Developmental Milestones

0-2 months                         Holds head up well off mat when on stomach

                                          Holds legs up when lying on back

                                          Becomes active when toy is seen

                                          Responds to a smile with a smile

 

3 months                            Grasps a rattle or small toy placed in hand

                                          Brings hand (or both hands) to mouth

                                          Looks at feet and hands

                                          Sees objects at a distance of about 12 inches

                                          Watches your mouth when you talk face to face

 

4 months                            Brings hands together over chest and touches fingers while on back

                                          Rolls from stomach to back

                                          Reaches for a toy when held in a sitting position

 

5 months                            Brings feet to mouth when lying on back

                                          Feels feet with hands

                                          Holds bottle with both hands (may also pat it)

                                          Looks for object when it is slowly moved out of sight

                                          Smiles at self in front of big mirror

 

6 months                            Rolls from back to stomach

                                          Sits briefly without help

                                          Holds a bottle to mouth by self

                                          Has full color vision

                                          Gets bottle to mouth by self

                                          Grabs own foot while lying on back

 

7 months                            Crawls forward on stomach

                                          Gets into sitting position without help

                                          Uses hand and mouth to explore objects

                                          Passes a small object from one hand to the other

                                          Eyes track 180 degrees from side to side while sitting

 

8 months                            Plays peek-a-boo

                                          Bangs toys and other things together

                                          Feeds self finger foods

 

9 months                            Crawls or otherwise gets around well

                                          Pulls self up to stand (but not to get down) using furniture

                                          Waves bye-bye

                                          Releases objects intentionally

                                          After seeing object covered by cloth, picks up cloth

                                          Pulls on a string to get a toy

 

10 months                           Looks closely at tiny object

 

11 months                           Pokes into holes with index finger

                                          Pushes or rolls a ball

                                          Throws things just to see what happens

 

1 years                               Walks sideways while holding onto furniture

                                          Grasps thick crayon or pencil in fist as if to mark, but may not mark

                                          Turns thick pages (such as cardboard)

                                          Watches own thrown objects

                                          Helps to pull off simple clothing and extends arms and legs to help with dressing

                                          Puts objects into others

 

 

1 yr 1 month                       Walks alone (up to 8 feet)

                                          Enjoys looking at pictures in books

                                         

                                         

1 yr 2 months                      Bends or squats to pick up an object and stands up again without falling

                                          Climbs onto furniture

                                          Pushes toy while walking

                                          Hands things to others

                                          Makes a stack of 2 blocks

                                         

1 yr 3 months                      Marks independently on paper with crayon or pencil

                                          Puts something in and then gets it out of a container

 

1 yr 4 months                      Seems to recognize self in mirror

                                          Scribbles spontaneously and freely with crayon, marker, or pencil

 

1 yr 5 months                      Begins to run

                                          Drinks from a cup or glass and sets it down without much spilling

                                          Builds tower of 3 blocks

 

1 yr 6 months                      Gets spoon in mouth right-side up with little spilling

                                          Throws a small ball (over- or underhand) a few feet while standing

 

1 yr 8 months                      Turns regular book pages by self (may turn more than one at a time)

                                          Stacks a 4-block tower

 

1 yr 9 months                      Walks both up and down stairs alone at least 2 steps with both feet on each step

                                          Uses play dough, paint, and paper

                                          Turns pictures right-side up if given upside down

                                          Scribbles without going off paper

 

1 yr 11 months                    Matches pictures to real things

                                          Completes a 1- to 3-piece puzzle or form board

                                          Strings 3 one-inch beads with long-tipped lace

 

2 yrs 0 months                    Jumps with both feet leaving the floor at the same time

                                          Imitates drawing a vertical line

                                          Kicks ball forward with either foot without support

 

2 yrs1 months                     Runs in a coordinated way

                                          Unbuttons large, easy buttons

 

