Birth to Five

Claiborne County Schools are here to support a healthy start for all Claiborne County children and we want to be your partner in providing the ultimate early development experience for your child.

The Claiborne County Schools Birth to Five initiative provides information, strategies and tips to support the families and caregivers of children infant to three years of age.

Why Birth to Five?

Between birth to age five, a child’s brain is rapidly developing. Research shows 80 to 85 percent of the core brain structure is formed within the first three years of life. In the first five years, the brain makes 700 neural connections every second!

Vital Early Years

During a child’s early years they also are ready to absorb new information and build healthy relationships with their caregivers. Children who have positive interactions with adults, are introduced to books and experience early literacy skills from birth are more likely to succeed when they go to school.

By age...

By age 1, a child typically will:

Seek and respond to attention from adults.
Develop trust and attachment toward known adults, including family members and caregivers.
Explore and play with objects.
Show preference for certain toys.
Respond to his or her name.
Take turns making sounds in “conversation.”
Communicate wants and needs through sounds, words, or non-verbal gestures or facial expressions.
Find hidden For example, the child might watch an adult hide a toy under a blanket and then “find” it.
Imitate actions such as waving “bye-bye” or clapping.
Respond to simple For example, when asked “Where is your book?,” the child will point to the book.
Listen to short stories, songs, and rhymes for a short period of time.
Coordinate movements, such as stacking big blocks, using eyes and hands.
Get to a sitting position without help.
Begin to feed self with hands or fingers.

By age 2, a child typically will:

Show interest in what others are doing by seeking interaction and making eye contact with familiar adults.
Show interest in exploring surroundings.
Begin to express feelings with words and gestures.
Follow simple For example, the child will respond appropriately when asked to put on a hat or sit in the chair.
Complete a task with help.
Use one- and two-word phrases to communicate, such as “Juice, please.”
Ask simple questions such as “Where doggy? or “Who that?”
Point to familiar objects and people when named.
Find objects, even when “hidden” under two or three layers.
Demonstrate hand-eye coordination by turning pages in a book or stacking blocks.
Hold a crayon and make scribble marks.
Begin to run.
Throw and/or kick a ball.
Begin to use a spoon to feed self.

By age 3, a child typically will:

Show affection to family and friends through words and gestures.
Display a range of emotions.
Talk clearly enough for others to understand most of the time.
Use three- to four-word phrases and sentences to communicate.
Follow single-step directions, even if new directions.
Name familiar things such as family members, toys, food, and body parts.
Use imagination in For example, a child may use a wooden block as a telephone.
Play alongside peers and imitate their actions.
Ask questions, particularly those asking Why?, Where?, and What?.
Show interest in books and stories.
Understand words like in, on, and under.
Count to five.
Match For example, a child would be able to put a red toy car in a red bowl.
Hold markers and crayons with ease and begin to draw lines and circles.
Complete activities, using both hands, such as putting together a puzzle with three or four pieces.
Run with ease, climb, and jump.
Begin to show independence in brushing teeth, selecting clothing, and putting on simple clothing such as pulling on pants.

By age 4, a child typically will:

Initiate play and play cooperatively with others.
Say his or her first name and share personal For example. “My name is ________.” “I like books.”
Make choices and follow through with a preferred activity.
Display increased attention to activities.
Use five-to six-word sentences that are clearly understood by most adults.
Sing familiar songs and retell familiar stories from memory.
Take turns in a conversation, staying on topic.
Ask questions about surroundings, particularly those asking How? and Why?.
Participate in reading by making predictions based on pictures, turning pages independently, and answering questions about the book.
Understand the meaning of same and different.
Understand and use positional words such as in, under, and near.
Identify some numbers, shapes, and letters.
Count to 10.
Sort objects by one characteristic. For example, a child could put all the blue toys together.
Recognize simple 2-D shapes (circle, square, etc.).
Use senses to make observations about surroundings. For example, “The bird in the tree is yellow.”
Use crayons/markers and scissors appropriately (copies lines and circles, cuts across paper).
Show independence in personal care, including feeding self and going to the bathroom.

By age 5, a child typically will:

Begin to form friendships with other children.
Work well with others in a group.
Follow rules and routines independently.
Show problem-solving skills such as putting together a puzzle with up to 20 pieces.
Take turns and wait for his or her turn.
Focus on an activity for 10 minutes or longer.
Follow multi-step directions independently.
Recover quickly from a setback and try again.
Use words to communicate thoughts and ideas and share feelings.
Say first and last name when asked.
Answer related questions after finishing a story.
Make real-world connections to stories read.
Identify words that rhyme.
Recognize and name most upper- and lower- case letters and numbers 0–10.
Understand that letters make words.
Understand the meaning of more and less.
Count to 20 and count a set of objects up to 10.
Recognize and name common shapes, both 2-D (circle, triangle) and 3-D (sphere, cube).
Hold a pencil or crayon appropriately to draw simple pictures and copy letters, numbers, and shapes.
Dress and undress independently.

Explore Birth to Five Resources

Meeting Milestones

Center for Disease Control (CDC) Developmental Milestones provides an overview on developmental milestones based on child's age (months).
CDC Milestone Tracker App is a free app to track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years, tips and information for your family.
Developmental Concerns Tip Sheet (CDC) provides information on how to get help if there are concerns regarding your child's developmental milestones.

Child Development Support

Early Literacy and Math Skills

PBS Kids for Parents has free resources, tips and activities for families based on a child's age.
PNC Grow Up Great offers learning resources for families.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a high quality, age appropriate book to all registered children, addressed to them, at no cost to the child’s family.