Interactions between genes and the environment shape children’s developing brains.

Brain development in children

Birth to 4 months

From the day your baby is born their brain is growing and developing. Find out how you can encourage your baby's physical and social development at home.

Birth to 4 month olds

At 8 – 12 months your baby is on the move and getting into everything, developing skills like problem solving, investigating and experimenting. He or she is becoming more excited and curious about the world. They’re learning how to point and make sounds at the things they want and are beginning to understand how they affect the people around them.

8 to 12 month olds

Your child is now a preschooler, who is fascinated by the world around them. They can speak in longer sentences and will start asking lots of ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ questions as they try to understand more about the world.  They enjoy playing with other kids, learning rules and taking turns. And you’ll see them start to form real friendships as they begin to develop their social skills.

3 to 5 year olds

Your child is now a toddler, they like to do things in their own way, in their own time so it’s important they have a safe environment to learn, play and explore in. Their concentration is better so they are better listeners and will happily play for longer. Day by day they’re open to new challenges and can seem more independent, but don’t be fooled – you can’t take your eyes off them for a second!!

1 to 2 year olds

Your child is now starting to test boundaries and can throw temper tantrums so it’s important you find ways for them to have a break to recharge their batteries. Their memory is developing fast and they can now talk about people who are not with them at the time. This is a time where your child’s imagination is soaring. They enjoy doing things outside the home, so it’s a great time to visit parks and playgrounds. Play time becomes a game of make-believe, where they practice skills and mimic situations they see around them. Use this time to talk to your child about respecting others so they learn how to play fair.

2 to 3 year olds

By the time your baby is four months old he or she has already developed their own personality. They know when you call their name and can be soothed by the sound of your voice. Over the next few months you’ll see your baby becoming more curious of their surroundings and starting to play and communicate with other babies and toddlers.

4 to 8 month olds

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Your child's development