Your Child’s Growth: Developmental Milestones

By 2 Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Calms down when spoken to or picked up

• Looks at your face

• Seems happy to see you when you walk up to them

• Smiles when you talk to or smile at them

Language/Communication Milestones

• Makes sounds other than crying

• Reacts to loud sounds

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• Watches you as you move

• Looks at a toy for several seconds

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Holds head up when on tummy

• Moves both arms and both legs

• Opens hands briefly

By 4 Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Smiles on their own to get your attention

• Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make them laugh

• Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention

Language/Communication Milestones

• Makes sounds like “ooh” or “aah” (cooing)

• Makes sounds back when you talk to them

• Turns head toward the sound of your voice

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• If hungry, opens mouth when they see breast or bottle

• Looks at their hands with interest

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Holds head steady without support when you are holding them

• Holds a toy when you put it in their hand

• Uses their arm to swing at toys

• Brings hands to mouth

• Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

By 6 Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Knows familiar people

• Likes to look at self in a mirror

• Laughs

Language/Communication Milestones

• Takes turns making sounds with you

• Blows “raspberries” (sticks tongue out and blows)

• Makes squealing noises

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• Puts things in their mouth to explore them

• Reaches to grab a toy they want

• Closes lips to show they don’t want more food

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Rolls from tummy to back

• Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy

• Leans on hands to support themselves when sitting

By 9 Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers

• Shows several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised

• Looks when you call their name

• Reacts when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)

• Smiles or laughs when you play peekaboo

Language/Communication Milestones

• Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “babababa”

• Lifts arms up to be picked up

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• Looks for objects when dropped out of sight (like a spoon or toy)

• Bangs 2 things together

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Gets to a sitting position by themselves

• Moves things from one hand to their other hand

• Uses fingers to rake food toward themselves

• Sits without support

By 12 Months (1 Year)

Social/Emotional Milestone

• Plays games with you, like pat-a-cake

Language/Communication Milestones

• Waves “bye-bye”

• Calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name

• Understands no (pauses briefly or stops when you say it)

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• Puts something in a container, like a block in a cup Looks for things they see you hide, like a toy under a blanket

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Pulls up to stand

• Walks, holding on to furniture

• Drinks from a cup without a lid, as you hold it

• Picks things up between thumb and pointer finger, like small bits of food

By 15 Months (1 ¼ Years)

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Copies other children while playing, like taking toys out of a container when another child does

• Shows you an object they like

• Claps when excited

• Hugs stuffed doll or another toy

• Shows you affection (hugs, cuddles, or kisses you)

Language/Communication Milestones

• Tries to say 1 or 2 words besides mama or dada, like “ba” for ball or “da” for dog.

• Looks at a familiar object when you name it.

• Follows directions given with both a gesture and words. For example, they give you a toy when you hold out your hand and say, “Give me the toy.”

• Points to ask for something or to get help.

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem- solving)

• Tries to use things the right way, like a phone, cup, or book

• Stacks at least 2 small objects, like blocks

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Takes a few steps on their own

• Uses fingers to feed themselves some food

By 18 Months (1 ½ Years)

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Moves away from you but looks to make sure you are close by

• Points to show you something interesting

• Puts hands out for you to wash them

• Looks at a few pages in a book with you

• Helps you dress them by pushing arm through sleeve or lifting up foot

Language/Communication Milestones

• Tries to say 3 or more words besides mama or dada

• Follows 1-step directions without any gestures, like giving you the toy when you say, “Give it to me”

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Copies you doing chores, like sweeping with a broom

• Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Walks without holding on to anyone or anything

• Scribbles

• Drinks from a cup without a lid and may spill sometimes

• Feeds themselves with their fingers

• Tries to use a spoon

• Climbs on and off a couch or chair without help

By 24 Months (2 Years)

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying

• Looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation

Language/Communication Milestones

• Points to things in a book when you ask about them, like “Where is the bear?”

