DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

AGE PHYSIAL-NEURO GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR LANGUAGE INTERPERSONAL PLAY FEEDING
SOCIAL
Neonate Head lag Reflex grasp Cry Prefers human face Enjoys watching face Root, suck, swallow
Largely reflex of primary care giver
Early crawling (mother), listening to
movements soothing sounds
One month Dance reflex Strong extrusion
disappears reflex
Two months Closure of posterior Holds head up when Follow moving Differential crying, Social smile; smile in Follows and enjoys
fontanels; diminish prone; Able to turn objects coos mother’s presence bright colored
tonic neck and moro from side to side mobiles
reflex
Three months Grasp reflex Appearance of thump Hands held open Differential crying Recognizes the Spends time looking Extrusion reflex
disappears apposition; Follows object past Coos and gurgles mother at hands or uses them fades, drools
Absent tonic neck midline Laugh audibly as toy (hand regard)
Binocular vision Plays with rattle
Four months Lift head and chest on Brings hand together Laughs aloud Very talkative Needs space to turn Attempts to bring lips
prone position to cup
Five months Moro Reflex gone Rolls over 2 hand grasp Vocalizes displeasure Handles rattles well Anticipates food,
begins solid
Give iron fortified
cereal mixed with
breast milk, orange
juice or formula
Six months Doubles birth weight, Sits with support, Hold bottle with 2 May say vowel Extends arms to loved Enjoys bathtub toys, begins finger food,
dentition Hitches, can turn hands (palmar grasp) sounds (oh-oh) person; early ability rubber ring for self feeding
from back to stomach to distinguish teething Wt gain 4oz/wk
strangers
Seven months Bounces feet in Transfer objects hand m-m-m- when crying Cough to get Transfer object from Chews, bites, begins
mouth to hand attention, begins fear hand to hand. to have good
Sits for short periods to strangers Likes objects that are preference
good size for Give vegetables
transferring
Eight months Sits without support Height of stranger Enjoys manipulation, Fruits
anxiety rattles, toys of
different textures
 AGE PHYSIAL-NEURO GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR LANGUAGE INTERPERSONAL PLAY FEEDING
SOCIAL
Nine months Crawls then creeps; Preference for one Combines syllables Cries when scolded Uses thumb and fingers
pulls self to standing hand mama, dada to hold smaller toys
position with support Pincer grasp- uses Need space for creeping
thumb and fingers to
hold
Ten months Moves from prone to Points to objects; Understands “NO” “Peek-a-boo”, “pat a Drinks from cup,
sitting, pulls self to Brings hand together Responds to own cake” picks up small uses spoon but
standing position; name; vocalize one or objects may spill
crawls well two words (Egg yolk)
Eleven months Cruises, almost ready Puts objects in a
to walk container
Twelve months Triples birth weight Walks with support; Attempts 2 tower Says two words plus Follows directions Enjoys several toys, Eats with fingers
Babinski disappears sits from standing Blocks. mama and papa enjoys dropping objects
position without Holds cups and spoon to see where they will
assistance well; helps to dress go; Likes toys that fit
(pushes arms into inside each other (pots,
sleeves) pans); nursery rhymes;
pull-toys as soon as
walking
15 months Plateau Stage Walks alone well; can Put small bottles. Name familiar objects Vocalizes wants Can stack 2 blocks; Grasp the spoon
seat self in chair; can Scribbles voluntarily 4-6 words enjoys being read to;
creep upstairs with a pencil or drops toys for adult to
crayon. Holds cups recover (exploring a
and spoon to bring to sense of permanence)
mouth
18 months Anterior fontanel Sits self on a chair; Attempts 3 tower Uses phrases Smears stool, started Has a favorite toy
closes Can run and jump in block 7-20 words; uses on bowel training Imitates household
place, can walk up No longer rotates a jargoning names body chores; dusting etc.
