Helping Little Wiggles Grow and Thrive!
Children grow and develop rapidly, especially in their early years, as they wiggle their way through exciting stages of life! Each phase brings new skills and changes across physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development. By understanding these typical milestones, you can nurture your little Wiggle’s growth in the best possible way.
This why we have partnered with Young Academics who use developmentally appropriate practices to support every child’s unique journey. Here’s a guide to what you can expect from 4 months to 5 years, along with practical tips to help your little one shine!
Developmental Milestones: 4-8 Months
Cognitive Development
Milestones: Babies start exploring cause and effect - shake a rattle, and voila, there’s a sound!
Tips for Parents: Introduce toys with fun textures and noises to spark curiosity and imagination.
Language Development
Milestones: You’ll hear adorable babbles as your little one experiments with sounds.
Tips for Parents: Repeat their sounds back to them and sprinkle in simple words. Your baby will love the back-and-forth chatter!
Physical Development
Milestones: Babies begin to wiggle their way into mobility! They start rolling over, reaching for toys, and sitting with support. By 8 months, many babies can sit independently and even crawl.
Tips for Parents: Have some tummy time fun! Place a favourite toy just out of reach to encourage those little muscles to stretch and strengthen.
Social and Emotional Development
Milestones: Babies begin recognising familiar faces and responding to their name. They’ll light up when they see their favourite Wiggle (you!).
Tips for Parents: Chat, sing, and make eye contact with your baby to build social bonds.
Developmental Milestones: 8-12 Months
Cognitive Development
Milestones: Object permanence emerges, meaning your baby understands that a toy hidden behind your back hasn’t disappeared.
Tips for Parents: Play peek-a-boo or hide-and-seek games with toys to make learning this concept lots of fun.
Language Development
Milestones: First words like “mama” or “dada” might make their grand debut.
Tips for Parents: Read simple stories together and point to objects as you name them. Books are a wiggly wonderland for learning!
Physical Development
Milestones: Pulling up, cruising, and maybe even early steps - this is the age of big wiggly moves!
Tips for Parents: Provide safe furniture for support and cheer them on as they explore their new skills.
Social and Emotional Development
Milestones: Babies may start feeling shy around strangers and cling to their Wiggle buddies (that’s you!).
Tips for Parents: Take new situations slowly, offering reassurance while they explore at their own pace.
Developmental Milestones: 1-2 Years
Cognitive Development
Milestones: Toddlers begin problem-solving and enjoy interactive play. They may start to imitate adults.
Tips for Parents: Offer puzzles and stackable toys that encourage hands-on learning and imagination.
Language Development
Milestones: Words start tumbling out as your toddler’s vocabulary grows rapidly.
Tips for Parents: Talk about everything! From “What’s this?” to “Where’s Dorothy the Dinosaur?”, make conversation part of the daily routine.
Physical Development
Milestones: Most toddlers are confidently walking and may start running or climbing.
Tips for Parents: Encourage active play like chasing bubbles or dancing to Wiggles tunes to strengthen coordination.
Social and Emotional Development
Milestones: Your toddler will start showing their big feelings and individuality-sometimes all at once!
Tips for Parents: Help them navigate emotions with patience and plenty of hugs. A little redirection can turn tears into giggles.
Developmental Milestones: 2-3 Years
Cognitive Development
Milestones: Curiosity blooms as they start solving basic puzzles and asking, “Why?” (a lot!).
Tips for Parents: Answer their questions and encourage exploration with fun, hands-on activities like sorting shapes or colours.
Language Development
Milestones: Sentences become longer and their vocabulary grows by leaps and bounds.
Tips for Parents: Ask open-ended questions like, “What do you think the Wiggles are doing today?” to spark creativity and conversation.
Physical Development
Milestones: Increase coordination and motor skills. Allow running, jumping, and ball kicking to become part of their wiggly repertoire.
Tips for Parents: Head outside for a game of catch or build an obstacle course to encourage movement and fun, as well as climbing and kicking games.
Social and Emotional Development
Milestones: Toddlers show interest in other kids, often playing alongside them in “parallel play.”
Tips for Parents: Model sharing and kindness by joining in their play and inviting friends over for Wiggly playdates.
Developmental Milestones: 3-5 Years
Cognitive Development
Milestones: Problem-solving and early academic skills like counting and sorting shine through.
Tips for Parents: Turn daily routines into learning moments, like counting carrots at snack time or sorting laundry by colours.
Language Development
Milestones: Full sentences and storytelling take centre stage as children express themselves with confidence.
Tips for Parents: Read books together and encourage them to make up their own stories to stretch their imagination.
Physical Development
Milestones: Balance and coordination improve as preschoolers master jumping, climbing, and cutting with scissors.
Tips for Parents: Encourage both fine motor and big wiggly movements-try drawing Wiggles characters or playing hopscotch!
Social and Emotional Development
Milestones: Empathy grows as children play cooperatively with friends, but sharing may still need practice.
Tips for Parents: Use role-play or storytelling to teach empathy and problem-solving, making it a fun, wiggly game.
Ready for More Wiggly Tips?
Download Young Academic’s Free Developmental Milestones Guide for expert advice, milestone checklists, and fun activities to support your child’s growth at every stage.
Let’s make each milestone a Wiggly celebration filled with love, learning, and lots of laughter!
