Developmental Milestones
Fine Motor Milestones
2-6 months
- grasps a rattle, holds bottle with both hands
- pulls at clothes
- reaches, pulls objects to mouth
6-9 months
- bangs objects on table
- transfers cube hand to hand
- feeds self finger food
9-15 months
- marks paper with crayon
- puts 3 or more objects into a container
- builds tower using two cubes
- drinks from a cup
- feeds self with a spoon
15-18 months
- finger-thumb pincer grasp
- scribblings, draws line
- builds tower of four cubes, puts four rings on stick
- removes socks
- turns knobs
2-3 years
- undresses self and assists with dressing
- copies a circle and a cross
- strings four large beads
- turns single page
- snips with scissors on a line
- buttons/unbuttons large buttons
4-5 years
- copies a square
- prints own name- tripod pencil grasp
- ties shoelaces
- cuts on line continuously
- prints some capital letters
6 years
- copies a triangle
- cuts out simple shapes
- copies first name
- prints numerals 1-5
- color within lines
- pastes and glues appropriately
Gross Motor Milestones
0-3 months
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Lying on tummy, pushes up on arms for 3 seconds
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Lying on tummy, lifts and holds head up
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Bears weight in supported standing for 3 seconds
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Moves fists from closed to open
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Brings hands to mouth
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Moves legs and arms off of surface when excited
4-6 months
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Reaches for toys while on tummy
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Lying on back, transfers toy from one hand to the other
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Lying on back, reaches both hands to play with feet
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Lying on tummy, pushes up on forearms (4 months) and hands (6 months)
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Uses hands to support self while sitting
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Rolls from back to tummy and tummy to back
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While standing with support, accepts entire weight with legs
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In sitting, rotates head from left to right and right to left while holding head up
7-9 months
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Sits without support
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Sits and reaches for toys without falling
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Moves from tummy or back into sitting
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Starts to move with alternating leg and arm movement (creeping, crawling)
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Picks up head and pushes through elbows during “tummy time”
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Turns head to visually track objects while sitting
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Shows more control while rolling and sitting
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Picks up small objects with thumbs and fingers
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Imitates others during simple play
10-12 months
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Releases objects into a container with a large opening
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Uses thumb and pointer finger to pick up tiny objects
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Pulls to stand and cruises along furniture
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Pivots 180 degrees in sitting
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Stands alone and takes several independent steps
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Moves in and out of various positions to explore environment and get desired toys
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Maintains balance in sitting when throwing objects
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Claps hands
13-18 months (1-1.5 years)
- Walks independently and seldom falls
- Walks downstairs using railing and with 1 or both feet on each step
- Walks backward 5 steps
- Maintains balance while kneeling
- Squats to pick up a toy
- Stacks two objects or blocks
- Catches ball rolled to legs in sitting
- Rolls ball from between legs back to person
- Throws ball in any direction by extending their arm
- Kicks ball 3 feet forward
19-24 months (1.5-2 years)
- Begins to run for 10 or more feet
- Climbs stairs using railing
- Kicks ball 3 feet forward within 45 degrees of their intended target
2-3 years
- Jumps off low step
- Stands on 1 foot for 3 seconds
- Begins to ride tricycle
- Kicks small ball
- Throws ball overhand
3 years
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Demonstrates true run (both feet leave ground)
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Stands on 1 foot for 5 seconds
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Stands tandem (one foot in front of the other) without losing balance
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Catches large ball with trapping motion
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Walks up stairs alternating feet
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Walks down stairs while marking time
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Jumps off step
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Jumps over 2-inch object
3.5 years
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Can hop a few steps on their preferred foot
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Runs with greater balance and control
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Kicks a ball
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Mounts, pedals, and dismounts 3-wheel riding vehicle (tricycle)
4 years
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Walks down stairs alternating feet
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Gallops
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Stands on tiptoes
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Rotation of body following throw of a ball
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Pumps a swing
