Developmental Milestones

Table 8-1 Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics p.20

Age
2wk

Gross Motor
Moves head side to
side

Fine Motor Adaptive

Personal Social
Regards face

Language
Alerts to bell (or
voice)
Cooing
Searches for
sound with eyes

2mo

Lifts shoulders while

prone

Tracks past midline

Smiles responsively

4mo

Lifts up on hands
Rolls front to back
If pulled to sit from
supine, no head lag

Reaches for object

Raking grasp

Looks at hand
Begins to work
toward toy

Laughs and
squeals

6mo

Sits alone

Transfers object hand

to hand

Feeds self
Holds bottle

Babbles

9mo

Pulls to stand
Gets into sitting
position

Starting to pincer grasp

Bangs 2 blocks together

Waves bye-bye
Plays patty cake

12mo

Walks
Stoops and stands

Puts block in cup

Drinks from a cup

Imitates others

15mo

Walks backward

Scribbles
Stacks 2 blocks

18mo

Runs
Kicks ball

Stacks 4 blocks

2 yr

Walks up and down

stairs
Throws overhand

Stacks 6 blocks
Copies line

3 yr

Walks steps
alternating feet
Broad jump

Stacks 8 blocks
Wiggles thumb

Uses spoon well,

spilling little
Puts on T-shirt

4 yr

Balances well on each

foot
Hops on one foot

Copies O, maybe +
Draws person with 3
parts

Brushes teeth
without help
Dresses without
help

5 yr

Skips
Heel-to-toe walks

Copies

Counts
Understands
opposites

6 yr

Balances on each foot

6 sec

Copies
Draws person with 6
parts

Defines words

Uses spoon & fork

Helps with
housework
Removes garment
feeds doll
Washes and dries
hands
Brushes teeth
Puts on clothes

Says Dada and

Mama but
nonspecific
2-syllable sounds
Says Mama and
Dada specific
Says 1-2 other
words
Says 3-6 words
Follows
commands
Says at least 6
words
Puts 2 words
together
Points to pictures
Knows body parts
Names pictures
Speech
understandable
to stranger 75%
Says 3-word
sentences

Other

Understands
concept of today

Understands
concept of
tomorrow and
yesterday

Names colors
Understands
adjectives

Begins to
understand right
and left