Renaissance Healthcare System

Developmental Milestones

Developmental milestones are physical or behavioral signs of development of infants and children. Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking are considered developmental milestones and provide important information regarding your child's early development:

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Three Months:

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• Lifts and turns head from side to side when lying on stomach 

• Grasps rattle when rattle is placed in hand 

• Smiles when smiled at 

• Visually tracks a moving object or person 

• Turns head toward bright colors, lights and the sound of a human voice 

• Makes cooing and gurgling sounds

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Six Months:

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• Holds head steady when sitting (with some help) 

• Rolls over

• Reaches for and grasps objects 

• Helps hold bottle during feeding 

• Explores by mouthing and banging objects 

• Pulls up to sitting position if hands are grasped 

• Opens mouth for spoon 

• Babbles and imitates some sounds

• Knows familiar faces

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Twelve Months:

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• Drinks from cup with help 

• Grasps small objects with thumb and forefinger 

• Sits unsupported 

• Crawls 

• Pulls self up to stand 

• Stands alone momentarily 

• Begins to use objects, like a like a brush, correctly 

• Babbles, but with inflection, which sounds like talking 

• Says first word 

• Waves goodbye

• Understands simple commands

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Eighteen Months:

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• Turns pages in a book 

• Stacks two blocks 

• Walks independently

• Scribbles with crayons 

• Identifies object in a picture book 

• Begins to sort by shapes and colors 

• Follows simple, one-step directions 

• Says 8-10 words others can understand 

• Repeats words heard in conversation 

• Looks at person speaking to him or her 

• Asks for something by pointing or using one word 

• Acts out familiar activity in play (i.e. pretending to eat) 

• Recognizes self in mirror or pictures

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Two Years:

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• Feeds self with spoon 

• Builds tower with 4 blocks 

• Walks upstairs with help 

• Explores surroundings 

• Begins to make believe play 

• Can and will follow directions 

• Enjoys looking at the same books over and over 

• Speaks about 50 words

• Uses 2-3 word sentences 

• Comforts a distressed friend of parent 

• Refers to self by name and uses “me” and “mine” 

• Points to eyes, ears, or nose when asked

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Three Years:

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• Walks up steps, alternating feet 

• Turns pages in a book one at a time 

• Pays attention for about three minutes 

• Counts 2-3 objects 

• Follows simple one-step commands 

• Can talk about what happened yesterday

• Uses 3-5 word sentences 

• Asks short questions 

• Names at least one color correctly 

• Knows first and last name 

• Recognizes & understands most common objects & pictures