Range of normal behaviours in children aged 1 to 12 years
| Age (y) | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Initially crawling and walking supported by furniture, then walking and running |
| Feeds themself | |
| Plays with toys | |
| Starting to communicate with increasing vocabulary; will understand more than they can yet say themselves | |
| Independent and opinionated: cannot be reasoned with | |
| Curious but with no sense of danger | |
| Frightened of strangers | |
| 2–5 | Illogical thinkers (by adult standards) |
| May misinterpret what is said to them | |
| Fearful of being left alone, loss of control and being unwell | |
| Limited attention span | |
| 5–12 | Talkative |
| Understand the relation between cause and effect | |
| Pleased to learn new skills | |
| Older children may understand simple explanations about how their bodies work and their illness | |
| Fearful about separation from parents, loss of control, pain, and disability | |
| May be unable to express their thoughts | |
| Desire to “fit in” with peers |