Developmental Milestones Checklist

Birth through 24 months

*Note: Please note that there is a range in which many of these milestones are achieved. Please do not be alarmed if your child does not meet the milestone at the exact month under which the skill is listed. However, if there is more than a 1-2 month delay, it is recommended that you contact our office to discuss the need for further assessment. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s development, please contact our office at 949-252-9946 or support@irvinetherapyservices.com for a free consultation.

In addition to the developmental milestones listed below, warning signs to look for include:

Poor muscle tone
Under-responsiveness to pain
Difficulty tolerating a prone position (lying on tummy)
Dislikes baths
Resists being held; dislikes being cuddled
Picky eater
Shows discomfort getting hands messy
Appears uncomfortable with swinging
Dislikes rocking
Inability to settle down; sleep difficulties
Difficulty being consoled, poor self-soothing, unusually fussy
Dislikes car rides or becomes car sick
Needs to be driven in car to calm down
Easily startles
Strong need for routine, poor flexibility
Repetitive in play, plays the same things over and over, limited play skills
Failure to explore
Difficulty with transitions—between toys/activities, between environments

**Please also refer to the Behavioral Manifestations of Sensory Processing Problems checklist for more information.

At 4 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Lifts and turns head from side to side while lying on stomach
Holds head up and looks around when lying on stomach
Uses arms to raise head and chest off floor while lying on stomach
Brings both hands simultaneously to midline of chest or face when lying on back
Maintains head in midline while on tummy or back
No longer exhibit signs of head lag when pulled to sit
Watches a toy (ex. rattle) move from side to side while lying on back
Holds head steady when in sitting position
Sits up when provided with support
Grasps a rattle or toy when placed in hand
Responds to a smile with a smile
Makes eye contact or looks at your mouth when talking face-to-face

At 6 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Sits independently
Stands while holding hands
Creeps forward on tummy using arms
Grasps a cube
Opens hand in anticipation of contact with a toy or other object
Looks for a toy if dropped
Tries to get toys out of reach
Looks at and manipulates objects in hand
Smiles at own reflection in the mirror
Orients towards sounds
Responds differently to familiar individuals and strangers

At 9 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Comes up on all fours
Creeps forward on hands and knees
Crawls
Pulls self to standing
Transfers a cube from one hand to the other
Holds own bottle
Uses speech and/or non-crying sounds to express pleasure/displeasure
Babbles with long and short groups of sounds, as if “talking”
Plays games like peek-a-boo
Recognizes own name

At 12 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Stands up from a sitting position
Reaches down to retrieve a fallen toy
Cruises using furniture for support or walk while holding hands
Walks independently
Picks up a Cheerio (or similar item) between the thumb and index finger
Grasps two small items simultaneously
Removes pegs from a pegboard
Finger feeds self
Removes own socks
Holds a toy on a string
Corrals a ball when sitting
Uses one or two words, like “mama,” “dada,’ or ‘bye bye”
Imitates various sounds
Claps hands
Pats pictures in a book

At 18 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Walks up stairs with assistance (2 feet on each step)
Moves around a familiar room and explore the environment
Attempts to imitate kicking a stationary ball
Scribbles with crayons
Stacks blocks
Holds a toy with one hand while the other plays with it
Enjoys pushing or pulling toys while walking
Sleeps through the night
Spoon feeds self
Drinks from a cup (may spill)
Uses a straw
Cooperates with dressing and undressing
Uses single words or short phrases such as “more” or “all done”
Points to a few body parts when asked
Plays alone for short periods
Seeks reassurance or attention from parent/caregiver when playing on his/her own

At 24 months, typical developmental milestones include:

Carries objects while walking
Jumps with both feet off the floor
Moves in and out of various positions (ex. crawl, climb, cruise, walk) to explore and get desired objects
Stands on one foot briefly
Imitates throwing a small ball
Spontaneously names pictures in a book
Turns pages in a book
Inserts shapes into matching slots
Imitates vertical strokes
Uses a fork
Washes hands with help
Removes a jacket independently
Follows a series of related commands, such as “Pick up the ball and give it to me”
Helps clean up
Asserts independence with tasks, refuses help
Engages in pretend play
Plays with other children
Enjoys playing with new toys in a variety of ways

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