Developmental Milestones: 0-12 months
Gross Motor
Fine Motor
Communication
By 3 Months
• Keeps head in middle of body and kicks
legs when on back
• Lifts head to 45 - 90 degrees when lying
on tummy
• Rolls from side to back
• Can hold head upright when held
in sitting
• Brings hands to mouth and
middle of body
• Hands mostly open and thumbs
are out
• Reaches for and bats toys
• Can hold toy briefly
• Turns head towards sounds
and voices
• Coos and smiles
• Different cries to indicate pain,
hunger or tiredness
• May start to giggle at 3 months.
By 6 Months
• Lifts head and brings both feet to mouth
when lying on back
• Lifts head and chest off ground and will
reach for toy with one arm when on
tummy
• Rolls from tummy to back and may roll
from back to tummy (4-7 months)
• Bounces on legs when held in standing
• Uses hands to support self when sitting
• Holds a toy in both hands at the
same time
• Passes toys between hands and
will bang/pat/suck toys
• Holds smaller toys with palm,
fingers and thumb (radial palmar
grasp)
• Uses raking motion to get small
items
• Starting to use consonant
sounds in babble. Eg. da, da.
• Has a variety of sounds to
express feelings (babbling,
blowing raspberries, squealing)
• Reacts to sudden noises
• Takes turns talking to people
• May start to respond to their
name
By 9 Months
• Sits independently and plays with toys
• Can get into sitting from tummy or back
• May commando crawl or crawl on hands
and knees
• Can stand with support and may start
cruising (taking side steps) along
furniture
• May walk with 2 hands held
• Points and pokes with index
finger
• Holds blocks using thumb and
fingers (radial-digital grasp)
• Purposefully drops toys
• Shakes/bangs/ manipulates toys
• Uses a variety of syllable
combinations when babbling. Eg
Bababba.
• Looks at familiar objects and
people when named
• Uses simples gestures, such as
shakes head for no and raises
hands to be picked up
By 12 Months
• Crawls with alternating arm and leg
movements
• Pulls self to stand and cruises along
furniture. Stands alone briefly
• May walk independently (10-15 months)
• Moves in and out of lying/sitting/
standing freely
• Pokes/points with index finger
only
• Picks up small items with thumb
and index finger (pincer grasp)
• Drops items into containers
• Attempts to stack 2 blocks
• Scribbles with fisted hand
• Knows and turns to own name
• Understands simple instructions
such as "Come to mummy"
• May have a few words
• Uses gestures to communicate
with you. Eg points, makes
sounds or nods/shakes head