Developmental

F . A . R . T . S . S .

Milestones
Checklist
 DISCLAIMER

This developmental milestone checklist is provided solely for

educational purposes and general informational use. It is not
intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis,
or treatment.

While this checklist offers a comprehensive overview of typical

developmental milestones for children aged 0-5 years, it is important
to recognize that every child is unique and may develop at their own
pace. Variations in development are common and do not necessarily
indicate a cause for concern.

If you have any concerns about your child's growth, development, or

behaviour, we strongly encourage you to seek guidance and support
from a qualified paediatrician or early childhood professional. These
professionals are trained to assess children's development and
provide individualized recommendations and interventions when
necessary.

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Welcome to our guide to tracking your child's growth
and development from infancy through early childhood.

This developmental milestone checklist is designed to help you monitor

and celebrate the progress of your child aged 0-5 years across key areas of
development.

From the moment your child enters the world, they embark on an
incredible journey of discovery, learning, and growth. Each milestone they
reach – from their first smile to their first steps, from their babbling
beginnings to their first words – is a testament to their unique development
and the remarkable abilities they acquire along the way.

Our checklist provides a broad overview of typical physical, cognitive,

language, and social-emotional milestones that children typically
achieve during their formative years. Whether your little one is mastering
the art of crawling, learning to stack blocks, or engaging in their first
pretend play scenarios, this checklist offers a valuable resource for
understanding and supporting their progress every step of the way.

As every child is unique and develops at their own pace, this checklist
serves as a flexible tool for tracking your child's individual journey.
Whether they're hitting milestones ahead of schedule or taking their time
to explore and learn, each stage of development is a cause for celebration
and a reflection of their growing capabilities.

We invite you to use this checklist as a guide, a source of reassurance, and

a celebration of your child's growth and development.

Together, let's marvel at the wonders of childhood and embrace the joy of
watching our little ones thrive and flourish.

Let the journey begin! :)

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Physical Development

Gross Motor Skills

0-6 Months:
Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach
Rolls from back to side
Reaches for and grasps objects
Rolls from front to back and back to front

6-12 Months:
Crawls on hands and belly
Assumes a seated position unaided
Crawls on hands and knees
Transitions into different positions: sitting, all fours, lying on tummy
Pulls to stand and cruises along furniture
Takes first independent steps without support

1-2 Years:
Rolls a ball
Walks independently
Climbs stairs with support
Runs and kicks a ball
Walks smoothly, backwards and turns corners
Jumps in place with at least one foot off the ground
Climbs onto/ down from furniture without assistance

2-3 Years:
Jumps with both feet off the ground
Walks up and down stairs with alternating feet
Imitates simple bilateral movements of limbs e.g. arms up together
Pedals a tricycle
Catches a large ball with whole body, arms extended
Hops on one foot interchangeably
Climbs jungle gyms and ladders
Attempts to stand on one foot
Climbs stairs without assistance

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 4-5 Years:
Skips and gallops
Throws a ball overhand
Kick a ball forwards
Pedals a bicycle with training wheels
Balances on one foot for 5-10 seconds
Catches a small ball with hands only
Runs around obstacles
Able to walk on a line
Able to hop on one foot
Jumps over an object and lands with both feet together

Fine Motor Skills

0-6 Months:
Grasps objects with whole hand
Brings hands to midline and mouth
Uses hands and arms to swing at objects
Transfers objects from one hand to another
Begins to explore objects with thumb and fingers

6-12 Months:
Reaches, grasps and puts object in mouth
Shakes/ bangs objects together
Pokes at objects with index finger
Pincer grasp develops; picks up small objects with thumb and index finger
Transfers objects from one hand to another
Purposeful grasp and release of objects into containers
Uses pincer grasp to feed self finger foods
Stacks blocks; may not balance them

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1-2 Years:
Self feeds using hands or utensils with assistance
Points with index finger
Scribbles with purpose and intention
Holds crayon with fisted hand
Builds/ stacks 2-6 block tower
Turns 2-3 pages of a book at a time
Holds and drinks from cup independently

2-3 Years:
Self feeds using utensils and open cup, some spillage
Strings large beads or blocks onto string
Snips with child-safe scissors
Imitates simple shapes (e.g., circle)
Draws vertical lines, horizontal lines and circles with control
Begins to show hand dominance
Holds crayon with thumb and fingers (not fist)
Turns single pages of a book
Screws and unscrews lids
Stacks 6-8 block tower

3-4 Years:
Self feeds using utensils and open cup, little spillage
Strings small beads or blocks onto string
Uses scissors to snip and cut along a thick straight line
Snaps clothing, zips with assistance, begins to manipulate large buttons
Copies a circle
Imitates cross
Draws a 2-part person
Holds pencil with thumb and fingers
Stacks 9-10 block tower, begins to copy block designs (train, bridge,
wall)

