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Developmental Milestones What I Can Do Now


Prenatal and Infancy


Pregnancy and Infancy are the most sensitive stages of development. During this time the brain and its pathways are developing faster than at anytime of the child's life. While what the child is learning may seem minor, it is the basis for the future development of eyesight, hearing, feelings, speech, and movement.


At 2 Months, children:


  • Are alert and responsive, showing an interest in people and objects. Follow movement with their eyes. Smile and coo responsively. Startle at loud noises. Cry, gurgle, and grunt.
  • Get better at holding their head up when lying facedown
  • Hands are open more frequently

Flags: Show no reaction to sound. Child arches their back frequently. Body posture is floppy or limp.


At 4 Months:


  • Hands are open most of the time
  • Begin to take some weight on their legs
  • Are much better at holding their head up
  • Smile, laugh and make sounds spontaneously
  • Can look from one side to the other. Looks at parents face. Respond with pleasure to parent's friendly touch, care, and play
  • Use both arms and legs the same way. Can reach with either arm or kick with either leg.
  • Turn their head in the direction of sound

Flags: Hands are tightly fisted. Child moves one arm towards a toy but the other arm remains still. Legs are stiffly crossed. Parent has concerns that infant is not responding to friendly cuddles and care.


At 6 Months:


  • Eyes follow at same time
  • Hold up their head without help when sitting. Sit with support
  • On their tummy, can push up on their arms and roll to either side
  • Can put some weight on legs. Feet are flat rather than tiptoe
  • Reach and grasp toys
  • React to loud voices and friendly voices. Turn and look at new sounds. Babble for attention. Starting to respond to name

Flags: Child squints or an eye is turning in or out.


At 9 Months:


  • Can sit without using their hands or other support to hold themselves up. Can creep on their hands and knees. Pull themselves up until they are standing
  • Reach, grasp and move toys from hand to hand. Starting to use fingers and thumbs to grasp small things. Watch for choking hazards
  • Respond to name and different voices. Produce four or more different sounds. Try to imitate sounds

Flags: Child stands on tiptoes rather than on flat feet. Child has difficulty moving from a sitting position to hand and knees. Child has difficulty crawling, for instance, using only one side of their body.


At 12 Months:


  • Many children are not walking independently yet
  • Children stand up on flat feet rather than on tiptoe. Creep on hands and knees and pull themselves up until they are standing
  • Use fingers and thumbs to grasp toys. Easily picks up small objects using fingers and thumbs. Watch for choking hazards
  • Try to say sounds and words, example "ba ba". Begin to say two to three words. Play simple games like "pat a cake" and
  • peek-a-boo" and wave "bye bye" when you ask. They look at "mommy" or "bottle" when you name them

Flag: Recurrent ear infections between 6 months and 1 year.


At 18 Months:


  • All children should be independently walking
  • Children walk on flat feet rather than on tiptoe
  • Can use both arms to grasp toys. Make equal use of both legs when walking
  • Can stack 3 blocks or more
  • Say words such as "more" or "up" to ask for something. Recognize pictures of familiar people and things
  • Most children can say at least 5 words. May say 10 to 20 words. Words may not be clear yet
  • Point to their toes, eyes, nose when you ask

Flag: Arms held in a stiff bent position.


At 24 Months:


  • Use many, even hundreds or words and gestures
  • Are at least starting to contribute two words to express a thought
  • Ask many questions, "What's this? Where's my?" Ask for drinks and food, and understands simple questions and directions
  • Points to different parts of their body when you ask them to
  • Are able to walk well. Starting to run and climb
  • Start to help with dressing. Feed self with a spoon and hold a cup
  • Play make believe or pretend games
  • Can stay with one activity six to seven minutes

Flag: Up on toes when running, poor balance or frequent tripping.


At Preschool Age:


  • Children initiate play by themselves and with other children
  • Talk in sentences to other children as well as adults
  • Begin to recognize colours, shapes, and numbers
  • Can tell a story about what they have seen or done
  • Start to tell you what they are thinking

At 3 Years:


  • Children can follow simple directions, for example, "Put your shoes 'under' the table or 'beside' the door, or 'on' the mat. Understand what 'yesterday', 'lunchtime', and 'tomorrow' mean
  • Can turn pages of a book one at a time
  • Can walk up and down stairs
  • Can listen to a story or music for 5 to 10 minutes with an adult

At 4 to 5 Years:


  • Beginning to understand what 'next week', 'next month', and 'next year' mean. Sentences become more complete
  • Children's words are clearly understood
  • Can grasp and use a pencil, crayon, or paint brush with their thumb and fingers
  • Are able to jump, run, climb, and hop on one foot
  • Can follow directions and routines
  • Can throw and catch a ball
  • Can work alone at an activity for 20-30 minutes

Flag: Parent is concerned that child's speech is difficult to understand. Parent is concerned about stuttering

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