if your child misses—give it time!
	Your little one may have started jumping off curbs and steps. Observe if they are also able to jump with both feet in the air at the same time!
When to Expect	From 24.5 months
	From 26 months
	From 32.5 months
Age	4 years (N2)
Milestone	Balancing on one foot (one second)
	Pedalling a tricycle
	Walking up and down the stairs
	Balancing on one foot (more than one second)
How to assess	This is a skill that needs strength, coordination, and body awareness. See if your child can balance on one foot for at least one second, without support.
	Your little one may take a while to learn how to work the pedals on a tricycle. Stand a short distance away, and let him or her pedal towards you!
	You may notice that your child is now able to use alternating feet to walk up and down the stairs independently.
	Play balancing games with your child, and see if he or she can balance on one foot for two seconds or more, without support.
When to Expect	From 37 months
	From 41.5 months
	From 43.5 months
	From 46.5 months
Age	5–6 years (K1/K2)
Milestone	Hopping on one foot
Milestone	Balancing on one foot (more than five seconds)
How to assess	Play games like hopscotch with your child. See if your child is able to hop on one foot (at least twice) without support.
How to assess	As your child’s muscles get stronger, he or she will be able to balance on one foot for five seconds or more, without support.
When to Expect	From 53.5 months
When to Expect	From 57 months

See how kids pick up gross motor skills at Shaws Preschool. Book a tour!

Physical Milestones: Fine Motor Skills for Preschoolers

Fine motor skills involve precise movements like grasping a spoon, holding a crayon, drawing shapes, and picking up small objects.

Children with fine motor difficulties will find it hard to handle objects with their hands. They may have trouble with daily tasks such as tying their shoelaces. In school, they may struggle to write and draw.

Below are some important fine motor skills to look out for in your preschooler:

Age	Milestone	How to Assess	When to Expect
2 years (playgroup)	Grasping things with pincer grip	Has your child started to pick up small objects (e.g. a raisin), using the thumb and index finger? This is the time to baby-proof your home!	From 13.5 months
	Scribbling and doodling	If your child can grasp small objects, they may be ready to doodle and scribble. Get crayons and paper, and doodle together!	From 16 months
	Stacking two-storey towers	Let your little one play with building blocks. Watch if your child is able to stack two blocks, without them falling.	From 17 months
	Stacking four-storey towers	Have fun with your child by building towers together! See if your child has progressed to stacking four or more blocks, to create steady towers.	From 23 months
3–4 years (N1/N2)	Stacking six-storey towers	Your child’s hand-eye coordination has been improving! They may be able to stack six or more blocks by now.	From 29 months
	Stacking eight-storey towers	Can your child stack up to eight blocks without them falling down?	From 35.5 months
	Drawing a vertical line	Can your child draw a vertical line without help? Draw a line for your child, and see if they too can draw a fairly straight line (over 5 cm).	From 38.5 months
	Identifying the longer line	Draw two lines, one longer than the other. Show your child which is the longer line, and see if your child can also identify the longer line.	From 46.5 months
	Copying the drawing of a circle	Show your child how to draw a circle. Then let your child copy your drawing.	From 47 months
5–6 years (K1/K2)	Copying the drawing of a cross	Let your child try drawing two lines that intersect. The lines may not be straight, and the cross may not be perfect—this is normal!	From 50 months
	Copying the drawing of a square	Draw a square, and let your child copy it. They will eventually learn that to form a square, one needs to make fairly straight lines, with four corners.	From 56 months
	Drawing stick figures	Give your child crayons and pencils, and have fun drawing stick figures together!	From 57.5 months
	Drawing more complex figures	If your child loves drawing, they can try drawing people with more details, such as the close-up of a face, or arms with hands and fingers.	From 62.5 months

Age	2 years (playgroup)
Milestone	Grasping things with pincer grip
	Scribbling and doodling
	Stacking two-storey towers
	Stacking four-storey towers
How to assess	Has your child started to pick up small objects (e.g. a raisin), using the thumb and index finger? This is the time to baby-proof your home!
	If your child can grasp small objects, they may be ready to doodle and scribble. Get crayons and paper, and doodle together!
	Let your little one play with building blocks. Watch if your child is able to stack two blocks, without them falling.
	Have fun with your child by building towers together! See if your child has progressed to stacking four or more blocks, to create steady towers.
When to Expect	From 13.5 months
	From 16 months
	From 17 months
	From 23 months
Age	3–4 years (N1/N2)
Milestone	Stacking six-storey towers
	Stacking eight-storey towers
	Drawing a vertical line
	Identifying the longer line
	Copying the drawing of a circle
How to assess	Your child’s hand-eye coordination has been improving! They may be able to stack six or more blocks by now.
	Can your child stack up to eight blocks without them falling down?
	Can your child draw a vertical line without help? Draw a line for your child, and see if they too can draw a fairly straight line (over 5 cm).
	Draw two lines, one longer than the other. Show your child which is the longer line, and see if your child can also identify the longer line.
	Show your child how to draw a circle. Then let your child copy your drawing. The early attempts may not look like circles, but that’s OK!
When to Expect	From 29 months
	From 35.5 months
	From 38.5 months
	From 46.5 months
	From 47 months
Age	5–6 years (K1/K2)
Milestone	Copying the drawing of a cross
	Copying the drawing of a square
	Drawing stick figures
	Drawing more complex figures
How to assess	Let your child try drawing two lines that intersect. The lines may not be straight, and the cross may not be perfect—this is normal!
	Draw a square, and let your child copy it. They will eventually learn that to form a square, one needs to make fairly straight lines, with four corners.
	Give your child crayons and pencils, and have fun drawing stick figures together!
	If your child loves drawing, they can try drawing people with more details, such as the close-up of a face, or arms with hands and fingers.
When to Expect	From 50 months
	From 56 months
	From 57.5 months
	From 62.5 months

