Child Development Milestones

noun the action or sound of speaking rapidly and continuously in a foolish or meaningless way

adjective talking rapidly and continuously in a foolish or meaningless way

• The baby was babbling incoherently during the meeting.
• My little cousin loves babbling all day long.
• Stop babbling nonsense and get to the point!
• The stream was babbling softly as it flowed through the forest.

noun the action of moving on one's hands and knees or dragging one's body close to the ground

verb to move slowly on hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground

• The baby began to crawl across the floor.
• I saw a spider crawl up the wall.
• Let's crawl to the bar and have a drink.
• Progress in the project seemed to crawl at a snail's pace.

noun The word 'crawling' can also be used as a noun to refer to the act of moving on hands and knees or dragging the body along the ground.

verb The word 'crawling' is a verb that describes the action of moving on hands and knees or dragging the body along the ground.

adjective The word 'crawling' can also be used as an adjective to describe something that moves slowly and steadily, like a crawling baby.

• The baby was slowly crawling across the floor.
• I saw a spider crawling up the wall.
• I hate crawling through rush hour traffic.
• His progress in the project was crawling at a snail's pace.

adjective refers to a pet that has been trained to urinate and defecate outside or in a designated area inside the house

• The new puppy was quickly housebroken and learned to only go to the bathroom outside.
• Don't worry, my dog is fully housebroken so he won't make a mess inside.
• My cat is so smart, she practically housebroke herself in just a few days.
• After years of living alone, she had become housebroken and set in her ways.

adjective not fully developed or mature; lacking experience, wisdom, or judgment

• Her behavior at the meeting was deemed immature by the board members.
• Stop being so immature and just listen to what I have to say.
• Dude, don't be so immature about it, just chill out.
• His understanding of the situation was still immature, like a seed waiting to sprout.

noun the quality of being easily influenced or affected by others' opinions or actions

• Her impressionability made her susceptible to the influence of others.
• His impressionability means he's easily swayed by what others say.
• Don't take advantage of her impressionability, man.
• The artist's impressionability allowed her to see the world in a unique way.

noun an easy, unenergetic gait

verb to move at a slow, steady pace, especially in running or trotting

• The horse continued at a steady jog trot around the track.
• I decided to just do a jog trot instead of running the whole way.
• Let's just jog trot our way through this last mile.
• He was moving at a jog trot in his career progression.

noun the action of moving the tongue across a surface, typically to taste or consume something

adjective used to describe something that involves licking

• The dog was caught licking the spilled milk off the floor.
• My cat keeps licking my hand whenever I pet her.
• Stop licking your wounds and get back out there.
• She couldn't resist licking her lips in anticipation of the delicious meal ahead.

noun a speech defect in which sibilants are imperfectly pronounced

verb to speak with a lisp

• The speech therapist helped the child overcome his lisp through regular therapy sessions.
• I used to have a slight lisp when I was younger, but it's not as noticeable now.
• Some people think having a lisp is cute, but I find it annoying when I can't pronounce certain words properly.
• Her writing had a lisp of its own, with a unique style that set it apart from others.

noun the quality or state of being little in size or amount

• The littleness of the seedling made it vulnerable to harsh weather conditions.
• I couldn't believe the littleness of the portions at that fancy restaurant.
• Her littleness compared to her friends always made her feel self-conscious.
• The littleness of his ambitions held him back from reaching his full potential.

verb to take small bites or gentle bites, usually at food

adjective describing the action of taking small bites or gentle bites

• The guests were politely nibbling on the hors d'oeuvres at the reception.
• I caught my dog nibbling on the couch cushion again.
• She was caught nibbling on some snacks in the middle of the night.
• The idea of starting a new business had been nibbling at the back of his mind for months.

noun the action of stroking or caressing an animal

verb to stroke or caress an animal

• The act of petting a dog can help to strengthen the bond between the owner and the pet.
• I love petting my cat while watching TV in the evenings.
• She was caught petting her boyfriend in the back of the movie theater.
• The soft music was like gently petting my soul, soothing and calming.

