Birth to Age 3 - Physical Development and Health Guidelines

Physical health is important for infants’ growth and development in all areas. Any stop to normal growth patterns or the development of physical and sensory-motor skills has a serious effect on children’s general well-being, as well as on the development of specific areas. 

Infants and toddlers depend on their caregivers and parents to support their healthy development and to help them learn how to make healthy choices, such as choosing foods to eat. Caregivers and parents must watch for infants’ signals of hunger and fullness and respond to these signs in predictable ways. Paying attention and responding to these signs not only supports the development of a trusting relationship, but also supports the infant’s ability to learn self-regulation and healthy nutrition.

Caregivers and parents need to monitor babies’ health, physical development, and behaviors for any red flags that may point to possible health or developmental concerns. Early screening for issues such as hearing and vision problems or trouble communicating will lead to earlier action that may prevent more serious conditions from developing. Observations about a child’s health should be continually shared with the other adults who provide care.

Research indicates that infants’ physical development moves forward through a combination of progress in the growth of the body — both brain and physical abilities — and support from those around them, including the kinds of objects the child can interact with. 

Make sure that kids spend time in places that support infants’ and toddlers’ growing physical abilities and provide opportunities to practice gross motor and fine motor skills. For example, giving babies an interesting place that encourages infants to move and explore affects the rate of motor skill development. 

Other environmental factors that can affect motor skill development include:

• The way an infant is held
• How much time they spend in infant seats, swings, and walkers
• The amount of time an infant spends on their  stomach during play
• The toys they play with

Higher levels of physical activity in late infancy and toddlerhood have also been associated with a healthier weight and lower rates of chronic diseases as adults. Helping infants do fun activities that involve movement will not only help them learn these skills, but will also help them learn healthy habits, laying the foundation for a healthier lifestyle.