Developmental Milestones

Developmental Milestones: Newborn - 1 Week

• Social Language & Self-Help: makes brief eye contact

• Verbal Language: cries with discomfort, calms to adult voice

• Gross Motor: reflexively moves arms & legs, turns head to side when on stomach

• Fine Motor: holds fingers closed, grasps reflexively

Developmental Milestones: 1 Month

• Social Language & Self-Help: calms when picked up or spoken to, looks briefly at objects

• Verbal Language: alerts to unexpected sound, makes brief short vowel sounds

• Gross Motor: holds chin up in prone

• Fine Motor: holds fingers more open at rest

Developmental Milestones: 2 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: smiles responsively (social smile)

• Verbal Language: vocalizes with simple cooing

• Gross Motor: lifts head and chest in prone

• Fine Motor: opens and shuts hands

Developmental Milestones: 4 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: laughs aloud

• Verbal Language: turns to voice, vocalizes with extended cooing

• Gross Motor: rolls over prone to supine; supports on elbows and wrists in prone

• Fine Motor: keeps hand unfisted, plays with fingers in midline, grasps object

Developmental Milestones: 6 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: pats or smiles at reflection, begins to turn when name is called

• Verbal Language: babbles

• Gross Motor: rolls over supine to prone; sits briefly withouts support

• Fine Motor: reaches for objects and transfers; rakes small object with 4 fingers, bangs small object on surface

Developmental Milestone: 9 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: uses basic gestures; looks for dropped objects; picks up food with fingers and eats it, turns when name is called

• Verbal Language: says “dada” and “mama” nonspecifically

• Gross Motor: sits well without support, pulls to stand, transitions well between sitting and lying, balances on hands and knees, crawls

• Fine Motor: picks up small objects with 3 fingers and thumb, releases objects intentionally, bangs objects together

Developmental Milestones: 12 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: looks for hidden objects, imitates new gestures

• Verbal Language: says “dad” or “mom” with meaning; uses 1 word other than mom or dad, or personal names; follows a verbal command that includes a gesture

• Gross Motor: takes first independent steps, stands without support

• Fine Motor: drops object in a cup, picks up small object with 2-finger pincer grasp, picks up food & eats it

  

Developmental Milestone: 15 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: imitates scribbling, drinks from cup with little spilling, points to ask for something or to get help

• Verbal Language: uses 3+ words other than names; speaks in sounds that seem like an unknown language, follows direction that do not include a gesture, looks around when parent says “where is..?”

• Gross Motor: squats to pick up objects, crawls up a few steps, begins to run

• Fine Motor: makes mark with crayon, drops object into and takes object out of container

Developmental Milestones: 18 Months

• Social Language & Self-Help: engages with other for play, helps dress and undress self; points to pictures in book, points to object of interest to draw attention to it, turns and looks at adult if something new happens; begins to scoop with spoon

• Verbal Language: uses 6-10 words other than names; identifies at least 2 body parts

• Gross Motor: walks up with 2 feet per step with hand held, sits in small chair, carries toy while walking

• Fine Motor: scribbles spontaneously, throws small ball a few feet while standing

Developmental Milestones: 2 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: plays alongside other children; takes off some clothing, scoops well with spoon

• Verbal Language: uses 50 words, combines 2 words into phrase or sentence, follows 2-step commands, uses words that are 50% intelligible to strangers

• Gross Motor: kicks ball, jumps off ground with 2 feet, runs with coordination, climbs up a ladder at a playground

• Fine Motor: stacks objects, turns book pages, uses hands to turn objects (eg. knobs, toys, lids)

Developmental Milestones: 2.5 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: urinates in a potty or toilet, plays pretend with toys or dolls, pokes food with fork

• Verbal Language: uses pronouns correctly, explains the reasons for things, such as needing a sweater when its cold, names at least one color

• Gross Motor: walks up steps, using one foot, then the other

• Fine Motor: grasps crayon with thumb and fingers instead of fist, catches a large ball, copies a vertical line

Developmental Milestones: 3 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: goes to the bathroom & urinates by self; plays & shares with others, puts on coat/jacket/shirt by self, begins to play make-believe, eats independently

• Verbal Language: uses 3-word sentences, uses words that are 75% intelligible to strangers, understands simple prepositions (on, under), tells a story from a book/TV, compares things using words such as bigger or shorter

• Gross Motor: pedals tricycle, climbs on and off couch or chair, jumps forward

• Fine Motor: draws a single circle, draws a person with head and one other body part, cuts with child scissors

Developmental Milestones: 4 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: enters bathroom & has bowel movement by self, dresses & undresses without much help, plays make-believe

• Verbal Language: 4-word sentences, uses words that are 100% intelligible to strangers, answers questions, tells a story from a book

• Gross Motor: climbs stairs, alt. feet without support, skips on one foot

• Fine Motor: draws a person with at least 3 body parts, draws a simple cross, unbuttons & buttons medium-sized buttons, grasps a pencil with thumb & fingers instead of fist, draws recognizable pictures

Developmental Milestones: 5 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: spreads with a knife, dresses/undresses without help, goes to bathroom independently, is dry throughout the day, plays & interacts with peers, answers “why” questions

• Verbal Language: tells a story of 2 sentences or more, follows directions for 4 individual prepositions, counts 5 objects, names 3+ numbers, names 4+ letters out of order

• Gross Motor: beginning to skip, walks on tiptoes when asked, catches a bounced ball with 2 hands

• Fine Motor: copies a triangle, draws a 6-part person, copies first name, cuts well with scissors, writes 2+ letters

Developmental Milestones: 6 Years

• Social Language & Self-Help: cuts most food with a knife, ties shoes, is dry day & night, chooses preferred foods, starts/continues conversation with peers, plays and interacts with at least one “best friend”

• Verbal Language: tells a story with a beginning, middle & end; masters all the constant sounds and combinations such as “d” or “ch”, counts 10 objects, can do simple addition & subtraction with objects

• Gross Motor: rides a standard bike, hopes on one leg 3-4x, catches small ball with 2 hands

• Fine Motor: draws 12-part person, can write 3+ simple words, writes first & last name in upper and lowercase letters

Developmental Milestones: 7-10 Years

• Shows the ability to get along with others and control emotions

• Chooses to eat healthy foods & participate in physical activity every day

• Forms caring, supportive relationships with family members, other adults and peers

Developmental Milestones: 11+ Years

• Forms caring, supportive relationships with family members, other adults, and peers

• Engages in a positive way with the life of the community

• Engages in behaviors that optimize wellness and contribute to a healthy lifestyle

  • Engages in healthy nutrition & physical activity behaviors

  • Chooses safety

• Demonstrates physical, cognitive, emotional, social and moral competencies

• Exhibits compassion & empathy

• Exhibits resilience when confronted with life stressors

• Uses independent decision-making skills

• Displays a sense of self-confidence, hopefulness, and well-being