• Says at least 2 words together, like “More milk”

• Points to at least 2 body parts when you ask them to show you

• Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Holds something in one hand while using the other hand, for example, holding a container and taking the lid off

• Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy

• Plays with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a toy plate

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Kicks a ball

• Runs

• Walks, not climbs, up a few stairs with or without help

• Eats with a spoon

By 30 Months (2 ½ Years)

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them

• Shows you what they can do by saying, “Look at me!”

• Follows simple routines when told, like helping pick up toys when you say, “It’s cleanup time”

Language/Communication Milestones

• Says about 50 words

• Says 2 or more words, with 1 action word, like “Doggie run”

• Names things in a book when you point and ask, “What is this?”

• Says words like “I,” “me,” or “we”

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Uses things to pretend, like feeding a block to a doll as if it were food

• Shows simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a small stool to reach something

• Follows 2-step instructions like “Put the toy down and close the door”

• Shows they know at least 1 color, like pointing to a red crayon when you ask, “Which one is red?”

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Uses hands to twist things, like turning doorknobs or unscrewing lids

• Takes some clothes off by themselves, like loose pants or an open jacket

• Jumps off the ground with both feet

• Turns book pages, one at a time, when you read to them

By 3 Years

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave them, like at a child care drop-off

• Notices other children and joins them to play

Language/Communication Milestones

• Talks with you in conversation by using at least 2 back-and-forth exchanges

• Asks who, what, where, or why questions, like “Where is mommy/daddy?”

• Says what action is happening in a picture or book when asked, like “running,” “eating,” or “playing”

• Says first name when asked

• Talks well enough for others to understand, most of the time

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Draws a circle when you show them how

• Avoids touching hot objects, like a stove, when you warn them

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Strings items together, like large beads or macaroni

• Puts on some clothes by themselves, like loose pants or a jacket

• Uses a fork

By 4 Years

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Pretends to be something else during play (like a teacher, superhero, or dog)

• Asks to go play with children if none are around, like “Can I play with Alex?”

• Comforts others who are hurt or sad, like hugging a crying friend

• Avoids danger, like not jumping from tall heights at the playground

• Likes to be a helper

• Changes behavior based on where they are (like a place of worship, library, or playground)

Language/Communication Milestones

• Says sentences with 4 or more words

• Says some words from a song, story, or nursery rhyme

• Talks about at least 1 thing that happened during their day, like “I played soccer”

• Answers simple questions like “What is a coat for?” or “What is a crayon for?”

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Names a few colors of items

• Tells what comes next in a well-known story

• Draws a person with 3 or more body parts

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Catches a large ball most of the time

• Serves themselves food or pours water, with adult supervision

• Unbuttons some buttons

• Holds crayon or pencil between fingers and thumb, not a fist

By 5 years

Social/Emotional Milestones

• Follows rules or takes turns when playing games with other children

• Sings, dances, or acts for you

• Does simple chores at home, like matching socks or clearing the table after eating

Language/Communication Milestones

• Tells a story they heard or made up with at least 2 events. For example, a cat was stuck in a tree and a firefighter saved it.

• Answers simple questions about a book or story after you read or tell it to them.

• Keeps a conversation going with more than 3 back-and-forth exchanges.

• Uses or recognizes simple rhymes (like bat–cat or ball–tall).

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Counts to 10

• Names some numbers between 1 and 5 when you point to them

• Uses words about time, like yesterday, tomorrow, morning,or night

• Pays attention for 5 to 10 minutes during activities, for example, during story time or making arts and crafts (Screen time does not count.)

• Writes some letters in their name

• Names some letters when you point to them

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

• Buttons some buttons

• Hops on 1 foot

Well-Child Visits

Remember to take your child to their recommended well-child (health supervision) visits. At each visit, your child’s doctor will check their progress and ask you about the ways you see them growing.

Visit HealthyChildren.org for more information.