Developmental Milestones

For each stage in your child’s life there are significant developmental milestones to observe. We have identified many of those milestones in the lists below.

 

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
The First Year

By 3 months of age:

Motor Skills

• Lift head when held at your shoulder

• Lift head and chest when lying on stomach

• Turn head from side to side when lying on stomach

• Follows a moving object or person with eyes

• Holds hands open or loosely fisted

• Grasps a rattle

• Wiggles and kicks with arms and legs

• Rolls to back from both sides

• Holds head in midline through movement

• Bears weight on both legs in supported standing

• Turn head toward bright colors and lights

• Turns toward the sound of a human voice

• Recognizes bottle or breast

• Responds to a shaking rattle or bell

• Begins purposeful, visually directed reaching

 

Language and Social Skills

• Makes cooing, gurgling sounds

• Smiles when smiled at

• Communicates hunger, fear, discomfort (through crying or facial expressions)

• Usually quiets down at the sound of a soothing voice or when held

• Anticipates being lifted

• Reacts to “peek-a-boo” games

 

By 6 months of age:

Motor Skills

• Holds head steady when sitting with help

• Reaches for and grasps objects

• Plays with toes

• Helps hold a bottle during feeding

• Explores by mouthing and banging objects

• Moves toys from one hand to the other hand

• Shakes a rattle

• Pulls up to sitting position if you grasp hands

• Sits with only a little support

• Sits in a high chair

• Rolls over

• Bounces when held in a standing position

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Opens mouth for a spoon

• Imitates familiar actions you perform

 

Language and Social Skills

• Babbles

• Knows familiar faces

• Laughs and squeals with delight

• Screams if annoyed

• Smiles at self in a mirror

• Recognizes own name

• Cries in response to angry voices

• Turns and looks at unfamiliar sounds

 

By 12 months of age:

Motor Skills

• Drinks from a cup with help

• Feeds self finger foods

• Grasps small objects by using thumb and index finger

• Uses first finger to poke or point

• Puts small blocks in and takes them out of a container

• Bangs 2 blocks together

• Sits without support

• Stops falls by extending arms in all directions

• Crawls on hands and knees

• Pulls self to standing or takes steps holding onto furniture

• Stands alone briefly

• Walks with one hand held

• Cooperates with dressing by offering a foot or an arm

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Copies sounds and actions you make

• Responds to music with body motion

• Tries to accomplish simple goals (seeing and then crawling to a toy)

• Looks for an object that falls out of sight (such as a spoon that falls under the table)

 

Language and Social Skills

• Babbles, but it sometimes “sounds like” talking

• Says first word

• Recognizes family members’ names

• Tries to talk with you

• Responds to another’s distress by showing distress or crying

• Shows affection to familiar adults

• Shows mild to severe anxiety at separation from parent

• Shows apprehension about strangers

• Raises arms when wants to be picked up

• Understands simple commands

 

By 18 months of age:

 

Motor Skill

• Likes to pull, push, and dump things

• Pulls off hat, socks, and mittens

• Turns pages in a book

• Stacks 2 blocks

• Carries a stuffed animal or doll

• Holds crayon with whole hand, thumb up

• Scribbles with crayons

• Walks without help

• Runs stiffly

• Walks up 4 steps without support and down steps with support from adult’s finger

• Walks backwards 5 steps

• Throws a small ball forward

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Identifies an object in a picture book

• Laughs at silly actions

• Looks for objects that are out of sight

• Puts a round lid on a round pot

• Follows simple 1-step directions

• Solves problems by trial and error

 

Language and Sensory Skills

• Says 8-10 words you can understand

• Looks at a person who is talking to him/her

• Asks specifically for mother or father

• Uses “hi”, “bye” and “please” with reminders

• Protests when frustrated

• Asks for something by pointing or by using one word

• Directs another’s attention to an object or action

• Becomes anxious when separated from parent(s)

• Seeks attention

• Brings toys to share with parent

• Acts out a familiar activity in play (pretends to take a bath or eat)

• Plays alone on the floor with toys

• Competes with other children for toys

• Recognizes self in the mirror or in pictures

• Seems selfish at times

 

 

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DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
The Second Year

By 2 years of age:

Motor Skills

• Drinks from a straw

• Feeds self with a spoon

• Helps in washing hands

• Puts on shoes, socks, and shorts; takes off shoes and socks

• Puts arm in sleeves with help

• Holds crayon with thumb and all fingers, forearm turned so thumb is pointing down

