It’s so fun to watch little ones grow and learn. We can universally agree how exciting it is to see a baby take their first steps, start to crawl, or eat solid foods for the very first time.
Today I am shining the spotlight on some excellent milestones that don’t typically get as much love… but are pretty life-changing too!
These are not in chronological-developmental order…because I’m unconvinced such a thing exists anyways! All 3 of my children have all learned things at different times and grasped skills in different orders, so I am guessing there’s strong variability out there. I am all for cheering on each kid’s growth as it comes :). So HERE ARE THE THINGS:
1. Self-Sufficient on Swings: Pump those legs!
The milestone of all milestones, for me. Until you have a preschooler, you may not realize how glorious it is to have a self-sufficient swing-pumper on your hands. I’ve never met a 3 year old that doesn’t LOVE the swings, but I’m yet to find a parent who equally LOVES to push their kid on the swings for extended periods of time. When the movement finally clicks for your preschooler, it is a beautiful beautiful thing.
2. Buckle their own Helmet
Safety first! I appreciated this milestone way more when I had multiple kiddos. When you’re going on a bike ride or scooter stroll, you’re ALL getting your gear simultaneously. Having one kid able to buckle their own helmet (or even help a sibling, hallelujah!) is one less thing I need to do with my hands. And they feel so proud of themselves, too!
3. Buckle their carseat
This is another winning combo of safety + convenience. And just to note — I’m significantly less interested in them learning how to UN-buckle the carseat 😉
You’ve been warned: Prepare for an extra 2-20 minutes to actually roll out of the driveway.
4. Make a Sandwich
Ok here is the first of two food milestones that I’m a big fan of: able to make themselves a sandwich. Does anything scream “Independence” like being able to feed yourself a full-on entree?
My kids are more interested in flipping quesadillas and pancakes (especially these yummy ones) than in making sandwiches, truth be told. But those require the stove and a bit more babysitting. The sandwich gig is really where it’s at.
You’ve been warned: Be ready for smears of PB & mayo (hopefully not the same day) on countertops.
P.S. Are you tired of making lunch? Check out this post with 5 tips and a free printable with lots of ideas!
5. Open an Applesauce Pouch
Ok here is significant food milestone #2… and I’ll tell you why. In theory, it could’ve been any “self sufficient snack” such as a string cheese, or granola bar…but it’s applesauce for me. If I throw an opened string cheese back to my kid in the van… it’s not the end of the world if it falls onto their seat or something. But I cannot throw back an opened applesauce pouch without … well you can imagine.
Obviously we just open it halfway, but that’s like playing with fire a little bit, and kind of tedious to get it not too opened and not too closed. This sounds crazy, but if you know, you know.
6. Tummy Time Without Screaming
There is a magical moment that will come a few months after your infant is born into the world. The moment when you begin tummy time and realize after a few moments that your little one isn’t shrieking?! They may be pushing their strong little arms up for a better view, or distracted with the design on the blanket or something exciting… but they are OK! (I mean not for too terribly long, but longer than a second!) It’s fabulous.
P.S. I’ve always seen pictures of babies so worn out from tummy time that they fall asleep right then and there. Did this happen to your babies?? This would be the gold standard of tummy time without crying… tummy time turned nap time!
You’ve been warned: Once babies get pretty comfortable on their tummies, they start doing adventurous things like rolling and crawling!
7. Put on Shoes “All by Myself!”
I love this milestone. My kiddos are SO proud, and it makes getting out the door way easier, too! Obviously some shoes are much more conducive to this skill than others. Crocs and Native Jeffersons are easy to slip on and off and have been toddler favorites in our home for that reason.
To clarify: the children at this stage can put a shoe on each of their feet. Getting a right shoe on a right foot and left shoe on a left foot is tricky to get right. 😉 In fact, defying laws of probability, I feel like toddlers and preschoolers hit about a 20% batting average in this category.
8. Zippering Capabilities
Jackets. Jeans. Dress pants. Coats. SNOW-VERALLS. All of these things have zippers and I think we should talk about the intense fine motor skills required to do this with little hands?? It’s such a great day when your kiddo figures it out!
And, as a former early childhood educator… what a blessed day for your kids’ teachers when the majority of kids in the class can finally do this on their own! 😉 Gear up everybody, because it’s almost winter coat-zipping season.
9. Get through a family meal without throwing the sippy cup on the ground
This sounds oddly specific, but if you have had this happen in your home on a consistent basis… then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Has this happened in your home? If so, I am sure that you can HEAR the noise ringing in your ears, still…years later. My first two children (and I’m guessing our baby will, when older) both loved throwing their sippy cup on the floor during family meals when they were very young toddlers.
In hindsight it probably was just an easy way to communicate “hi mom & dad I’m all done and please get me out of my high chair if you have a second please” but in foresight (sight sight?) I had none of that wisdom. I had echo-y hardwood floors. I was very pleased when this habit phased out!
You’ve been warned: eventually the next step will be an open cup at dinner and you’ll be dreaming of the “Get through a family meal without a spilled water cup” milestone.
10. Sit Up Independently
Ok I know this is a pretty well-known milestone in the parenting world, but I’m getting specific here. There are a few different phases of “My baby can sit up!”, it turns out. Here’s my non-medical non-scientific list:
- Sit up propped in the corner of a couch for the duration of a picture without falling on their face
- Sit up in the tripod position for a few seconds after caregiver physically sets their hands in the correct position, with total supervision
- Sit up more uprightly with the caregiver surrounding them at all times (or more commonly, 19 pillows surrounding them)
- Sit up pretty uprightly and pretty sturdily for a good minute or two before crashing onto your side (with hopefully the pillows nearby)
- Sit up. Sit up and enjoy toys and be able to smoothly maneuver into a different position when done.
I think pediatricians are referring to maybe #3 or #4 but what I’m talking about here today is definitely #5. This stage is excellent because it’s post-rolling and pre-crawling. My friend told me about this stage years ago, and with my third I am catching the vision. Having your baby occupy themself with books and toys in a safe way (without being TOO mobile) is very fun.
Aaaaand a few more baby GIFs to close out this list because how cute are these???
Do you agree with these milestones being underrated?? What would you add to this list?
Cover photo: cottonbro from pexels.com
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