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We have drafted the following goals according to developmental milestones which are categorized into the 6 areas of development - gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, social, social-communication and adaptive skills.

 

As parents, you play an important role in the growing-up years of your child and we hope that you would find the suggested activities and home routines helpful in being aware of what you and your child can work on together at the listed age range.

 

However, it is important to note that every child is unique and may develop in their own different patterns and paces. A child’s development can also be influenced by factors such as environmental factors, biological factors, etc.


As a parent, you know your child best. If your child is not meeting the milestones for his or her age, or if you observe that there could be an issue with the way your child learns, acts, plays and moves, talk to your child's doctor and share your concerns.
 

*Please note that list of suggestions for parents are optional to do.

Goals for You and Your Child

 

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

1 year old goal list

1 Year Old Goal List

Cognitive

Social

Social-Communication

Fine Motor

Adaptive

Gross Motor

  • Child displays curiosity towards the actions and sounds made by an adult; child explores his/her curiosity by doing a similar action or sound

 

  • Child dances slightly, with awkward movements do the sound of music

 

  • Child may whimper and cry when parents do not give them what they want
     

  • Child is able to move him/herself towards the food, toy or object he/she wants

 

 

  • Repeat action or sound when child expresses curiosity towards it; respond positively when child is able to produce similar action or sound

 

  • Expose child to music and excourage child to move with his/her body

 

  • Say no firmly, explain reason for not giving child in simple terms and put away the object that child wants; use planned ignoring if child's behaviour persist

 

Tips: Keep dangerous and small objects away from child's reach, child may get hurt when nobody is paying close attention to them

 

 

 

  • Child looks at the direction where his/her own name is called

 

  • When left alone with other adults, child may cry and start looking for his/her parents

 

 

  • Child smiles when the name of a close friend or family is mentioned

 

 

  • Child is able to use body gestures to express what he/she wants

 

 

  • Child goes up to hug a familiar adult

 

  • Child is wary of unfamiliar people

 

  • Child repeats a behaviour if he/she thinks it is funny

  • Prompt child to look at the person who is calling him/her

 

  • Allow child some time to get familiarised with the environment and people until child appears to be comfortable and at ease

 

  • Teach child to match faces with names (e.g. point to a photo and explain, "This is Daddy, this is Korkor...)

 

  • Encourage child to point at what he/she wants, and allow child time to express his/her wants

 

Tips: Encourage and allow child to interact with other children and adults that you know; Keep child under your watch in public at all times

  • Child learns his/her first word

 

  • Child is able to say 2-3 simple words

 

  • Child looks up when he/she hears a familiar voice

 

  • Child is able to follow when asked to do simple actions (e.g. waving, shaking head, kiss goodbye)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Speak animatedly and repeatedly with child while pointing at objects or people

 

 

  • Look at child and address his/her response (e.g. who is that? is that daddy's voice?)

 

  • Communicate with child in proper sentence, then break down the sentence and explain the verb with actions (e.g. "Mary can you clap your hands?" to explaining the word , "clap" with hand gestures)

 

 

  • Child expresses curiosity in drinking from a cup

 

  • Child eat with his/her hands

 

  • Child lifts up his/her arms when someone puts on a shirt for him/her

 

  • Encourage assist child in drinking from cups instead of using straws or sippy cups

 

  • Encourage child to feed himself/herself with food cut into smaller pieces

 

Tip: Never leave your child alone while they are eating.

  • Child is able to hold onto to nearby furnitures and stand on their own

 

  • Child may toddle or walk independently

 

  • Child is able to sit down independently without falling over

 

 

  • Promote independent learning for child (e.g letting child get back up on his or her own after a fall)

 

  • Encourage child to hold surrounding objects such as tables and sofas as he or she attempts to walk, stand or sit

 

 

  • Child is able to hold objects (eg: crayons, pencil, building blocks, cups)

 

  • Child is able to pick up small objects using the thumb and forefinger

 

  • Child is able to move an object from one place to another

  • Encourage child to scribble, colour or draw

 

  • Engage child in daily tasks and activities (eg: putting small toys back into place, cleaning the table)

2 year old goal list

2 Year Old Goal List

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

  • Provide child with wooden blocks/big legos to play 

 

  • Allow child to turn pages on his/her own during reading session

 

  • Focus on having fun while doodling or scribbling instead of focusing on drawing or writing the "right" way 
     

Tip: For safety reasons, keep drawers, cabinets and boxes at home padlocked or child-proofed 

Fine Motor

Gross Motor

  • Child is able to put on simple clothing (T-shirt, trousers) without help

Adaptive

  • Child is able to follow one step instructions/directions
     

  • Child is able to use sounds, voice, gesture to communicate for  basic needs (eg: need for food, water and the need to use the restroom, etc.)
     