• Draws a vertical line

• Strings large beads

• Snips paper with scissors

• Rolls putty into “snake”

• Builds a tower of 3-4 blocks

• Opens cabinets, drawers, boxes

• Operates a mechanical toy

• Bends over to pick up a toy and does not fall

• Runs 10 feet

• Walks sideways 10 feet

• Walks with one foot on a 4 inch line

• Jumps forward 4 inches

• Jumps down from a step

• Walks up 4 steps without use of rail

• Kicks a ball 3 feet

• Throws a small ball overhand and underhand 3 feet

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Likes to take things apart

• Explores surroundings

• Points to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked

 

 Language and Social Skills

• Has a vocabulary of several hundred words

• Uses 2-3 word sentences

• Says names of toys

• Asks for information about an object (asks “shoe?” while pointing to shoe box)

• Hums or tries to sing

• Listens to short rhymes

• Likes to imitate parents

• Sometimes gets angry and has temper tantrums

• Acts shy around strangers

• Comforts a distressed friend or parent

• Takes turns in play with other children

• Treats a doll or stuffed animal as though it were alive

• Applies pretend action to others (pretends to feed a doll)

• Refers to self by name and uses “me” and “mine”

• Verbalizes desires and feelings (“I want cookie”)

• Laughs at silly labeling of objects and events (as in calling a nose an ear)

• Enjoys looking at one book over and over

• Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked

• Shows awareness of parental approval or disapproval for ones actions

 

 

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DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
The Third Year

By 3 years of age:

 

Motor Skills

• Feeds self

• Opens doors

• Holds a glass in one hand

• Holds a crayon well

• Washes and dries hands by self

• Completes simple puzzles

• Places small pegs into small holes

• Strings small beads

• Folds paper, if shown how

• Holds a pencil with a “tripod grasp” (3 fingers), but moves forearm and wrist to write/color/draw

• Draws a horizontal line

• Builds a tower of 4-5 blocks

• Throws a small ball overhand and underhand 7 feet

• Able to catch a large ball

• Puts on shoes

• Dresses self with help

• Uses the toilet with some help

• Walks up steps, alternating feet without support

• Walks down 4 steps without support

• Walks on tiptoes for 8 feet

• Walks on a line 3 steps

• Kicks a ball forward 6 feet

• Runs 30 feet

• Jumps forward 24 inches

• Jumps down from 18 inches high

• Jumps over an object 2 inches off the floor

• Stands on one foot for 3 seconds

• Pedals a tricycle

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Recognizes sounds in an environment

• Pays attention for about 3 minutes

• Remembers what happened yesterday

• Knows what is food and what is not food

• Knows some numbers (but not always in the right order)

• Knows where things usually belong

• Understands what “1” is

• Understands “now”, “soon”, and “later”

• Substitutes one object for another in pretend play (pretends a block is a “car”)

• Laughs at silly ideas

• Looks through a book alone

• Matches circles and squares

• Matches an object to a picture of that object

• Matches objects that have same function (puts a cup and plate together)

• Counts 2-3 objects

• Avoids some dangers (a hot stove or a moving car)

• Follows simple 1-step commands

 

Language and Social Skills

• Uses 3-5 word sentences

• Asks short questions

• Uses plurals (“dogs”, “cars”, “hats”)

• Names at least 10 familiar objects

• Repeats simple rhymes

• Names at least one color correctly

• Imitates housework or helps with simple tasks

• Asks to use the toilet almost every time

• Enjoys being read to

• Talks about feelings and mental states (remembering)

• Demonstrates some shame when caught in a wrongdoing

• Tries to make others laugh

• Plays spontaneously with two or three children in a group

• Assigns roles in pretend social play(“You be mommy”; “I be daddy”)

• Knows first and last name

• Understands “I”, “you”, “he”, and “she”

• Believes everything centers around him/her (“if I hide my eyes, no one will see me”)

• Answers whether he/she is a boy or girl

 

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DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
The Fourth Year

By 4 years of age:

 

Motor Skills

• Feeds self (with little spilling)

• Tries to write name

• Draws with the arm and not small hand movements

• Draws a circle

• Draws a face

• Draw a cross (one vertical and one horizontal intersecting lines)

