Developmental Milestones

The milestones listed below are typical for young children. Every child is unique, growing & developing in different ways.

AT THREE MONTHS most children:

• Hold their head up when awake & on their tummy
• Bring their hands together & play with them at midline
• Coo, chuckle or laugh
• Search for sounds & respond to loud sounds

AT SIX MONTHS most children:

• Hold their head upright when sitting
• Reach out to grasp objects & transfer them hand-to-hand
• Respond to friendly speech with a coo or smile
• Babble

AT NINE MONTHS most children:

• Crawl on their belly and/or hands & knees
• Can finger-feed themselves
• Say “mama” & “dada” & imitate sounds
• Respond to his/her name

AT TWELVE MONTHS most children:

• Pull to stand & cruise around furniture
• Can pick up small objects using index finger & thumb
• Say at least one word other than “mama” or “dada”
• Can follow simple instructions with a gesture given

AT FIFTEEN MONTHS most children:

• Can hold & drink from a cup with minimal spilling
• Can vocalize & make his/her voice go up & down
• Can use four or five words
• Can walk independently

AT EIGHTEEN MONTHS most children:

• Are able to walk up to a large ball & kick it
• Can build a four block tower & turn pages in a book
• Use five to ten words
• Can follow simple instructions like “bring the ball”

AT TWO YEARS most children:

• Are able to walk up & down stairs, holding the rail with both feet on the step
• Can assist you when dressing themselves
• Can ask for items by name
• Use two or three words together, such as “more juice”

AT THREE YEARS most children:

• Can ride a tricycle with pedals
• Can use a fork
• Can use a three to four word sentence
• Can name one color, count to ten & give his/her first & last name

AT FOUR YEARS MONTHS most children:

• Can alternate feet going down stairs
• Can completely dress & undress with little help
• Can use four to five word sentences
• Can name three to six colors & know nursery rhymes by heart

AT FIVE YEARS most children:

• Can skip & jump
• Can copy familiar shapes (square, circle, triangle)
• Can use five to six word sentences with correct grammar
• Can follow simple rules in games

If you have questions or concerns about your child’s growth and development, contact your child’s physician or call 618-288-5436 (KIDO) to be placed in contact with a qualified professional to answer your questions.