Our Milestone Go-to-Guide
Watching your baby grow and learn is one of life's greatest joys. However, keeping track of developmental milestones can sometimes feel overwhelming. With a sea of information online, it's hard to know what's truly relevant.
That's why we've created this simple guide, drawing on the expertise of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). It provides a clear overview of key milestones, helping you understand your child's unique journey.
Please remember, every child develops at their own pace. This guide is designed to support your child's growth, not stress you out. Use it to identify opportunities for gentle encouragement and playful activities, and always celebrate your little one's individual achievements.
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
Birth - 2 Months |
Lifts head briefly while on tummy, turns head side to side |
Grasps objects reflexively, hands mostly fisted |
Rooting reflex still present, learning the skill of latching |
Cries for needs, makes cooing sounds |
Explores environment through senses, prefers faces |
Focuses on faces close up, tracks objects briefly |
Responds to comfort, recognizes caregivers |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
3 - 4 Months |
Lifts chest while on tummy, supports self on forearms, rolls from tummy to back |
Reaches for toys, holds objects in hand briefly |
Begins to develop head control for feeding, pushes tongue out less |
Smiles responsively, laughs, coos more frequently |
Anticipates routines, begins to recognize familiar objects and people.Anticipates routines, begins to recognize familiar objects and people |
Follows moving objects, reaches for objects in sight |
Smiles socially, enjoys being held |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
5 - 6 Months |
Rolls both ways, sits with support, begins to push up on hands and knees |
Transfers objects between hands, brings hands to mouth |
Begins to eat solids (purees), can hold bottle with help |
Babbles, begins to imitate sounds |
Explores by mouthing and grasping, shows curiosity in surroundings. |
Tracks moving objects more smoothly, recognizes familiar people from a distance |
Laughs out loud, shows excitement or distress |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
7 - 8 Months |
Sits without support, may begin crawling |
Begins using pincer grasp, bangs objects together |
Eats mashed foods, may begin self-feeding with hands |
Responds to name, uses simple gestures like waving |
Finds partially hidden objects, enjoys cause-and-effect toys |
Focuses on small objects, more precise hand-eye coordination |
May experience stranger anxiety, shows attachment to caregivers |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
9 - 10 Months |
Pulls to stand, stands while holding on, may begin cruising |
Points with finger, can manipulate small objects |
Drinks from a sippy cup, tries finger foods |
Understands ‘no’, babbles with more variety |
Imitates actions, enjoys simple problem solving (eg: shape sorters) |
Enjoys looking at pictures in books, points to objects of interest |
Demonstrates preferences for familiar people, plays simple games like peek-a-boo |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
11 - 12 Months |
Stands independently, begins to take first steps |
Pincer grasp refined, starts stacking objects |
Uses fingers to self-feed, begins to use spoon with help |
Starts trying first words like “mama/dada”, imitates speech sounds |
Starts exploring trial and error and enjoys basic cause and effect toys |
Visually explores surroundings more actively, understands object permanence |
Shows a wider range of emotions, expresses affection |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
13 - 15 Months |
Walks independently, crawls upstairs |
Scribbles with crayon, turns pages of a book |
Eats a variety of finger foods, drinks from open cup with help |
Follows simple instructions, vocabulary expands (+/- 3-5 words) |
Imitates more complex actions, explores objects by shaking, banging, or dropping |
Points to pictures in books, enjoys watching others actions |
Shows independence, may have temper tantrums, begins parallel play |
|
Gross Motor |
Fine Motor |
Feeding |
Communication |
Cognitive |
Visual |
Social/ Emotional |
|
|
16 - 18 Months |
Runs with more stability, climbs onto furniture, walks up stairs with help |
Uses spoon with some control, stacks 2-3 blocks |
Uses a spoon more effectively, starts to use a fork |
Vocabulary expands (+/-10-20 words), starts putting 2 words together |
Solves simple problems, recognizes shapes and colors, begins pretend play |
Recognizes familiar objects in pictures, matches shapes with corresponding holes |
Demonstrates empathy, enjoys playing with others but may still engage in parallel play |