See how kids pick up gross fine-motor skills at Shaws Preschool. Book a tour!

Communication and Cognitive Milestones for Preschoolers

Communication milestones involve both verbal and non-verbal communication. From gesturing to using words and constructing sentences, communication milestones are important for any growing child.

What about cognitive milestones? These revolve around a child’s ability to think, learn, and solve problems. Examples of cognitive milestones include a baby learning to respond to facial expressions, and a child learning to use words correctly.

Below are some communication and cognitive skills to look out for in your preschooler:

Age	Milestone	How to Assess	When to Expect
2 years (playgroup)	Saying “Mama” or “Papa”	Has your little one started to address you as “Mama” or “Papa?” You must be looking forward to this!	From 14.5 months
	Pointing to body parts	When you say “nose,” can your child point to the correct body part? How about the eyes, ears, hands, hair, legs, and stomach? By now, your child should be able to correctly identify at least two body parts!	From 19 months
	Starting to use words	Apart from “Mama” and “Papa”, can your child say three more words, and use them in the same way each time?	From 21 months
3 years (N1)	Pointing correctly to two pictures	Show your child a set of five picture cards, and name them. Can your child point correctly to at least two picture cards?	From 25.5 months
	Combining words	Has your child started to use word combinations like “play ball” or “want drink?” To help your child develop language skills, spend plenty of time talking to your child, singing songs together, and reading books aloud!	From 27 months
	Pointing correctly to four pictures	Show your child a set of five picture cards, and name them. Can your child point correctly to at least four picture cards?	From 28.5 months
	Naming two pictures correctly	Using your set of five picture cards, can your child name at least two pictures correctly?	From 30 months
4 years (N2)	Naming four pictures correctly	From your set of five picture cards, is your child able to name at least four pictures correctly?	From 37 months
	Knowing one’s name/age/sex	Does your child know their name, age, and gender? Let your child practise answering questions like “What is your name?”	From 40 months
	Speaking in complete sentences	Is your child able to make sentences with words like “and” or “but?”	From 48 months
5–6 years (K1/K2)	Counting from 1 to 10	Can your child count from one to 10? Count together, sing number songs, and read counting books!	From 52 months
	Knowing the purpose of objects	Does your child know what a cup is for? How about a pencil, or a chair?	From 55.5 months
	Naming three colours correctly	Play games with your child that involve naming colours—they should be able to identify at least three colours!	From 63.5 months
	Placing and counting objects	Get eight blocks. Put a paper next to the blocks. Ask your child to take one block and put it on the paper. Repeat the process with three blocks, and then with five blocks!	From 64 months

Age	2 years (playgroup)
Milestone	Saying “Mama” or “Papa”
	Pointing to body parts
	Starting to use words
How to assess	Has your little one started to address you as “Mama” or “Papa?” You must be looking forward to this!
	When you say “nose,” can your child point to the correct body part? How about the eyes, ears, hands, hair, legs, and stomach? By now, your child should be able to correctly identify at least two body parts!
	Apart from “Mama” and “Papa”, can your child say three more words, and use them in the same way each time?
When to Expect	From 14.5 months
	From 19 months
	From 21 months
Age	3 years (N1)
Milestone	Pointing correctly to two pictures
	Combining words
	Pointing correctly to four pictures
	Naming two pictures correctly
How to assess	Show your child a set of five picture cards, and name them. Can your child point correctly to at least two picture cards?
	Has your child started to use word combinations like “play ball” or “want drink?” To help your child develop language skills, spend plenty of time talking to your child, singing songs together, and reading books aloud!
	Show your child a set of five picture cards, and name them. Can your child point correctly to at least four picture cards?
	Using your set of five picture cards, can your child name at least two pictures correctly?
When to Expect	From 25.5 months
	From 27 months
	From 28.5 months
	From 30 months
Age	4 years (N2)
Milestone	Naming four pictures correctly
	Knowing one’s name/age/sex
	Speaking in complete sentences
How to assess	From your set of five picture cards, is your child able to name at least four pictures correctly?
	Does your child know their name, age, and gender? Let your child practice answering questions like “What is your name?”
	Is your child able to make sentences with words like “and” or “but?”
When to Expect	From 37 months
	From 40 months
	From 48 months
Age	5–6 years (K1/K2)
Milestone	Counting from 1 to 10
	Knowing the purpose of objects
	Naming three colours correctly
	Placing and counting objects
How to assess	Can your child count from one to 10? Count together, sing number songs, and read counting books!
	Does your child know what a cup is for? How about a pencil, or a chair?
	Play games with your child that involve naming colours—they should be able to identify at least three colours!
	Get eight blocks. Put a paper next to the blocks. Ask your child to take one block and put it on the paper. Repeat the process with three blocks, and then with five blocks!
When to Expect	From 52 months
	From 55.5 months
	From 63.5 months
	From 64 months