noun the quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered

• Her constant petulance towards her coworkers made it difficult to work with her.
• Stop with the petulance already, it's getting annoying.
• Her petulance is really getting on my nerves.
• The storm's petulance was evident in the fierce winds and crashing waves.

adjective describing someone who has their toes turned inward when they walk

• The doctor diagnosed the child with being pigeon toed, a condition where the toes point inward when walking.
• My friend has always been pigeon toed, but it doesn't seem to bother him at all.
• I heard that guy over there walks pigeon toed because he thinks it looks cool.
• Her awkward dancing made her look like a pigeon toed ballerina on stage.

verb to move by turning over and over

adverb in a rolling manner

• The cat likes to roll around in the grass during the sunny afternoons.
• Let's go to the park and roll around in the grass!
• We should totally roll around in the mud at the music festival.
• The idea of quitting my job and traveling the world makes my mind roll around with excitement.

verb to assume an upright position, especially from lying down

• During the meeting, make sure to sit up straight and pay attention.
• Hey, can you sit up a bit so I can see the screen better?
• I can't believe she just sat up and left in the middle of the movie.
• The news of the promotion made him sit up and take notice of his potential.

verb past participle of the verb 'stunt', meaning to hinder the normal growth or development of

adjective having been prevented from growing or developing properly

• The lack of proper nutrition during childhood can lead to stunted growth.
• The poor soil quality stunted the growth of the plants in my garden.
• His ego was so stunted, he couldn't handle any criticism.
• The constant negativity stunted her ability to see the beauty in life.

noun a fit of petulant bad temper or sulkiness

verb to be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of annoyance or disappointment

• She sulks whenever she doesn't get her way.
• He always sulks when he loses a game.
• Stop sulking and just deal with it.
• The storm clouds gathered and the sky began to sulk.

verb to walk with short, unsteady steps, like a young child learning to walk

• The toddler began to toddle across the room, taking small unsteady steps.
• I love watching my niece toddle around the house, she's so cute!
• The little one was toddling like a pro, not a care in the world.
• After a long day of work, I felt like I was just toddling through life without any direction.

verb to walk with short, unsteady steps, as a young child learning to walk

• The toddler was toddling around the park with his parents.
• I love watching little kids toddling around, they're so cute!
• The puppy was toddling all over the yard, chasing after its tail.
• She felt like she was just toddling through life, not really sure where she was going.

verb to move unsteadily or in a way that is likely to fall or collapse

• The elderly woman began to totter as she struggled to maintain her balance.
• I saw the toddler totter across the room as he tried to walk on his own.
• After a few drinks, he started to totter around the party looking a bit wobbly.
• The economy seems to totter on the brink of collapse as unemployment rates continue to rise.

adjective unsteady or shaky in movement

adverb in an unsteady or shaky manner

• The table leg was wobbly and needed to be fixed immediately.
• I tried to balance on the wobbly chair but almost fell off.
• She was feeling a bit wobbly after drinking too much at the party.
• His confidence was wobbly after receiving criticism from his boss.

noun A phase of child development characterized by temper tantrums and defiance, typically occurring around the age of two

• The stage of development known as the terrible twos is characterized by increased independence and challenging behavior in young children.
• My toddler is going through the terrible twos right now and it's been quite a handful!
• The terrible twos are no joke - my kid is driving me crazy with tantrums!
• Dealing with a difficult boss can feel like navigating the terrible twos all over again.

adjective describing something that is suitable or fitting for a particular age group

• It is important to provide age-appropriate educational materials for children to ensure they are learning at the right level.
• Make sure to pick out age-appropriate games for the kids to play at the party.
• Dude, that movie was totally not age-appropriate for a family night.
• The language used in the book was not age-appropriate for the target audience.

verb to behave in a manner that is appropriate for one's age

adjective describes the age appropriate behavior being exhibited

pronoun refers to the person whose age is being referenced

• It is important to act one's age in professional settings to maintain professionalism.
• Come on, stop being so immature and just act your age.
• Dude, quit acting like a kid and start acting your age.
• She needs to learn to act her age and stop trying to act like she's still in high school.