• Uses scissors to cut straight and curved lines

• Manages buttons, zippers, and snaps

• Tries to buckle, button, and lace, even though probably needs help

• Completely undress self if wearing clothes with simple fasteners

• Brushes teeth with help

• Builds a tower of 7-9 blocks

• Puts together a simple puzzle of 4-12 pieces

• Pours from a small pitcher

• Uses the toilet alone

• Puts a key in a lock and opens it

• Runs 15 yards in 6 seconds

• Jumps forward at least 30 inches

• Jumps up and touches a line 3 inches above standing reach

• Hops forward 6 inches

• Walks forward 8 feet on a 4 inch line

• Walks backward 4 feet on a 4 inch line

• Walks downstairs alternating feet without support

• Stands on tip toes without moving feet

• Throws a ball overhand from 5 feet and hits a target

• Throws a small ball underhand 10 feet
• Swings, starting by self and keeping self going

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Recognizes red, yellow, and blue
• Understands taking turns and can do so without always being reminded
• Understands “big”, “little”, “tall”, and “short”
• Wants to know what will happen next
• Sorts by shape or color
• Counts up to 5 objects
• Follows 3 instructions given at one time (“put the toys away, wash your hands, and come eat”)
• Distinguishes between the real world and the imaginary or pretend world
• Identifies situations that would lead to happiness, sadness, or anger

 

Language and Social Skills

• Has a large vocabulary and uses good grammar often
• Repeats simple words in order
• Often talks about action in conversation (“go”, “do”, “make”)
• Enjoys rhyming and nonsense words
• Uses regular past tenses of verbs (“pulled”, “walked”)
• Uses “a”, “an”, and “the” when speaking
• Asks direct questions (“May I?”, “Would you?”)
• Wants explanations of “why”, “who” and “how”
• Relates a simple experience he/she has had recently
• Understands “next to”
• Separates from parent for a short time without crying
• Helps clean up toys at home or school when asked to
• Likes to play “dress up”
• Pretends to play with imaginary objects
• Acts out elaborate events which tell a story (as in serving an imaginary dinner or going on a “dragon hunt”
• Sometimes cooperates with other children
• Often prefers playing with other children to playing alone
• Changes the rules of a game as he/she goes along
• Tries to bargain (“I’ll give you this toy if you’ll give me that one”)
• Shares when asked
• Enjoys tag, hide-and-seek, and other games with simple rules
• Likes moderate “rough and tumble” play
• Likes to do things for him/herself
• Knows own age and the town where he/she lives
• Acts as though a doll or stuffed animal thinks and feels on its own

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DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
The Fifth Year

By 5 years of age:

 

Motor Skills

• Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer

• Hops 20 feet on each leg

• Able to do a forward roll

• Able to jump forward 36 inches

• Gallops and skips 8-10 feet

• Runs 10 feet, picks up an object, and returns to starting line without falling or dropping the object

• Able to jump over a string 10 inches off the floor

• Jumps back and forth across a line on the floor without pausing

• Accurately imitates arm positions

• Using a overhead toss, hits a target from 12 feet

• Able to bounce a small ball so it bounces once and hits a wall from 5 feet

• Catches a small ball from 5 feet

• Bounces and catches a small ball

• Uses a “tripod grasp” (thumb and tips of 1^st two fingers) on writing utensils and uses fingers only to write/draw/color

• Copies triangles and other geometric patterns

• Draws a person with a body

• Prints some letters

• Dresses and undresses without assistance, and usually ties shoes

• Uses a fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table knife to spread food items (jelly, peanut butter, mayo, etc) or cut soft foods

• Independent with toilet needs

• Cuts out a circle/square printed on paper

• Builds steps of 6 blocks

• Connects dots by drawing straight line

• Builds pyramid of 6 blocks

• Folds paper in half lengthwise

• Colors between vertical lines

• Grasps marker between thumb and pad of index finger, marker rests on first joint of middle finger

• Touches each finger to thumb

 

Sensory and Thinking Skills

• Can count ten or more objects

• Correctly names at least 4 colors

• Better understands the concept of time

• Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food, appliances)

 

Language and Social Skills

• Recalls part of a story

• Speaks sentences of more than 5 words

• Speaks in detailed sentences

• Communicates well with peers and adults

• Says most sounds correctly but may have trouble with l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, and th

• Uses future tense

• Tells longer stories

• Says name and address

• Wants to please friends

• Wants to be like his/her friends

• More likely to agree to rules

• Likes to sing, dance, and act

• Shows more independence

• Aware of sexuality

• Able to distinguish fantasy from reality

• Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly cooperative