See how kids communicate and learn at Shaws Preschool. Book a tour!

Personal and Social-Emotional Milestones for Preschoolers

For a preschooler, personal milestones include everyday self-care skills such as brushing one’s teeth and getting dressed.

To thrive in the world, children also need to express their emotions effectively, follow rules and directions, and form positive relationships with others. These are known as social-emotional skills.

Below are some personal and social-emotional skills to look out for in your preschooler. (For more information, refer to this self-care development chart, and this list of social-emotional milestones.)

Age	Milestone	How to Assess	When to Expect
2 years (playgroup)	Gesturing to express oneself	Is your child reaching out with open arms to be carried, or pointing to food to express hunger? You can also teach your child some useful gestures!	From 13.5 months
	Imitating you at home	Has your child started imitating what Mommy and Daddy do at home? A child learns through imitation, and parents are the most important role models!	From 16 months
	Drinking from a cup	Your little one might be ready to drink from a regular cup. There will be spills initially, but your child will figure this out soon!	From 18.5 months
	Using a spoon to self-feed	Instead of using fingers, your child might be ready to eat with a spoon. Things might be messy at first, but it will get better!	From 22 months
	Undressing oneself	Your child might try to take off their clothes or shoes. With practice, your child will be able to do this without help!	From 24 months
3–4 years (N1/N2)	Pretend play with toys	Your child is getting more imaginative, and you might notice them indulging in pretend play with toys, such as tucking plush toys into bed.	From 24.5 months
	Dressing oneself	Has your child started to dress independently, with just a little help needed?	From 34 months
	Referring to a friend by name	When your child talks about a playdate, or what happened in school, do they refer to peers by name? Encourage your child to do so, by asking about their friends!	From 45.5 months
5–6 years (K1/K2)	Brushing teeth with help	Show your child the best way to brush, and let your child imitate you!	From 51 months
	Getting dressed independently	Is your child able to dress correctly, without help? Although your child may still struggle with zips, laces, and buttons, that’s perfectly fine. In time, they will learn!	From 54 months
	Brushing teeth independently	Is your child able to brush without help, including squeezing the toothpaste onto the toothbrush? Now, you’ll only need to help with the flossing!	From 69 months

Age	2 years (playgroup)
Milestone	Gesturing to express oneself
	Imitating you at home
	Drinking from a cup
	Using a spoon to self-feed
	Undressing oneself
How to assess	Is your child reaching out with open arms to be carried, or pointing to food to express hunger? You can also teach your child some useful gestures!
	Has your child started imitating what Mommy and Daddy do at home? A child learns through imitation, and parents are the most important role models!
	Your little one might be ready to drink from a regular cup. There will be spills initially, but your child will figure this out soon!
	Instead of using fingers, your child might be ready to eat with a spoon. Things might be messy at first, but it will get better!
	Your child might try to take off their clothes or shoes. With practice, your child will be able to do this without help!
When to Expect	From 13.5 months
	From 16 months
	From 18.5 months
	From 22 months
	From 24 months
Age	3–4 years (N1/N2)
Milestone	Pretend play with toys
	Dressing oneself
	Referring to a friend by name
How to assess	Your child is getting more imaginative, and you might notice them indulging in pretend play with toys, such as tucking plush toys into bed.
	Has your child started to dress independently, with just a little help needed?
	When your child talks about a playdate, or what happened in school, do they refer to peers by name? Encourage your child to do so, by asking about their friends!
When to Expect	From 24.5 months
	From 34 months
	From 45.5 months
Age	5–6 years (K1/K2)
Milestone	Brushing teeth with help
	Getting dressed independently
	Brushing teeth independently
How to assess	Show your child the best way to brush, and let your child imitate you!
	Is your child able to dress correctly, without help? Although your child may still struggle with zips, laces, and buttons, that’s perfectly fine. In time, they will learn!
	Is your child able to brush without help, including squeezing the toothpaste onto the toothbrush? Now, you’ll only need to help with the flossing!
When to Expect	From 51 months
	From 54 months
	From 69 months

See how kids learn self-care and social-emotional skills at Shaws Preschool. Book a tour!