Developmental Milestones
Your Baby’s Development – Month By Month
This table shows common developmental milestones that babies reach each month during their first year, in four major categories. Keep in mind that all babies are different and every baby grows at his own pace. There’s no precise time that most of these skills first appear. If your child hasn’t reached a milestone by the month it is listed on this chart, it is usually a perfectly normal variation in child development. Watch for progress, not deadlines.
| Age | Gross Motor | Fine Motor | Language/Cognitive | Social |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | Moves head from side to side when on stomach | Strong grip | Stares at hands and fingers | Tracks movement with eyes |
| 2 months | Holds head and neck up briefly while on tummy | Opens and closes hands | Begins to play with fingers | Smiles responsively |
| 3 months | Reaches and grabs at objects | Grips objects in hands | Coos | Imitates you when you stick out your tongue |
| 4 months | Pushes up on arms when lying on tummy | Grabs objects — and gets them! | Laughs out loud | Enjoys play and may cry when playing stops |
| 5 months | Begins to roll over in one or the other direction | Is learning to transfer objects from one hand to the other | Blows “raspberries” (spit bubbles) | Reaches for mommy or daddy and cries if they’re out of sight |
| 6 months | Rolls over both ways | Uses hands to “rake” small objects | Babbles | Recognizes familiar faces –caregivers and friends as well as family |
| 7 months | Moves around –is starting to crawl, scoot, or “army crawl” | Is learning to use thumb and fingers | Babbles in a more complex way | Responds to other people’s expressions of emotion |
| 8 months | Sits well without support | Begins to clap hands | Responds to familiar words, looks when you say his name | Plays interactive games like peekaboo |
| 9 months | May try to climb/crawl up stairs | Uses the pincer grasp | Uses the pincer grasp | Uses the pincer grasp |
| 10 months | Pulls up to stand | Stacks and sorts toys | Waves bye-bye and/or lifts up arms to communicate “up” | Learns to understand cause and effect (“I cry, Mommy comes”) |
| 11 months | Cruises, using furniture | Turns pages while you read | Says “mama” or “dada” for either parent | Uses mealtime games (dropping spoon, pushing food away) to test your reaction; expresses food preferences |
| 12 months | Stands unaided and may take first steps | Helps while getting dressed (pushes hands into sleeves) | Says an average of 2-3 words (often “mama” and “dada”) | Says an average of 2-3 words (often “mama” and “dada”) |