Developmental Milestones
Information from Parenting Step-By-Step, A Guide To Resources
These milestones are general guidelines only. Every child develops at his or her own pace. If you have
concerns about your child’s growth and development, call Family Connections at: 304-528-5208
0-3 Months |
3-6 Months |
Lifts head when held at shoulder |
Rolls over from stomach to back Lifts up knees Reaches for objects Sits with support Looks at objects in hand Grasps with both hands Follows a moving object with eyes Coos/gurgles Chuckles/squeals Smiles responsively Laughs aloud Has expressive noises Recognizes primary caregiver Anticipates food on sight
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6-9 Months |
9-12 Months |
Rolls from back to stomach On back, can lift head up Climbs stairs Learns to crawl Feeds self Reaches for a toy he/she drops Curious, puts everything in mouth Responds to name Speaks single consonants (da-da, ba-ba) Imitates sounds May cry when strangers approach May cry when parent leaves the room
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Crawls well Stands holding on to furniture with hands Learns to grasp with thumb and finger Puts things in and out of containers Interest in pictures Drops objects on purpose Understands “no” Uses “mama” or “dada” Knows meaning of 1-3 words Cooperates in games Plays peek-a-boo/pat-a-cake Waves good-bye
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12-18 Months |
18-24 Months |
Creeps up stairs Walks well alone Can stoop to recover an object Seats self on chair Interest in self feeding Looks at pictures in book Scribbles spontaneously Uses spoon Drinks from cup Follows one or two directions Has 3-5 words Will point to one body part Will point to at least one picture Uses jargon Points or vocalizes to make desires known Cooperates in dressing Holds own cup
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Runs and jumps Uses fingers with skill Turns pages of a book Walks backward Can point to 2-3 body parts Has at least 20 words Combines 2 words into phrases Jargon is gone Verbalizes desires with words Uses spoon Handles a cup well Imitates housework Removes one piece of clothing
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2-3 Years |
3-4 Years |
Ready for toilet training Highly mobile – skills are refined Uses spoon to feed self Throws and kicks a ball Disassemble simple objects and puts them back together Can do simple puzzles, string beads, stack books Capable of thinking before he/she acts Loves to pretend and to imitate people around him/her Creative activities such as block play, art 2-4 word phrases Uses plurals Names at least one picture 100-300 words Identifies over 5 body parts of own body Has great difficulty sharing Has strong urges and desires at same time, developing ability to exert self control. Wants to please parents but sometimes has difficulty containing impulses Displays affection – especially for caregiver Imitates own play activity and occupies self Interest in peers beginning
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Jumps in place Walks down stairs Balances on one foot Uses toilet consistently Builds with blocks and construction toys Boundless energy Loves to imitate and role play Understands some number concepts, comparison, colors Interest in letters Able to draw circles, recognizable objects Why questions – believes there is a purpose for everything Has understanding of on, under and behind Knows name, sex, age, and sees self as part of a family Has difficulty sharing Plays alongside other children Helps with small household tasks Likes to be big
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4-6 Years |
Able to hold and use pencil, cut with scissors, catch a ball, use a fork and spoon, brush his/her teeth Climbs, hops, skips, and likes to do stunts Dramatic play expands Able to draw representative pictures Knows and can name members of family and friends Can answer questions Vocabulary over 1000 words Plays cooperatively with peers Develops capacity to share and take turns Displays independence Protect self and stands up for rights Identifies with parents and likes to imitate them Often has “best friends” Likes to show adults what he/she can do Continually forming new images of self
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Information from Parenting Step-By-Step, A Guide To Resources