2 yrs 2 months                    Identifies 4 body parts on self from among hair, mouth, feet, ear, nose, hands, eyes

                                          Throws a large ball

 

2 yrs 3 months                    Turns regular book pages one at a time

 

2 yrs 5 months                    Matches circle, triangle, or square when shown how

 

2 yrs 6 months                    Runs easily

                                          Grasps pencil with thumb and fingers instead of fist

 

2 yrs 7 months                    Makes small cuts (snips) on line with child-safe scissors and some help

                                          Eats with a fork

                                          Builds a tower using 8 cubes

 

2 yrs 9 months                    Uses small beads and pegs

                                          Points to 6 body parts in a picture when asked

 

2 yrs 11 months                  Strings half-inch beads

 

3 yrs 0 months                    Pedals a riding toy

                                          Does finger plays while singing little songs

                                          Copies a circle with pencil and paper

 

3 yrs 2 months                    Kicks a ball 10 feet

 

3 yrs 5 months                    Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet, hand on rail

 

3 yrs 6 months                    Grasps pencil with thumb, index, and middle fingers

                                          Counts 5 objects aloud

                                          Points to or names 4 basic colors

                                          Builds a tower of more than 9 blocks without help

                                          Strings (hard tipped) at least 8 half-inch beads into a simple pattern

                                          Standing, throws a small ball overhand toward a person who is at least 6 feet away

 

3 yrs 9 months                    Completes a 4- or 5-piece puzzle

 

3 yrs 10 months                   Places at least 6 small pegs in board holes

 

3 yrs 11 months                  Goes up stairs without support, alternating feet

                                          Buttons and unbuttons quarter-inch buttons

                                          Names 5 of 5 different colors like red, blue, yellow, orange, black, white, or pink

 

4 yrs 0 months                    Draws a person with 3 different body parts

 

4 yrs 1 months                    Copies a vertical-horizontal cross

                                          Pedals a tricycle around obstacles and makes U-turns

 

4 yrs 3 months                    Runs around obstacles and turns corners

                                          Colors almost entirely within lines of 4-inch wide circle

 

4 yrs 5 months                    Climbs rungs of playground slide ladder and slides down unassisted

 

4 yrs 6 months                    Sorts objects by color, size, and shape

                                          Copies a square

                                          Bounces a ball 2-3 times

                                          Catches a beanbag with hands and chest

 

4 yrs 7 months                    Pumps and maintains momentum on a swing

                                          Cuts out a big circle with scissors

 

4 yrs 9 months                    Begins to jump rope

                                          Feels objects without looking and identifies circle, squares, and triangles

                                          Counts objects aloud to at least 6

 

4 yrs 10 months                   Draws some simple, recognizable objects

 

4 yrs 11 months                   Places 1-1/4” paper clip on paper

 

5 yrs 0 months                    Hops on one foot, 8-10 hops

                                          Jumps over knee-high obstacles with both feet together

                                          Draws a face with mouth, nose, and eyes

                                          Dresses and undresses adequately without help

                                          Prints own name, but not clearly  

 

5 yrs 4 months                    Reads and writes numerals to 5

                                          Draws a person with 6 or more different parts

 

5 yrs 6 months                    Balances on one foot for 12 seconds

                                          Skips using alternate feet at least 4 times

                                          Prefers to use either right or left hand

                                          Names most uppercase but not most lowercase letters

                                          Recognizes own name when printed with lowercase and capital letters

 

5 yrs 7 months                    Prints own first name in either uppercase or lowercase letters without a model

 

5 yrs 9 months                    Cuts well with scissors

                                          Reads simple 3-letter words that are paired with familiar pictures

 

5 yrs 11 months                  Does 8 or more push-ups

                                          Does 5 or more sit-ups

                                          Follows simple words with eyes and finger while adult reads

                                          Catches a small ball with two hands

                                          Rides a bike

 

6 yrs 1 months                   Prints all numerals 0-9 and all letters without copying