2025 – PAGE 195 – DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES & ANTICIPATORY GUIDANCE
SURVEILLANCE MILESTONES – 5 YEARS OF AGE
| AGE | LANGUAGE &
COMMUNICATION |
MOVEMENT & PHYSICAL | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL &
EMOTIONAL |
| 5 yo
“dug” |
Can tell a story with at least 2 parts; answers simple questions about a story after reading or hearing it; can converse with ≥ 3 exchanges; knows simple rhymes, like dog and frog | Buttons a button; hops on one foot | Can count to 10; can recognize some written numbers between 1 and 5, and can recognize some letters; understands time references like today, yesterday, tomorrow, night, and morning; can pay attention for 5-10 minutes during an activity; is able to write some letters from own name | Plays games with others; understands rules and taking turns; participates in performing arts like singing, dancing, and acting; is able to do simple household chores |
MNEMONICS: FIVE years old can recognize some numbers between one and FIVE. If you double FIVE, you get ten, which is what they can COUNT to. FIVE-year-olds can also only focus on activities for FIVE to ten minutes.
MNEMONIC STORY: DUG the dog and FRUG the frog are best friends. Their names RHYME. Dug loves to DANCE AND SING. Frug loves to PLAY GAMES that include TAKING TURNS, like leapfrog! Dug’s favorite dance is the cha-cha slide, especially the part that goes, “ONE FOOT HOP THIS TIME,” because that’s when Frug the frog hops in. Frug asks Dug if he wants to play leapfrog TODAY but Dug says TOMORROW would be better because he has some SIMPLE CHORES to do at NIGHT. They have about THREE OR MORE EXCHANGES before finally deciding on a time for their play date TOMORROW. They BUTTON UP their jackets and head home, excited to see each other again TOMORROW.
The next day, they get together again. AFTER HEARING A STORY from Frug about how nobody ever remembers his birthday, Dug is asked a SIMPLE QUESTION from Frug: “Dug, did you remember that it’s my birthday today?” Dug ANSWERS THE SIMPLE QUESTION related to the story with a resounding, “YES!” Dug then gives Frug a gift with a card on top. Both friends are able to RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE LETTERS on the card. And that concludes this TWO-PART STORY about Dug the dog and his friend Frug the frog.
5-YEAR-OLD MILESTONES TO KEEP ON YOUR RADAR
| AGE | LANGUAGE | GROSS MOTOR | FINE MOTOR | COGNITIVE | SOCIAL | RED FLAGS |
| 5 yo | Walks backwards HEEL to TOE; skips | Has kindergarten and school skills; prints letters (not own name); draws a person with SIX body parts; draws a square; ties a knot and laces (5–6 yo) | Names 4–8 colors; defines words; able to tell fantasy from reality | Plays board games |