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Milestones Chart

The milestones chart below is to be used as a general guideline for your child's development. It is common for children to meet some milestones early and some milestones later than other kids their age, as all children will develop at their own PACE. :)

Our milestones chart is from birth to 6 years old. Please note that it doesn't include different milestones for specific diagnoses, like Down Syndrome or dwarfism.

If you have concerns about your child's developmental milestones, please contact our office or your pediatrician.

If your child was born premature (under 38 weeks): Subtract the number of weeks they were born early from 40 weeks, and use that "adjusted age" for milestone charts until they are 2 years old.

For example, if your baby was born at 34 weeks, you will subtract 6 weeks (as they were born 6 weeks early) from their age. If your baby is currently 3 and 1/2 months old and you're looking at the chart, subtract 6 weeks. You will look at the 2 month milestones (0-3 months in the chart), and not the 3 and 1/2 month milestones (3-6 months in the chart).

Milestones Chart - Birth to 6 years

Gross motor skills are movements related to large muscles such as legs, arms, and trunk. These movements include crawling, walking, using stairs, jumping, kicking, and running. Physical therapists can help improve these skills.

Fine motor skills are movements involving smaller muscle groups such as those in the hand and wrist. These movements include using a fork, putting on pants, writing, or cutting paper with scissors. Occupational therapists can help improve these skills.

Self-care skills include eating, brushing teeth, dressing (including zippers and buttons), and grooming like brushing hair. Occupational therapists can help improve these skills.

Communication skills include speaking, listening, following directions. Speech therapists can help improve these skills.

0 - 3 months

Gross Motor

Turns head completely to left and right sides
Head is usually in the middle when laying down (not always to the left or right side)
Remains on belly for several minutes at a time while calm
2+ months: Fair head control when held
2+ months: Pushes through feet when held in standing

Fine Motor / Self-care

Holds onto a finger or rattle with both hands
Begins reaching for toys
Opens and shuts hands
Forms tight seal around nipple / bottle when sucking

Communication

Turns or looks toward voices and sounds
Quiets or smiles when you talk
Makes sounds back and forth with you
Makes sounds like ooooo, aahh, and mmmmm
Recognizes loved ones and some common objects

3-6 months

Gross Motor

When on tummy, lifts head high off the floor and pushes through arms
Rolls from back to belly and belly to back
Good head control
Sits on floor with arm support

Fine Motor / Self-care

When lying on back, reaches for toy held above them with left and right hands
Brings hands and feet to mouth
Holds toys for at least 30 seconds

Communication

Giggles and laughs
Responds to facial expressions
Looks at objects of interest and follows objects with their eyes
Reacts to toys that make sounds, like those with bells or music
Vocalizes different vowel sounds—sometimes combined with a consonant—like uuummm, aaaaaaagoo, or daaaaaaaaaa

6-9 months

Gross Motor

By 7 months: Sits on floor without arm support with a straight back
Able to play with toys while sitting
Moves from sitting onto belly
Crawls on belly and turns to left and right
Stays on hands and knees for a few seconds

Fine Motor / Self-care

Self feeds finger foods
Closes lips to remove food from spoon
Moves toy from one hand to the other
Uses raking motion to grab beans / beads / food
Grabs small object between thumb and index finger:

Communication

Looks at you when you call their name
Stops for a moment when you say, “No”
Babbles long strings of sounds like mamama, or upup
Looks for loved ones when upset
Raises arms to be picked up
Recognizes the names of some people and objects
Pushes unwanted objects away

9-11 months

Gross Motor

Crawls on hands and knees (about 1 month after belly crawling)
Moves from lying on floor into sitting
Moves from standing into sitting on the floor
Pulls up into standing
Squats to pick up a toy from the floor and returns to standing while holding onto furniture
Cruises along furniture

Fine Motor / Self-care

Drinks from open cup held by adult
Releases toy into adult’s hand
Removes both socks
Claps hands
Places 3-7 blocks in a container
Picks up small item with thumb and index finger:

Communication

Points, waves, and shows objects
Engages in social games, likes blowing kisses, or playing peek-a-boo
Attempts sounds that you make
Responds to words and phrases like “go bye-bye” and “look at Mommy”
Says one or two words like “mama”, “dada”, “hi”, and “bye”

12-18 months

Gross Motor

By 13 months: Stands without arm support
By 13 months: Begins to walk with hands held
Crawls up and down stairs
Stands up from the floor without holding onto furniture or people
Squats to pick up a toy from the floor and returns to standing without holding onto furniture
Walks independently

Fine Motor / Self-care

Tries to wash own hands/face
Stacks 2-3 blocks
Places 2 shapes into correct hole shape-sorter
Scribbles on paper by holding pencil in a fist:

