Your Child's Milestones

I am by no means a stickler for keeping up with the Joneses as far as what my children can or cannot do compared to the next kid. That being said - er, written - I still want to know when I can expect different abilities and personality traits to appear. This also helps me to know what I can help her to learn, since she might be developmentally ready.

As I read magazine articles and websites, or talk to other moms, I will collect what I learn in this post, so I can always have it as a reference for what fun stage will come next!

0-2 Months

• Lifts head when lying on tummy (1 month)
• Responds to sound (1 month)
• Stares at faces (1 month)
• Smiles and laughs (1 month)
• Can see black & white colors very well (1 month)
• Notices hands (2 months)
• Gurgles and coos (1-2 months)
• May roll over on their own (back to tummy) if baby is on the lower side of the scale, but will likely lose this ability until closer to 4 months. (2 months)

3-4 Months

• Visually tracks moving objects (3 months)
• Recognizes your face and voice (2-3 months)
• May be able to roll over from tummy to back (3 months)
• Turns toward sounds (3 months)
• Can bat at toys (3 months)
• Can bear weight on legs (4 months)
• May cut first tooth (4 months)
• May imitate sounds (4 months)
• Can grasp toys (4 months)

5-6 Months

• Plays with hands and feet (5 months)
• Recognizes their own name (5 months)
• Can rollover both directions (6 months)
• Can sit without support (6 months)
• Ready for solid foods (6 months)
• Turns toward sounds and voices (6 months)
• Passes an object between hands (6 months)
• May start crawling (6 months)

7-8 Months

• Starts to exhibit stranger anxiety (7 months)
• Can wave goodbye (7 months) 
• Can stand while holding onto something (7 months)
• Can pull to a stand (7 months)
• Combines syllables or jabbers (7 months)
• Understands object permanence (7 months)
• Crawls (7 months)
• Can say "mama" or "dada" but not necessarily to anyone in particular (8 months)
• Points at objects (8 months)
• Cruises around furniture (8 months)
• Enjoys peek-a-boo (8 months)

9-10 Months

• Can drink from a sippy cup (9 months)
• Eats with fingers (9 months)
• Says "mama" or "dada" to the correct parent (9 months)
• Can pick things up with pincer grasp (10 months)
• Crawls very well (10 months)
• Gestures to communicate (10 months)
• Can stand alone for several seconds (10 months)
• Puts objects into containers (10 months)

10-12 Months

• Some babies can take a few steps at this point (11 months)
• Understands "no" (11 months)
• Can squat from standing position (11 months)
• May say another word besides "mama" or "dada" (11 months)
• Imitates others (12 months)
• Can say two words besides "mama" or "dada" and uses them well ("hi" or "bye") (12 months)
• Capable of going up and down stairs by themself (12 months)
• Can walk alone (12 months)

13-18 Months

• Can bend over to pick something up (13 months)
• Can hold out their arm when you are dressing them (13 months)
• Loves looking at their reflection in the mirror (13 months)
• Can roll a ball back and forth to you (13 months)
• Starts to imitate other people (14 months)
• Can point to one body part when asked (14 months)
• Can respond to basic instructions (14 months)
• Initiates games (14 months)
• Uses 3 words on a regular basis (15 months)
• Walks backward (15 months)
• Able to scribble with a crayon (15 months)
• Tries to "help" around the house (15 months)
• Can put finger to mouth and say "shhhhh!" (15 months)
• The "no"s begin! (15 months)
• Can turn book pages (16 months)
• Temper tantrums due to frustration begin (16 months)
• Becomes attached to a soft toy/blanket (16 months)
• Starts climbing on everything (16 months)
• Can stack 3 blocks (16 months)
• Starts to use a spoon/fork (16 months)
• Has learned the right way to use objects (telephone, spoon, books) (16 months)
• Can take off one piece of clothing without help (16 months)
• Switches from 2 naps to 1 nap (16 months)
• Uses 6 words regularly (17 months)
• Has fun pretending (17 months)
• Throws a ball underhand (17 months)
• Can feed a doll (17 months)
• Likes riding on toys (17 months)
• Able to speak more clearly (17 months)
• Sorts toys by shape, color, or size (17 months)
• Able to kick a ball (17 months)
• Dances to music (17 months)
• Will sit down and "read" board books alone (18 months)
• Can scribble with a crayon (18 months)
• Can create two-word phrases (18 months)
• Can stack 4 blocks (18 months)
• Brushes teeth with assistance (18 months)
• Throws a ball overhand (18 months)
• Showing signs of toilet readiness (18 months)
• Takes apart toys and puts them back together (18 months)
• Able to understand simple instructions (though will need repetition) (18 months)
• Understanding "I am my own person" - leads to running away when in public! (18 months)

19 Months - 2 years

• Able to run well (19 months)
• Understands up to 200 words (19 months)
• Recognizes errors (when you say "up" but mean "down") (19 months)
• Washes and dries hands with help (19 months)
• Takes off own clothes (20 months)
• Learns 10 or more words per day (20 months)
• Can go up stairs standing up (20 months)
• Can stack 6 blocks (21 months)
• Can name pictures in a book (21 months)
• Follows 2-step requests like "please pick up that toy and bring it to me" (22 months)
• Can do simple puzzles (22 months)
• Can draw a straight line (22 months)
• Can name several body parts (22 months)
• Can put on loose-styled clothing (22 months)
• Might be ready to transition from a crib to a bed (22 months)
• Understands opposites (22 months)
• Uses 50-70 words (23 months)
• Can open doors (23 months)
• Can sing basic tunes (23 months)
• Has interest in playing with other kids (23 months)
• Asks "why?" (23 months)
• Talks about self (likes/dislikes, wants/needs) (23 months)
• Can name 6 body parts (24 months)
• Can speak in 2-3 word phrases (24 months)
• Can go down stairs standing up (24 months)
• Can arrange items into categories (24 months)
• Learns how to jump (24 months)
• Understands gender differences (24 months)

2-3 Years

3-4 Years

• Understand how to take turns, share, and follow directions (3-4 years)

4-5 Years

• Schools expect children to recognize uppercase letters, rhyme, and describe a basic plot; (start of kindergarten)
• Should know how to count to 20 and identify simple shapes (start of kindergarten)

5-6 Years

• Learning to tell jokes, but not quite understanding the concept of a punch line (5-6 years)
• Learning to use exaggeration ("school-age")

6-7 Years

7-8 Years

• Understanding punch lines in jokes (7-8 years)
• Start requesting privacy (7-8 years)

8-9 Years

9-10 Years

10+ Years