Early Childhood Cognitive Development
From the moment they recognize your face to the day they solve their first puzzle, it’s a joy to watch your child discover the world. These milestones are fueled by cognitive development. Cognitive skills help your child think, learn, explore, and solve problems, setting a foundation for lifelong curiosity and growth.
Let’s explore what early childhood cognitive development is, why it matters, and simple, meaningful ways to support your child at various stages of development every day.
Cognitive development refers to the brain and how your child learns, thinks, and understands the world around them. Examples of cognitive development include things like problem-solving and critical thinking, understanding cause and effect, and recalling information.
Every child is different and develops cognition at their own pace. That said, understanding key cognitive development milestones can help you better support your child and get them help if they seem to be falling behind. It’s important to consider your child’s development as a whole, as lagging cognitive skills may indicate delays in other areas, such as speech and language development, social and emotional skills, and gross motor skills.
Between 12 – 15 months
Between 18 months – 2 years
Between 15 – 18 months
Between 2 – 3 years
Between 12-15 months – Red
Between 18 months-2 years
Between 15-18 months
Between 2-3 years
Between 12-15 months
Between 18 months-2 years
Between 15-18 months
Between 2-3 years
Between 12-15 months
Between 18 months-2 years
Between 15-18 months
Between 2-3 years
Strong cognitive skills help your child navigate the world more confidently and lay the groundwork for academic success and independence. However, you don’t need a classroom to help your little one build cognitive thinking skills.
Talk & Listen
While TV shows and devices are great, children build a lot of cognition when interacting directly with you. The more you can have age-appropriate conversations, name or discuss objects, and ask them questions, the better. This helps them learn how things are related, solve problems, and experience cause-and-effect relationships.
Reading Together
Reading is so, so important for supporting early childhood cognitive development from day one. Reading helps build vocabulary, memory, and imagination. While you can start by reading to them at a young age, allow them to participate as they get older. Ask them to turn pages or identify words, or answer simple questions about the book.
Options & Choices
Provide choices or various options and allow your child to make small decisions for themselves. Whether it’s holding up a teddy or a ball and allowing your baby to grab which one they prefer or allowing your toddler to choose their afternoon snack, these types of decisions build reasoning, critical thinking, and independence.
“It’s hard to be a parent or a caregiver. You don’t just have a baby and they learn things instinctively. It’s an interactive experience.”
Katie Ambrosio, Birth to Three Special Education Teacher
Early Intervention Services
If you notice that your child seems to be struggling with thinking, learning, or problem-solving, it may be time to reach out. Trust your instincts—early support can make a big difference in building those core cognitive skills for school and beyond.
Talk & Listen
While TV shows and devices are great, children build a lot of cognition when interacting directly with you. The more you can have age-appropriate conversations, name or discuss objects, and ask them questions, the better. This helps them learn how things are related, solve problems, and experience cause-and-effect relationships.
Reading Together
Reading is so, so important for supporting early childhood cognitive development from day one. Reading helps build vocabulary, memory, and imagination. While you can start by reading to them at a young age, allow them to participate as they get older. Ask them to turn pages or identify words, or answer simple questions about the book.
Options & Choices
Provide choices or various options and allow your child to make small decisions for themselves. Whether it’s holding up a teddy or a ball and allowing your baby to grab which one they prefer or allowing your toddler to choose their afternoon snack, these types of decisions build reasoning, critical thinking, and independence.
“A baby’s brain is growing at exponential rates during their first three years. There are so many connections being made at this age, and we don’t really use a ‘wait and see’ approach for children.”
Maggie Dietrich, Physical Therapist, Penfield Children’s Center
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Our early childhood education programs provide high-quality preschool programing at no cost to qualifying children and families. Our Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide a rich learning environment designed to promote school readiness from birth to age five, fostering children’s language, literacy, and social-emotional development.
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