Communication

Follows 1-step directions–like “give me the ball”, “hug the dog”
Shakes head for “no” and nods head for “yes”
Understands and uses words for common objects, some actions, and people in their lives

18 months - 2 years

Gross Motor

Carries toys while walking
Takes steps backwards without falling
Walks on grass and sidewalks without falling
Climbs on and off furniture without help
Begins to run (about 6 months after beginning walking by themselves)
Walks up and down stairs with arm support, two feet per step
Kicks, throws, and rolls a large ball
Attempts to catch a large ball

Fine Motor / Self-care

Turns 3 pages in a book, one at a time
Stacks 4 - 6 blocks
Draws vertical line
Listens quietly to story, music, or video
Removes loose clothing without help (jacket, hat, shirt)
Puts on simple clothing
Uses spoon without help
Puts away familiar objects

Communication

Uses and understands at least 50 different words, though speech may not always be clear–like "du" for shoe or "dah" for dog
Follows two step directions like “Get the spoon, and put it on the table”
Puts two or more words together like “more water” or “go outside”

2 - 2.5 years

Gross Motor

Jumps with both feet at the same time
Jumps down from a small step
Walks up and down stairs with railings, one foot per step
Walks on balance beam with 1 hand held
Climbs up ladders

Fine Motor / Self-care

Removes screw-on lid from bottle
Starts taking turns
Recognizes basic emotions in others
Takes off socks, shoes, and loose pants
Snips paper with scissors
Draws horizontal line
Strings 2 - 4 beads

Communication

May occasionally repeat some words or phrases, like “baby-baby-baby sit down”
Attempts to get your attention by saying, “Look at me!”
Uses -ing and -ed verbs like "eating" or "looked".
Correctly produces most vowels, and p, b, m, h, w, d, and n

2.5 - 3 years

Gross Motor

Balances on 1 leg for 2 - 3 seconds
Walks on balance beam
Walks on tip-toes when asked
Jumps forward 1 - 2 feet
Pedals tricycle

Fine Motor / Self-care

Potty trained (with occasional accidents)
Can draw a circle
Interacts well with others during group activities
Holds pencil with fingers facing down:

Communication

Understood at least 50% of the time
Uses location words such as “in” and “on”
Asks basic “who”, “what”, “where”, or “why” questions
Says first name when asked
notices other children and can engage in turn-taking play with 1-2 peers
Begins to use imaginative/fantasy play (i.e. pretending to be a cat)

3 - 3.5 years

Gross Motor

Jumps over low objects
Jumps forward about 2 feet
Balances on 1 leg for 3 - 5 seconds

Fine Motor / Self-care

Shares toys
Cuts paper into 2 pieces
Laces 3 holes
Cuts paper along a line
Traces horizontal line
Unbuttons 3 buttons

Communication

Compares things with words like “bigger” or “shorter"
Understands and uses words like "inside", "on", and "under"
Correctly produces t, k, g, y, and -ing in words

3.5 - 4 years

Gross Motor

Walks up stairs without railings, one foot per step
Catches a bounced ball
Can do hopscotch
Hops on one foot

Fine Motor / Self-care

Dresses self (except shoelaces)
Buttons 1 button
Draws people
Copies own name
Holds pencil like this:

Communication

Talks smoothly, and does not repeat sounds, words, or phrases most of the time
Tells you a story from a book or a video
Use some emotion words

4-5 years

Gross Motor

Balances on 1 leg for 5 - 8 seconds
Skips & Gallops
Kicks a moving ball
Walks down stairs without railings, one foot per step
Catches a tennis ball in 1 hand
5 sit-ups

Fine Motor / Self-care

Draws a square
Cuts out a circle/square
Connects dots by drawing straight lines
Builds pyramid of blocks with visual
Colors between vertical lines
Toilets, wipes self, flushes toilet, and redresses independently
Combs or brushes hair

Communication

Includes main characters, settings, and connects information and ideas when telling stories
Understands and uses location words, like “behind” and “between”
Uses time words like yesterday and tomorrow correctly
Follows simple directions and rules to play games

5-6 years

Gross Motor

Balances on 1 leg for at least 10 seconds
Hops forward 20 feet
Uses playground swing by kicking legs
Jumps forwards 3 - 4 feet
8 knee push-ups
5-7 jumping jacks

Fine Motor / Self-care

Folds paper in half twice
Counts up to 20 objects
Remains calm when small requests are denied
Holds pencil like this:

Communication

Asks questions like “why is the sky blue?” or “where did the rabbit go?”
Answers more complex “who”, “what”, “where”, “when”, “how”, and “why” questions
Listens to and understands grade level stories that are read aloud to them
Understands/follows a simple conversation

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