Baby & Toddler Development by Age (0–6) | Complete Parent’s Roadmap

Baby development by age: milestones, play, and feeding

Little Loving Life · 0–6 Development System

A calm, science-backed roadmap to understand behavior through development — from newborn to school age.

💗 This page is the “home base” of Little Loving Life. Every guide on emotions, sleep, sensory behavior, feeding, language, and routines links back to this development roadmap — covering birth through age 6.

Pregnancy

Prep without panic: reduce decision fatigue before baby arrives.

Stage

Postpartum

Support the mother’s recovery so the whole family can stabilize.

Stage

Newborn Foundations

When babies feel safe, everything else gets easier.

Stage

0–3 Months

Regulation is borrowed. Comfort builds the brain.

Age

At this stage, simple high-contrast toys and soft rattles support early visual tracking and tummy time strength. For a curated selection of safe, age-appropriate picks, see our must-have toys for 0–3 months.

3–6 Months

Curiosity grows. Patterns begin to form.

Age

Babies at this age are reaching, grasping, and mouthing everything in sight. Our guide to the best toys for 3–6 month olds highlights picks that safely encourage these emerging motor skills.

6–9 Months

Mobility + solids + separation awareness.

Age

With sitting, early crawling, and first solids all happening at once, play becomes much more interactive. Check out our full guide to the best toys for 6–9 month old babies for ideas that match this busy stage.

9–12 Months

“I want it” arrives before “I can wait.” Attachment gets stronger.

Age

Near their first birthday, babies love cause-and-effect play and pulling themselves up to explore. Our roundup of the best toys for 9–12 month olds focuses on picks that channel their growing curiosity safely.

12–24 Months

Big feelings + small words = big behaviors. Tantrums often rise here.

Age

Toddlers at this age learn best through movement, pretend play, and hands-on exploration. Our roundup of the best toys for 1–2 year old toddlers features picks that grow with their rapidly expanding skills.

2–3 Years

Independence grows faster than self-control. Peak season for skill-building.

Age

This age thrives on open-ended, imaginative play that builds independence and problem-solving. See our curated list of the best toys for 2–3 year old toddlers for ideas that match their growing creativity.

3–6 Years

Emotions get complex. School transitions begin. Self-regulation is still under construction.

Age

Want the fastest next step?

Start with the hardest moment you’re facing and build one skill at a time.