Milestones in Everyone's Life!
Anatomy and Physiology
2 Months!
By this age the infant should:
Smile and coo
Look at parents
React to noises
Follow objects with eyes
Push up when on stomach
A baby smiling
A baby pushed up on its stomach
A baby following an object with its eyes
4 Months!
Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
Begins to babble
Babbles with expression and copies sounds he hears
Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired
Lets you know if she is happy or sad
Responds to affection
Reaches for toy with one hand
Holds head steady, unsupported
Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
May be able to roll over from tummy to back
6 Months!
Begin to communicate (by pointing, making noises, and so on)
Crawl and pull to standing
Move things from one hand to another
Make many "sounds" (like mamamamamama)
Play Peek-A-Boo
Grasp small foods between thumb and finger
9 Months!
May be clingy with familiar adults
Has favorite toys
Understands “no”
Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
Copies sounds and gestures of others
Uses fingers to point at things
Stands, holding on
Can get into sitting position
Sits without support
12 Months!
Cries when mom or dad leaves
Has favorite things and people
Shows fear in some situations
Hands you a book when he wants to hear a story
Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair
Bangs two things together
Gets to a sitting position without help
Pulls up to stand, walks holding on to furniture (“cruising”)
May take a few steps without holding on
Baby crying when mom or dad leaves
Baby helping when getting dressed
Baby drinking from a cup
18 Months!
Likes to hand things to others as play
May have temper tantrums
May be afraid of strangers
Says several single words
Says and shakes head “no”
Scribbles on his own
May walk up steps and run
Pulls toys while walking
2 Years!
Gets excited when with other children
Shows more and more independence
Shows defiant behavior (doing what he has been told not to)
Points to things or pictures when they are named
Knows names of familiar people and body parts
Says sentences with 2 to 4 words
Plays simple make-believe games
Builds towers of 4 or more blocks
tands on tiptoe
Kicks a ball
Begins to run
Climbs onto and down from furniture without help
Walks up and down stairs holding on
Baby pointing to body part
Baby playing with building blocks
Baby walking up the stairs
3 Years!
Takes turns in games
Shows concern for crying friend
Understands the idea of “mine” and “his” or “hers”
Shows a wide range of emotions
Separates easily from mom and dad
Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts
Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people
Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces
Understands what “two” means
Copies a circle with pencil or crayon
Climbs well
Runs easily
Pedals a tricycle (3-wheel bike)
Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step
Baby riding a tricycle
Baby playing make-believe with a baby doll
Baby playing with a puzzle
4 years!
Plays “Mom” and “Dad”
Is more and more creative with make-believe play
Would rather play with other children than by himself
Cooperates with other children
Sings a song or says a poem from memory such as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or the “Wheels on the Bus”
Tells stories
Can say first and last name
Starts to understand time
Remembers parts of a story
Understands the idea of “same” and “different”
Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts
Uses scissors
Hops and stands on one foot up to 2 seconds
Catches a bounced ball most of the time