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Walks on a line/beam forwards
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Can hop on one foot 4-6 times
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Throws ball 10 feet forward
4.5 years
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Catches ball if prepared
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Bounces a ball off the floor then the wall when demonstrated
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Hits large target from 12 feet away with a ball
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Jumps 2-3 inches
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Leans forward when jumping from a height
5 years
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Can stop and change directions quickly when running
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Stands on one foot for 10 seconds
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Can hop 8-10 steps on 1 foot
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Throws ball and hits target at 10 feet
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Roller skates
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Rides bike
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Bounces a ball
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Jumps 2-3 feet forward
6 years
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Able to skip
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Catches bounced tennis ball with 1 hand
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Kicks a ball for at least a 12 foot distance
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Completes 5 sit ups in less than 30 seconds
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Can complete 8 push-ups in under 20 seconds
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Rides a bicycle (no training wheels)
7 years
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Safely performs a forward roll
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Runs smoothly with opposite arm and leg movement and a narrow base of support (feet are close but not touching)
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Runs around obstacles and maintains balance
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Steps with opposite leg when using throwing arm to throw a ball
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Jumps over an object and lands with both feet together
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Walks backwards heel-to-toe
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Rides a bicycle for an unlimited time
8-9 years
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Jumps rope skillfully
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Throws and bats a ball with more skill
10-16 years
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Jumping distance & running speed continue to increase and eventually stabilize
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Plays ball more skillfully due to improved reaction time
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May reach fastest reaction time & peak performance level in sports
Receptive Language Milestones
7 months-1 year
- turns and looks in the direction of sounds
- listens when spoken to
- recognizes words for common items like "cup", "shoe", "juice"
- responds to name
- begins to respond to simple requests ("come here", "sit down")
- smiles when smiled at and can follow eye gaze
1-2 years
- points to a few body parts
- follows 1-2 step directions and understands simple questions ("roll the ball", "kiss the baby", "go get your shoes")
- listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes
- identifies an object in a picture book
- points to pictures in a book when named
- points to a few body parts when asked
2-3 years
- hears when you call from another room
- answers simple "who?", "what?", "where?", "why?" questions
- follows 2-3 step directions
- understands concepts "inside", "under", "on top"
- points to 5-6 parts of a doll when asked
3-4 years
- understands differences in meaning ("go-stop", "in-on", "big-little", "up-down")
- follows 2 requests ("Get your shoes and put them on")
- understands action words ("jump, run, wash") and descriptive words ("big, wet, little")
- matches objects to pictures
4-5 years
- pays attention to short stories and answers simple questions
- hears and understands spatial concepts (under, in back of, in front of)
- makes inferences from pictures and stories
- understands and able to produce rhyming words
- can clap out multi-syllable words
Expressive Language Milestones
7 months- 1 year
- babbling with both long and short groups of sounds "dada upup"
- uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention
- imitates different speech sounds
- has 1 or 2 words (bye-bye, mama)
- enjoys games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
- joint attention
- reacts to emotions
1-2 years
- says mroe words every month
- uses some 1-2 word questions (where kitty? go bye-bye?)
- puts 2 words together (more cookie, no juice, mommy book)
- uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words
- points to objects to get others engaged (joint attention)
- plays near other children, begin to imitate
- greets others, takes turns
- brings objects to adult, requests action with words/gestures
2-3 years
- has a word for almost everything (50-200 words)
- uses 2-3 words to talk about and ask for things
- speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time
- often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them
- acts out simple themes from own experience
- talks to self during play
3-4 years
- talks about activities completed earlier from school or home
- people outside the family understand the child's speech
- uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words
- usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words
- cooperative play begins
- begins to share and show empathy and emotions
- able to maintain a topic
4-5 years
- says most sounds correctly except l, s, r, v, z, j, ch, sh, th
- uses the same grammar as the rest of family
- uses sentences that give lots of details (I like to read my books)
- tells stories that stick to topic
- communicates easily with other children and adults
- understand that other people have thoughts
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