and down stairs spoon to bring it to parts Begins parallel play
holding onto a mouth (playing beside not with
person’s hand and another child)
railing. Typically
places both feet on
one step before
advancing
 AGE PHYSIAL-NEURO GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR LANGUAGE INTERPERSONAL PLAY FEEDING
SOCIAL
2 Years Terrible twos Jumps crudely, goes Attempts 5 tower Uses short sentences Helps undress Parallel play, takes
up and down with block, writes vertical 50 words, 2 words himself, bladder favorite toy to bed
both feet on same lines sentences (noun- trained at daytime
steps Walks up stairs alone pronoun and verb)
Can open doors by still using both feet on e.g. Daddy go
turning door knobs, same step at same
unscrew lids time
2 ½Years 20 temporary teeth Tiptoes, stands on one Piles 7-8 blocks Verbal language Rides tricycle, throws
foot Makes simple lines or increasing steadily. ball
Can jump down from strokes for crosses Knows full name; can Spends time playing
chairs with a pencil name 1 color and house, imitating
holds up fingers to parents’ actions
show age
3 Years Trusting three Walks backward Uses scissors, copies Speak fluently using Knows family name, Pedal well Feeds self well
Runs; alternates feet circles, unbutton longer sentences sings simple songs, Able to take turns;
on stairs; rides buttons Vocabulary of 900 knows own sex; with Very imaginative
tricycle; stands on Undress well, stacks words “imaginary” friends
one foot; undress tower of blocks;
without help draws cross
4 Years Furious Four Jumps and climbs Copies squares, laces Exaggerates and Knows how old he is, Pretending is major
wall shoes boast; names colors; gender specific activity
Constantly in motion; Can do simple vocabulary of 1500 behavior
buttons words
5 Years Frustrating Five Runs skillfully Copies triangles, Talk constantly Knows relatives, Likes games with
I can and you can’t Throws overhand; prints letters, draws Vocabulary 2, 100 aunts, uncles cousins; numbers or letters;
stage Skips alternate feet; picture of a 6 part words tolerates increasing beginning of
jumps rope man; ties shoes; dress periods of separation cooperative play
without help from parents
6 Years Years of expansion of Clumsy movement Recognizes and draws Fixed speech, may Beginning interest in
physical and because of fatigue all shapes use slang, may swear God; self-centered;
psychological Jumps, tumbles, skip Full sentence; define show-off, rude;
changes; begins and hop objects by their use sensitive to criticism
losing temporary
teeth; first appearance
of first permanent
teeth
 AGE PHYSIAL-NEURO GROSS MOTOR FINE MOTOR LANGUAGE INTERPERSONAL PLAY FEEDING
SOCIAL
7 Years Assimilative quieting Wiggles loose teeth; Copies diamond Tells time in hours; Enjoy teasing, has Enjoys playing alone
down period able to ride two- have trouble with high standard for Like to use props
wheel bike; accurate concepts of half past family; increasing when playing; plays
in jumping and quarter to. self-reliance for basic skip rope “girl and
activities; boy games”; likes to
collect items; baseball
cards, dolls, rocks and
marbles
8 Years Expansive age. Age Smoother movement Read and write script Counts backwards Normal homosexual Likes table games but
of Broadening rather than prints hate to lose; rides
experience bicycle well; joins
sports like:
gymnastic, soccer;
hockey, table tennis;
9 Years Neither a child nor a Uses both hands Master script writing. Tell time correctly “hero worship; Reads comic books;
youth independently Takes care of body Tell “dirty jokes”; conflicts between play cards; baseball;
needs completely “bathroom jokes” adult authorities and basketball; and
peer group; better volleyball;
behaved; conflict
between needs for
independence and
dependence
10 Years Age of special talents Writes legibly Reasons using cause Well mannered with Involved in group
and effect adults; starts to be activities; uses
more selective when telephone
choosing friends
11-12 Years Pre-adolescent Full of energy, “select language” Critical of adults, Joins organizations
constantly active Can have adult shares secrets with like scouting; loves
conversation friends; develops watching tv and play
beginning of interest video games;
in opposite sex; loves
conversations; raises
pets