From First Glances to Shared Stories: The Milestone Journey of Joint Attention

Ox & Owl Questions to Ponder

Have you ever noticed the spark in a child’s eyes when they realize you’re sharing a moment with them? What makes those shared moments so powerful?

How does joint attention help children learn to communicate and connect with others?

What’s the difference between a child responding to joint attention and initiating it?

How do developmental changes in motor skills, emotional regulation, and cognitive growth all contribute to a child’s ability to engage in joint attention?

What’s one new way you might slow down today, notice a child’s bids for attention, and respond with your full presence?

Joint attention is essential for various aspects of human development and social interaction. It supports language acquisition, cognitive development, learning, problem-solving, and the formation of social bonds.

In order to better promote joint attention in children, it is helpful to have some understanding of how this skill develops.

Joint attention is thought to emerge gradually and incrementally in the first two years of a child’s life, developing in connection with a child’s physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. As little ones continue to develop into the toddler years, they become more proficient in using gestures and words to initiate and maintain shared attention.

As children continue to grow, they begin to engage in more complex joint attention activities, such as cooperative play and shared story reading. Their language development further supports their ability to engage in joint attention.

It is a foundational skill that fosters effective communication, cooperation, and empathy, making it a critical aspect of human interaction and development.

Two Forms of Joint Attention

Joint attention manifests in two distinct forms: Responding to Joint Attention (RJA) and Initiating Joint Attention (IJA). Both are integral aspects of early childhood development, playing unique roles in the foundation of social, cognitive, and communication skills.

Click the Tabs Below to See Both Types of Joint Attention

Responding to Joint Attention (RJA)
Initiating Joint Attention (IJA)

RESPONDING to bids for joint attention

Responding to joint attention (RJA) occurs when a child follows the direction of another person’s gaze, gesture, or verbal cue towards a particular object or event. In simpler terms, the child responds to someone else’s initiation of joint attention.

Graphics of mother pointing to a hummingbird outside the window to show her daughter.

Example of a child responding to a bid for attention: A mom spots a hummingbird feeding from the flowers in her hanging flower basket on the patio. She points to the hummingbird and says to her daughter, “Look! A hummingbird! It’s eating nectar from the flowers.” The daughter looks to where the hummingbird is and walks closer to the window, then looks back at her mom and smiles. Then the daughter points to the hummingbird too.

INITIATING bids for joint attention

Initiating joint attention (IJA) involves a child actively drawing attention to an object or event to share the experience with others. This could be through pointing, showing, or using verbal cues to direct someone else’s focus.

Example of a child initiating a bid for attention: A child tugs on his dad’s shirt to get his attention, then shows him a toy car in his hand. The child places the car on the ground and zooms it across the floor, looking up to catch Dad’s reaction. The dad kneels to get a better look, smiling and showing excitement as he watches.

Development of Joint Attention

Three sequential aspects are involved in the development of joint attention:

Making bids for attention and regulating one’s own ability to shift and maintain attention to the object or event of interest
Understanding the intentionality of communication behind bids for joint attention as a means of making requests, sharing information, and bonding with others
Integrating objects and events into communication as topics of interest and shared experience, creating connections with others

See the graphic below to learn about the development and milestones involved in how joint attention is fostered and develops in young children.

Infographic highlighting the development milestones between 1-18 months as it relates to joint attention

It’s important to note that the timeline can vary from one child to another, and individual differences are common. Additionally, some children with developmental delays, including those on the autism spectrum, may exhibit atypical patterns of joint attention development, which may require specialized interventions and support to help them acquire these skills.

Early intervention is key! It is important to get assessment and support for your child tailored to his/her specific needs, strengths, personality, and situation. Often this can involve various professionals with different expertise, depending on your child’s needs (multi-disciplinary approach).

The Dynamic Duo

Help your little learner identify beginning, middle, and end sounds using visual aids like Elkonin boxes. For example, draw three boxes and use small objects or counters to represent sounds in words.

Ox and Owl website icons with speak bubbles, introducing themselves.

Phonemic awareness is the key to unlocking the world of reading! It’s perfectly fine if some kids need a little extra time to get the hang of it. Make learning fun by tailoring activities to their developmental level and watching them grow step by step!

Key OOLiteracy Takeaways

Joint attention is a foundational social skill that supports communication, learning, emotional bonding, and cognitive development. It’s how we share experiences, ideas, and interests with others—starting in infancy and growing over time.
This skill develops gradually in the first two years of life, evolving from simple responses to more complex initiations of shared attention through gestures, touch, eye gaze, and words.
There are two important forms of joint attention:
Responding to joint attention (RJA) is when a child follows another person’s cues—like looking where someone is pointing or gazing.
Initiating joint attention (IJA) is when a child actively tries to get someone else to look or share in an experience.
Every child’s journey with joint attention may look a little different. While some reach milestones on a typical timeline, others—especially those with developmental differences—may benefit from extra support and early intervention.
Recognizing and nurturing joint attention early on can make a big difference in a child’s social, language, and emotional development.