  • Child babbles in trying to mimic speech sounds 

Cognitive

  • Child is able to recognise parent or caregiver's facial expression and emotions (eg: Frowning, smiling, etc.)
     

  • Child may throw tantrums (cries, sulk, unwillingness to move etc.) when he/she does not get what he/she want. However, they will get over it quickly
     

  • Child may be selfish with his/her belonging and be not willing to share with other children

 

 

 

 

 

  • Communicate firmly with child when he/she display undesirable behaviour. (Eg. place limits, consequences and expectations on their children's behaviour.)

 

  • Explain the rewards and results of a desirable behaviours to reinforce positive behaviours.

 

Social- Communication

  • Communicate with child in proper sentences

 

  • ​​Introduce child to more story books and explain the pictures found in books

 

  • ​Educate child on body parts through visual materials (eg posters, books, flashcards,etc.)​

 

Tip: When child is curious, try your best to be patient and explain the surroundings to him/her. Do avoid reprimanding child for his/her curiosity.

  • Child can form two to-three words phrases

 

  • Child can locate body parts

 

  • Child is able to identify details in pictures (colors, shapes etc.)

 

  • ​​​Child expresses curiosity: he/she may start to explore things around them – (eg. Put objects in mouth, squeeze small things etc.  

Social

  • Teach child to express needs through various means such as gesturing and verbalizing 
     

  • Instruct child using in simple 1-step directions (eg: Pick up the toy)

 

  • Encourage child to wear his/her own clothes while guiding him/her

  • Child is able to walk without assistance
     

  • Child is able to use the surroundings to pull him/herself in order to stand up 
     

  • Child is able to sit upright by him/herself
     

  •  

    Child is able to run

     

     

     

     

  • Bring child out for walks

 

  • Bring child out to playgrounds or outdoors to play

  • Child is able to build a tower made out of 3-4  toy blocks
     

  • Child can flip book pages one page at a time
     

  • Child is able to open drawers, cabinets and boxes
     

  • Child is able to scribble (eg: make random lines, scrolls or marks) by him/herself without prompting 

 

 

3 year old goal list

3 Year Old Goal List

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

Cognitive

  • Expose child to new environments to stimulate his/her curiosity
     

  • Read interactive books to child to capture attention 
     

  • Get child to help out in keeping and storing objects at home (eg: Placing the different utensils in different compartments; spoons and forks)
     

  • Provide a visual schedule and keep routines consistent
     

  • Use songs or games that require counting to help child familiarise with numbers


 

  • Child understands concept of “mine” and “his/hers”

 

  • Child is able to say own name, age, and gender
     

  • Child is able to renact situations during play using an object with promptings
     

  • Child identifies and matches identical or similar objects
     

  • Child is able to listen to a story for 5-8 minutes
     

  • Child is able to verbally count from 1-10, however he/she will have no awareness of what the numbers mean (Rote Counting)
     

  • Child is aware of the sequence of 2 daily or familiar activites
     

 

  • Child will try to gain approval from caregivers/parents
     

  • Child will be able to demonstrate turn taking (eg: In games, avtivities, conversations)
     

  • Child will start developing close relationships with friends
     

  • Child will display humurous behaviour in an attempt to gain attention
     

  • Child is able to separate from parent easily in recognisable environments

 

  • Reward child with tangible rewards (like treats) or praises  for following instructions, obeying rules and working together with others

 

  • Organise cooperative activities or games that allows child to interact with other children

Social

  • Child is able to use 2 or 3 word phrases when talking
     

  • Child often asks questions
     

  • Child uses plurals in daily conversations (eg: books, cars, cats)
     

  • Child is able to express his/her needs with words, actions or sounds
     

  • Child is able to identify and describe sizes (big/small) and colours of objects 

  • Introduce child to social interactions with familiar adults and children

 

  • Use everyday situations to reinforce your child’s speech and language
     

  • Value and respect the questions child asks
     

  • Use daily activities or tasks to expand child’s knowledge in vocabulary by labelling objects or naming people

Social-Communication

Adaptive

  • Child is able to dress him/herself with some assistance (eg: with shoelaces, buttoning, etc.)
     

  • Child is able to feed him/herself with a little difficulty
     

  • Child is able to express the need to go to the toilet
     

  • Child is able to brush teeth with assistance (eg: Putting toothpaste on toothbrush)
     

  • Child is able to wash and dry own hands by him/herself

  • Encourage child to do his/her own dressing, feeding and toileting while providing guidance

 

  • Give child time to execute tasks and only help him/her when he/she requests

  • Bring child out for outdoor activities and play games to practice skills (eg: going to the playground)

  • Child is able to balance on one foot for a short while 

 

  • Child is able to travel up stairs using alternating feet with little assistance 
     

  • Child is able to squat down to pick up objects (eg: toys) from floor without falling

 

