Developmental Milestones

All children are unique and develop different skills at different speeds, but most children follow a similar developmental trajectory. We have listed a range of skills that should be attained by a particular age. If your child is missing a few, it is worth having a discussion with an Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist. Early intervention in a caring environment will help your child bridge the developmental gap and feel more comfortable among their peers.

Communication Skills

Communication Skills are crucial for children to express themselves and understand the world around them. Vocabulary is just one important piece of the puzzle. Understanding all the tricky rules of communication such as the tone of voice, facial expressions and how to communicate with friends are also important for living in a social world. Download our factsheets and checklists below for age-specific information.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine Motor Skills should really be called ‘things I can do with my hands’. Examples include fastening buttons, using cutlery, tying shoe laces and writing, using scissors and playing with Lego.

Gross Motor Skills

Gross Motor Skills should really be called ‘things I can do with the big muscles in my body’. Examples including; running, hopping, skipping, kicking a ball, climbing a tree and sitting at a table.

Play Skills

Play Skills are the dynamic activities that can bring your child joy, promote social skills, facilitate learning and improve motor skills. These can be unstructured or organised, independent or with others. While there is no universally accepted definition of play, allied health professionals agree that play skills are important for the well-being of children and can usually spot when children experience difficulties in this area.

Independence Skills

Independence skills are those skills that children need to achieve to lead an independent life from their parents - and importantly, they are also the daily tasks that will make the life of a parent a whole lot easier. Learning to go to the toilet, feeding themselves, dressing, washing their hair, pouring a glass of water and unpacking a school bag are a few examples.