What is the Social Development for the First Year?

1 month –

• Stops crying when picked up.

5-6 weeks –

• First smile response.
• Starts making sounds to express pleasure or discomfort.

2 months –

• Smiles, kicks, and swings arms at the sight of parents.
• Responds with sounds when talked to.

3 months –

• Will look up at parent when being fed.
• Shows excitement when sees bottle.
• Shows enjoyment of being with parents, meeting new people, and watching other children by looking at them, smiling, making sounds.

4 months –

• Turns head away from unwanted things.
• Starts to develop a variety of facial expressions.

5 months –

• Looks at face in the mirror but does not recognize self.
• Babbles when content.
• Affectionate to parents – pats them, gets excited when they approach.

6 months –

• Loves playing with parents.

7-8 months –

• Aware of strangers – looks at them seriously.

9 months –

• Clear signals for likes and dislikes (stiffens body to resist for example)
• Communicates through a variety of noises.

10 months –

• Starts using gestures to communicate (holds arms out to be picked up for example)
• Stranger anxiety develops.

Compiled by Sara Torten MS, OTR/L