9.1 Social and Emotional Milestones

That expanding understanding of themselves and others develops with age. Here is a table of social and emotional milestones that children typically experience during early childhood.

Table 9.1: Social and Emotional Milestones³³³

Typical Age	What Most Children Do by This Age
3 years	Copies adults and friends
3 years	Shows affection for friends without prompting
3 years	Takes turns in games
3 years	Shows concern for a crying friend
3 years	Dresses and undresses self
3 years	Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
3 years	Shows a wide range of emotions
3 years	Separates easily from mom and dad
3 years	May get upset with major changes in routine
4 years	Enjoys doing new things
4 years	Is more and more creative with make-believe play
4 years	Would rather play with other children than by self
4 years	Cooperates with other children
4 years	Plays “mom” or “dad”
4 years	Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
4 years	Talks about what she likes and what she is interested in
5 years	Wants to please friends
5 years	Wants to be like friends
5 years	More likely to agree with rules
5 years	Likes to sing, dance, and act
5 years	Is aware of gender
5 years	Can tell what’s real and what’s make-believe
5 years	Shows more independence
5 years	Is sometimes demanding and sometimes very cooperative

Many things influence how children develop those milestones as how they view themselves and how they interact with those around them changes. Let’s look more at these.

---

333. Developmental Milestones by the CDC is in the public domain↩︎