  • Child is able to jump on the same spot with 2 feet together 
     

  • Child is able to catch, kick and throw a ball

Gross Motor

Fine Motor

  • Child is able to copy   circles and straight lines (Both horizontal and vertical)

 

  • Child is able to grip a pencil using the first 2 fingers and thumb
     

  • Child is able to use a scissors to cut paper which may not be in a straight line
     

  • Child is able to hold a cup with 1 hand
     

  • Child is able to build towers of 5 blocks

 

  • Conduct art and craft sessions with child, while providing a safe environment for him/her to express themselves

 

  • Be creative in using different mediums for such sessions so as to attract and retain child’s attention during activities
     

  • Use different materials to encourage child in practicing finger grip (eg: crayons, paintbrushes, pencils)

 

Tips: Using pictures during activities to attract and retain child’s attention better

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

4 year old goal list

4 Year Old Goal List

Cognitive

  • Child is able to use 4 or 5 words to form a sentence
     

  • Child is able to be involved in storytelling by parroting (eg: saying a repeated phrase) or completing a sentence

 

  • Child is able to count and identify quantities of up to 5
     

  • Child is able to point to and identify 4 to 6 colours
     

  • Child is able to carry out a task that he/she is instructed to do in 3 steps (eg: Stand up quietly, go to the toilet and wash your hands)
     

  • Child is able to differentiate what is real or imaginary

 

  • Read to your child and expose your him/her to more reading materials (eg. number books, storybooks.)

 

  • Start conversations with child frequently

 

  • Point to objects and model counting to child, using the environment (eg: How many apples do I have? 1...2...3...)

 

  • Encourage child to tell a story out of his/her own imagination
     

  • Encourage child to listen to instructions and give appraisal for being able to do so

 

  • Label household items to allow child to associate words with items they are attached to


Tip: Correct mistakes with care. (eg: Acknowledge your child's attempt, point out what they got right, and then review the proper way to use and or speak the word.)

  • Label emotions  so as allow child to develop a vocabulary for expressing them

 

  • Give child opportunities to identify feelings in themselves and others (eg: “Riding your bike is so much fun. I see you smiling. Are you happy?” “Joey bumped his head on the slide. How do you think Joey feels?)

 

  • Expose child to activities that requires team effort (eg: Treasure Hunt)
     

  • Try not to easily give in or comply to child's demands, and instil the value of patience in him/her
     

  • Give child oppurtunities to speak up fr him/herself

  • Child is usually able to comply with adults instructions/requests 

 

  • Child is able to display cooperativeness while participating in games with other children 
     

  • Child is able to display understanding and support to peers and family members
     

  • Child is able to wait for about 5 minutes to get needs or demands met
     

  • Child is able to negotiate and reason with the people around him/her (eg: exchanging of toys)
     

  • Child is able to recognise situations or events which would affect his/her emotions (eg: Happy, angry or sad) 

 

Social

  • Child usually uses correct grammer while speaking 
     

  • Child is able to share parts of a story or personal experiences that he/she remembers
     

  • Child is able to reply to basic information-gathering questions (Who, How, What)
     

  • Child will express curiosity by asking many questions 

  • Correct child's grammer when necessary
     

  • Listen carefully to child when he/she is talking and give in your ideas in between.

 

  • Teach child social etiquette in speaking in conversations (eg: continual interruptions are inappropriate)

 

Tip: Being patient with child when they are talking will help child feel that his/ her opinions are valued

Social-Communication

  • Child is able to dress and undress him/herself with minimal assistance

 

  • Child is able to take care of his/her own toileting needs
     

  • Child is able to use the toothbrush to brush his/her teeth with some assistance
     

  • Child uses utensils during meal times (eg: Fork, spoon and cup)

 

  • Guide child on correct way to put on clothes (eg: use tags to identify the back of shirt)

 

  • Provide visual checklist on order of dressing up (underwear, pants etc.)

 

  • Educate child on toileting steps (eg: pulling down pants, sitting down on the toilet bowl, etc.)

  • Educate child on using fork and spoon during mealtimes

Adaptive

  • Child is able to jump over or off objects (eg: step or box)
     

  • Child is able to catch a bouncing ball with outstrectched hands 
     

  • Child is able to throw a ball with proper hand coordination
     

  • Child is able to climb, slide and swing during playground time

  • Provide child with more opportunities  for outdoor play (eg: ball activities, hopscotch, etc.)

Gross Motor

Fine Motor

  • Child is able to draw simple pictures/objects (eg: smiley face, flower)

 

  • Child attempts to write his/her own name 

 

  • Child is able to cut paper into half using a pair of scissors 

 

  • Child begins to practice writing capital letters by copying them down

  • Encourage child to incorporate shapes into his/her drawings (eg: two circles make up a pair of eyes)

 

  • Allow child to practice using a children-friendly scissors. (e.g. cut play dough)

 

  • Encourage child to do alphabet writings (eg: reading books, watching videos or tracing alphabets.)

