The best thing you can do to learn about cognitive development is to watch it happening! Spend 20 minutes observing an infant or toddler in each of the age groups in the table below. Write your observations that describe cognitive development. What is the infant doing, tasting, touching, or exploring?

Young Infant
(Birth to 8 months)		 Mobile Infant or
Pre-Toddler
(6 to 18 months)		 Toddler
(16-36 months)

What cognitive developmental milestones do you see?

What is the infant or toddler not yet able to do? What does he or she seem almost ready to do (i.e., what does he need help with)?

What are adults doing to support cognitive development?