Developmental Milestones

Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye-bye” are called developmental milestones. Use these general milestone guidelines to see how your baby is developing. Each day you watch them grow will be a memory you cherish.

The Four Main Areas of Child Development

How well a child’s physical, social and emotional needs are met affects how the child’s brain will grow and develop. Understanding how children grow and learn will help you know what to expect and what you can do to help your child develop. There are four main areas of child development: physical, social, emotional, and cognitive:

Physical

Growth including height, weight, muscles, and the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell), including coordination of muscle movements.

Social

Ability to connect with others, understand rules and develop values, and cooperate as a member of a family, peer group, and society.

Emotional

Ability to understand and express feelings and control emotions.

Cognitive

Ability to learn and to use logic and reason to solve problems.

If your child was premature, keep in mind that babies born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. Health care providers, daycare staff, and home visitors can help you monitor your child’s development, identify concerns, and make referrals for help when needed.

0-2 Months

Physical Milestones

  • See objects best when they are 30 to 40 inches away from their face as their eyes cannot yet fully focus at close range.
  • By 2 weeks of age, you may notice a growth spurt, and this can cause an increased appetite.
  • Begins to make cooing sounds.
  • Discovered his or her fingers and may have started the practice of using them to self-soothe and reach for things.
  • Hold his head up on his own, but still need your careful support when being held.

Social & Emotional Milestones

  • Smile at you when they want to play and frown or cry to show when they're upset.
  • Respond with pleasure when her primary caregiver arrives.
  • Copy your movements and facial expressions.
  • Enjoys being around other children and shows excitement.

Cognitive Milestones

  • Use taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound to learn about the surrounding environment.
  • Cry when hungry, have a soiled diaper, or want attention.
  • Make different sounds to tell you if he is hungry, wet, tired, or wants a change of position
  • Follow moving objects with her eyes.

3-6 Months

Physical Milestones

  • Most babies will start sleeping through the night between 4 to 6 months.
  • With the tummy time that your little one has been practicing, he or she can likely lift their head 90 degrees. He or she is also likely able to roll over or turn to the direction of a sound.
  • Hold their head steady, push up on elbows and may even begin to roll from tummy to back.
  • By 4 months, you may notice they now smile, laugh, and participate in play.
  • You will likely hear your baby start to make babbling sounds.
  • Most babies can sit up with support.
  • Start teething that can cause them to drool in excess.
  • Opens and closes hands and brings hands to mouth
  • Wiggles arms and kicks legs.

Social & Emotional Milestones

  • Enjoys social play and will become more active in getting your attention.
  • Responds differently to an unfamiliar voice than to the voice of a familiar person.
  • Shows interest in mirror images and begins to smile at mirrors.
  • Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion and often appears joyful.
  • Cries when upset, afraid, or scared.
  • Shows mild to severe anxiety when parents leave (separation anxiety).

Cognitive Milestones

  • Uses eyes and hands together.
  • Uses verbal and non-verbal cues to signal needs and convey emotion.
  • Makes noises to show displeasure or satisfaction.
  • Explores objects with mouth.
  • Begins to reach for objects such as rattles, caregiver’s face, toys and mobiles.

7-9 Months

Physical Milestones

  • If your baby hasn’t already started to sit up or develop a tooth, this may be the time.
  • Sits without being supported.
  • Begins to crawl. Some infants never crawl, but by 9 months, many babies will.
  • Develops eye-hand coordination and transfers objects from one hand to the other.
  • Reaches for a bottle or spoon when being fed. During this time, your baby's taste preferences are being established, so it's important to introduce foods with a variety of flavors, textures, and colors.
  • Starts to stand, although this can vary. Some infants are able to pull themselves up and hold onto furniture by 9 months.

Social & Emotional Milestones

  • Talks or babbles while looking in a mirror.
  • May be vocal, saying words like “Mama” and “Dada.”
  • Becomes upset if a toy is taken away.
  • Responds to own name and recognizes familiar names of friends or family.

Cognitive Milestones

  • Develops a better awareness of the world around them.
  • Begins to look and find partially hidden objects, such as watching a ball roll out of sight.
  • Tries to get objects that are out of reach.

10-12 Months

Physical Milestones

  • Crawls forward on belly.
  • Sits up without assistance.
  • Pulls themselves up to stand.
  • Walks two or three steps without support.
  • Takes objects out of containers.
  • Wave bye-bye, clap hands, or gesture to be picked up.

Social & Emotional Milestones

  • Plays with others by offering toys or objects, but wants them back.
  • Pushes away toys or foods when not wanted.
  • Becomes attached to a favorite toy or blanket.

Cognitive Milestones

  • Responds to simple words, such as “no.”
  • Babbles with inflections, changes in tones.
  • Begins to use things correctly, such as drinking from cups and listening to a phone.
  • Explores items and toys in different ways like banging, shaking, throwing, etc.

Developmental Milestones

In your baby’s first few months of life, they will grow in leaps and bounds!
Learn what precious moments to expect in the first year of life.

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It is important to know how your baby is developing and spot any signs of concern early. Most babies reach certain milestones at similar ages, so speak with your child’s health care provider if you have any concerns about how they are growing. Concerned about a child’s development or need early intervention support? Connect with these resources.