Socio-emotional development.

Social and emotional development at 2 months of age

• Begins to smile at familiar faces
• Attempts at self-soothing (for example, sucking the thumb or hand)
• Tries to look at parents

Social and emotional development at 4 months of age

• Smiles (without prompting) at other people
• Enjoys playing and may cry when play stops
• Tries to imitate facial expressions such as smiling or frowning

Social and emotional development at 6 months

• Recognizes familiar faces
• Begins to recognize if someone is a stranger
• Enjoys playing with parents
• Often appears happy
• Reacts to others' emotions
• Likes to look at themselves in the mirror

Social and emotional development at 9 months

• Fear of strangers (can distinguish familiar faces; begins to sense "stranger danger")
• Clingy with familiar adults
• Attachment to favorite toys

Social and emotional development at 12 months

• Begins to act shy or nervous around strangers
• Cries when parents or caregivers leave
• Identifies favorite toys or people
• Shows fear in certain situations
• Brings book to parents or caregivers to listen to a story
• Imitates sounds or movements to get attention
• Extends arms or hands to help with dressing
• Begins to play social games (such as peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake)

Social and emotional development at 18 months    

• Shows fear of strangers
• May begin to throw tantrums to express frustration
• Begins to show open affection to familiar people…
• Enjoys giving items to others for social play
• Begins to play pretend games like feeding a teddy bear or doll
• Clings to parents or caregivers in new social settings
• Points to objects to show interest
• Starts to explore alone (with parents nearby)

Social and emotional development at 2 years

• Mimics parents and older children
• Gets excited to see other children
• Starts to show more independence
• Starts to show defiant behavior
• Plays independently alongside other children
• Include other children in games like "Chase"

Social and emotional development at 3 years

• Mimics adults and friends
• Starts to show affection to friends
• Plays games that involve taking turns
• Shows concern for a crying friend
• Begin to understand the concept of "mine", "yours", "his" and "hers"
• Expresses a range of emotions
• Separates from parents more easily
• May get upset by major changes in routine

Social and emotional development at 4 years

• Learns to cooperate with other children
• Likes to try new things
• Gets creative with fantasy (playing “mom,” “dad,” “princess,” or tea parties)
• Enjoys sharing tastes and interests

Social and emotional development at 5 years

• Enjoys being like friends
• Enjoys praise and being the center of attention
• More agreeable with rules (can resolve some frustrations without tantrums)
• Enjoys singing, dancing, and acting
• Shows sympathy for others
• Begins to understand gender
• Demanding at times, but more cooperative than ever.
• Demonstrates greater independence in play