5 year old goal list

5 Year Old Goal List

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

  • Instruct child using two to three part commands (eg: "Go to the toilet, brush your teeth, and then get in bed.")
     

  • Guide child in coming up with his/her own solutions
     

  • Try not to be over critical towards child's thoughts and input

  • Child is able to retell a story but could get some of the facts wrong or confused with 
     

  • Child displays problem solving skills as he/she explores different solutions to questions, tasks or problems
     

  • Child actively uses imagination during play and story telling
     

  • Child is able to count up and recognise quantities of up to 10  

Cognitive

  • Child displays understanding of values such as team work and fairplay through group games 

 

  • Child is able to manage his/her own emotions with minimal adult support

 

  • Child is able to carry out a task alone for about 15-20 minutes 

 

 

  • Child is more inclined to try out new experiences

 

 

  • Organise games or activities that allows child to play with other children to encourage social interaction

 

  • Teach child to be responsible at home such as setting up the table, drying dishes, picking up toys, etc

 

Social

Social-Communication

  • Child is able to carry out a complicated task that he/she is instructed to do in multiple steps 
     

  • Strangers are able to understand child clearly when he/she speaks 
     

  • Child is able to talk about events or situations in the past, present and future with a good understanding of time 

 

 

  • Use daily activities to encourage communication with child (Eg: How was school today?)

 

  • Read stories together, encourage child to tell stories or share jokes with one another

 

  • Encourage child to do activities independently and restrain from helping out too much 

  • Child is able to dress and undress him/herself with no assistance
     

  • Child is able to follow timely routines and activities systematically
     

  • Child is aware of basic/fundamental health and safety rules

 

  • Child is able to cope well with personal needs 

 

Adaptive

Gross Motor

Fine Motor

  • Child is able to participate in games that require either kicking, catching or throwing a hand-sized ball
     

  • Child is able to balance on one-foot for about 10 seconds
     

  • Child is able to dance accordingly to the beat of music

  • Play intense, yet safe sports that require large movements (badminton, soccer, basketball etc.)

 

 

  • Child is able to copy shapes. (eg triangle, circle, square, etc)

 

  • Child is able to draw a person with 2 to 4 body parts
     

  • Child is able to colour within lines of a picture
     

  • Child is able to use medium/big scissors to cut shapes 

  • Get child to practice drawing shapes or people using different mediums (eg; drawing on sand, crayons, etc.)
     

  • Engage child with craft activities while encourgaging him/her to carry out tasks independently with adult supervision 

Goals For Your Child

Suggestions For Parents

6 year old goal list

6 Year Old Goal List

  • Introduce child to lots of books, songs and educational videos 

 

  • Use names or basic words to practice identifying and matching capital and lower-case letters
     

  • Model proper pronounication of words and letters to child

 

 

  • Child is able to identify and match capital and lower-case letters
     

  • Child is able to recognise sounds with written words   
     

  • Child is able to read simple stories by him/herself

 

Cognitive

  • Child is able to identify and express his/her own feelings and emotions (eg: anger, fear, sadness, etc)
     

  • Child is able to express his/her own strengths, interests, likes and dislikes (eg: I like to read books
     

  • Child is able to take initiative to form friendships with other children through various means (eg: play)

Social

Social-Communication

  • Child is confident in sharing stories and experiences to friends
     

  • Child displays humorous side by telling simple jokes
     

  • Child uses 6-8 words in sentences

 

  • Ask more open questions to encourage child to talk about daily experiences during conversations (eg: "What did you do in class?")

​

 

  • Allow extra time for child to do things him/herself
     

  •  Resist the urge to take over, instead, ask child if he/she wants help or coach child through doing it on his/her own.

 

  • Child is able to use utensils such as fork, spoon and knife independently during mealtimes
     

  • Child is able to dress and undress him/herself independently
     

  • Child is able to carry out simple household chores (eg: sweeping floor and wiping tables)
     

  • Child is able to attend to his/her toileting needs independently  

Adaptive

  • Child shows an increase in physical stamina, strength and flexibility
     

  • Child actively participates in active play (eg: jumping, running)
     

  • Child is able to coordinate his/her physical movement in activities (eg: skipping rope, cycling)

  • Allow time for outdoor activities and games

 

  • Provide simple sports equipments for child to play with such as ball, skipping rope

Gross Motor

  • Child is able to tie his/her shoe laces
     

  • Child may be able to write independently
     

  • Child is able to copy complex shapes (eg: Diamond)

  • Encourage child to write or draw through creative means (eg: Getting child to write and decorate a greeting card to a relative, help to write out a grocery list, etc.) 

Fine Motor

  • Expose child to different activities to encourage him/her to develop own interests

 

  • Encourage child to interact with the children around him/her

 

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