Healthy Development

​​All parents want our children to grow healthy, happy, and strong. Find out important information about the healthy development of your child from birth to age five.

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Healthy Development

You’ve heard it before: you are your child’s first and most important teacher. You want to support your child’s development and do everything you can to ensure his or her health, happiness, and success. But even the most experienced and knowledgeable among us have questions from time to time. Fear not – we’re here to help! The resources and links on this page are intended to help you navigate that exciting, challenging, scary, joyful experience we call “parenting.” Whether you are looking for general information to support your child’s growth and development, answers to a specific question, or ideas for fun local events for your family, we hope you find the information on our site useful. As always, we welcome your feedback and questions. If you have an idea for how we can enhance the site, or want to share your experience parenting a young child in Virginia Beach, we want to hear from you!


Developmental Milestones

Child development has a variety of domains including gross motor, fine motor, expressive and receptive language, self-help, and cognitive skills. Gross motor skills utilize the larger muscles to include activities like walking, jumping or throwing a ball. Fine motor skills refer to the smaller muscles like those in the fingers, hands and mouth. Expressive language is the way a child communicates what he knows. Receptive language is a child's understanding of words. Self-help skills, such as falling asleep, dressing or potty training, refer to a child’s ability to care for herself. Cognitive skills demonstrate the ability to problem-solve, remember information, imitate behaviors and learn.

Learn More about the CDC's Developmental Milestones

Find the Milestones Checklist

Download the CDC's Milestone Tracker App



Developmental Assets

​​Children start developing listening skills at birth. Your baby begins to hear sounds, they are startled by loud noises and they begin to recognize familiar voices. Soon afterwards, they start to understand language and can speak and participate in conversations. You can help your child build and develop these skills.

What are the Developmental Assets? Many factors can determine whether kids have a solid foundation or one that will crumble when they are challenged with tough decisions. Developing the strengths of our children is as important as the quality of the tools we use to accomplish the task. The Search Institute has identified the 40 Developmental Assets®, a proven tool, resulting from years of research, conducted with millions of children across the country. The Assets are the experiences, qualities and relationships (spread across eight broad categories) young people need to grow up healthy, competent, principled and prepared for success.

Why are the assets important? Assets are building blocks for healthy development. They have the power to promote success and help to prevent problematic behaviors. Research shows that the more assets our children have, the more likely they are to do well in school and to help others. They are also less likely to use drugs and alcohol and engage in problem behaviors like violence and gambling. Parents who intentionally build assets in their children prepare them to make positive choices when they are faced with tough decisions.

Learn More about the Developmental Assets from the Search Institute

Download the Developmental Assets Here (in English and Spanish)


City of Virginia Beach Early Intervention

​​​​​​​​The program serves children from birth to age three who have developmental delays, atypical behavior, and/or a disabling condition that is likely to result in a delay. An eligibility team will review children referred to determine whether or not they are eligible for services. Eligible children will receive a full developmental assessment prior to beginning services. Services available to eligible children and families include, but are not limited to, service coordination, speech, physical, and/or occupational therapy and educational services. The program also offers center based classes and community based group activities for children. 

Learn More about Early Intervention Services in Virginia Beach



Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia 

The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia is Virginia’s system of early intervention supports and services for infants and toddlers from birth through age two who are not developing as expected or who have a medical condition that can delay normal development, and their families. Early intervention services are designed to meet the full range of developmental needs of each child, and the needs of their families related to their child’s development. Services are provided through both public and private agencies in Virginia, and are designed to include a wide range of family-centered services, resources and supports. Services are provided within the everyday routines and activities in which families participate, and in places where the family would typically be so that their daily life is supported and not disrupted by services. There are 40 Points of Entry, each serving specific cities and counties across Virginia.

Learn More about Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia