What Your Baby Should Be Doing Each Month Of His First Year
Every child is different, but this chart gives general milestones in a child's development. The information below lets you know what to expect and will help you record your child's progress.
At 1 month, most children...
- Lift head a little when lying on stomach
- Watch objects for a short time
- Make "noise in throat" sounds
- Stay away from annoying sensations such as cloth or blanket on the face
At 2 months, most children...
- Hold their head up (bobbing when supported in sitting position)
- Sometimes copy or respond to a smiling person
- Roll part way to side
- Make sounds of discomfort
At 3 months, most children...
- Lift head and chest when lying on stomach
- Recognize bottle or breast
- Smile when talked to
- Show active body movement
- Follow moving things with their eyes
At 4 months, most children...
- Hold head up for a long time without bobbing
- Laugh out loud
- Roll from front to back
- Like to play
- Grab an object held near their hand
- Make sounds when talked to
At 6 months, most children...
- Sit with little support
- Respond to a friendly voice with a smile or coo
- Roll from back to stomach
- Turn and look at sounds
- Change object from hand to hand and from hand to mouth
At 9 months, most children...
- Sit alone and change position
- Say "mama" and "dada"
- Crawl
- Respond to people they know
- Respond to their name
At 12 months, most children...
- Pull themselves to stand and may step with support
- Can nod their head to signal "yes"
- Give love
- Pick things up with thumb and one finger
- Say two or three words
At 15 months, most children...
- Walk without support
- Do some self-feeding
- Speak and make their voice go up and down
- Drink from a cup held by someone
- Use four or five words
At 18 months, most children...
- Walk (may run a bit)
- Use five to ten words
- Climb up or down one stair
- Pull toys that have wheels
- Mark on paper with crayons
- Understand easy directions
At 2 years, most children...
- Give toys when asked
- Recognize a familiar picture and know if it is upside down
- Kick large ball
- Turn pages in a book (two or three at a time)
- Use two or three words together, such as "more juice"
At 3 years, most children...
- Walk up stairs holding railing
- Unbutton large buttons
- Stand for a moment on one foot
- Talk of toilet needs
- Open doors
- Stack objects by size
- Ask and answer simple questions
- Speak clearly and are understood by family members
At 4 years, most children...
- Can hop in place
- Throw a ball above their head
- Wash hands without help
- Copy a circle
- Begin to play with other children
- Know their own sex, age, last name
- Answer out loud to "Hi" and "How are you?"
- Point to six basic colors when asked
At 5 years, most children...
- Run on tiptoe
- Understand yesterday and tomorrow
- Print a few capital letters
- Know their name in print
- Use sentences with correct grammar, such as, "May I go to the store?" or "I want a big cookie."
- Play together with others
- Put their shoes on the correct feet