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4-5 Years:
Self feeds using utensils and open cup, no spillage.
Imitates 4-6 part block designs
Imitates then copies a diagonal line, square, triangle, and X
Draws a 3-part person
Draws simple recognisable pictures
Uses scissors to cut simple shapes
Cuts along a line continuously
Copies letters
Handedness is well-established
Dresses and undresses independently (buttons, zips, fasteners)

5-6 Years:
Builds complex designs with Legos, Tinker toys, etc.
Imitates, then copies a rectangle
Connects two dots with straight line
Copies, then prints first name from memory
Copies letters and numbers
Draws a 6 part (or more) person, and recognizable pictures
Uses scissors to cut complex shapes
Ties laces together
Cuts food with butter knife

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Cognitive Development

0-6 Months:
Demonstrates visual tracking of objects with eyes
Begins to recognise familiar faces and objects
Reaches for and grasps objects
Shows interests in and explores objects with hands and mouth
Responds to sound localisation (e.g. turning head towards sound)
Begins to explore cause and effect (e.g. banging objects together or
shaking a rattles to make noise)

6-12 Months:
Explores objects with hands and fingers, using grasp reflex
Begins to understand object permanence (e.g. searching for hidden
object)
Engages in simple problem-solving (e.g., figuring out how to retrieve a
toy)
Begins to imitate gestures and actions (e.g. waving "bye-bye")
Shows interest in books and pictures, turning pages and pointing to
objects

1-2 Years:
Uses objects appropriately (e.g. drinking from cup, brushing hair)
Finds objects hidden under multiple layers
Engages in simple pretend play (e.g. feeding a doll)
Points to body parts, objects or correct picture when named
Sorts objects by one attribute (e.g. shapes, colours)
Begins to use simple tools (e.g. spoon, crayon)
Matches objects by shape or colour
Follows simple directions and commands (e.g. give me the ball)
Completes simple peg puzzles
Completes sentences in familiar books
Builds/ stacks 2-6 block tower

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2-3 Years:
Recognizes and names common objects and pictures
Completes simple puzzles with three or four pieces
Sorts objects by multiple attributes (e.g. shape, colour, and size)
Begins to understand simple concepts of time (e.g. morning, night)
Matches objects to pictures and vice versa
Follows 2-step directions and commands
Stacks 6-8 block tower

3-5 Years:
Counts to 10 or higher
Understands the concept of counting and demonstrates 1-1
correspondence
Recognizes and names basic shapes and colors
Sorts objects by categories (e.g. food, animals)
Identifies and matches patterns (e.g. ABAB, AABB)
Begins to understand and use comparative concepts (e.g., big, bigger,
biggest)
Draws recognizable pictures (e.g., house, person)
Approaches problems from a single point of view
Begins to have a clearer concept of time (yesterday, tomorrow, next
week)
Follows 3-step directions and commands
Recalls parts of a story
Engages in imaginative play
Understands the concept of same/ different
Stacks 9-10 block tower, begins to copy block designs (train, bridge,
wall)

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 Language and
Communication
Development

0-6 Months:

Coos and babbles

Begins to turn head towards familiar sounds and voices
Responds to their name being called
Begins to make consonant-vowel combinations (e.g. ma ma, da da)
Laughs and vocalizes in response to social interactions

6-12 Months:

Begins to understand simple words and commands

Babbling begins to sound more like real speech
Responds to simple questions with gestures or vocalizations
Begins to imitate sounds and words
Says first words intentionally (e.g. “mama”, “dada”, “bye-bye”)

1-2 Years:

Uses single words to communicate needs and wants (e.g. more, up,
milk)
Uses 20 or more words
Combines two words to form simple phrases
Recognizes names of familiar people, objects and body parts
Points to familiar objects and pictures when named or asked
Follows simple 1-step instructions (e.g. “get your shoes”)
Repeats words overheard in conversation
Asks simple questions (e.g. “what’s that?”)
Engages in simple conversations with caregivers

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2-3 Years:

Uses 200 or more words

Uses 2-3 word phrases to express ideas and thoughts
Begins to use pronouns (e.g. “i”, “you”, "me," "mine")
Speaks in short sentences
Names familiar objects and pictures
Follows 2-step instructions (e.g. “pick up the toy and put it in the box”)
Engages in simple storytelling and pretend play scenarios
Asks and answers simple questions about familiar topics

3-5 Years:

Uses 1,000 or more words

Uses complete sentences and proper grammar
Expands vocabulary and uses descriptive language
Retells simple stories or recounts events in order
Asks and answers more complex questions
Understands and follows longer, multi-step directions
Engages in longer and more detailed conversations
Uses language for a variety of purposes (e.g., describing, explaining,
persuading)

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Social and Emotional
Development

0-6 Months:
Smiles, coos and makes eye contact in response to interactions with
caregivers
Begins to show interest in social interactions and begins to engage in
turn-taking games
Responds to soothing voices and touch
Responds to comfort from caregivers when distressed
Shows interest in faces and begins to imitate expressions and gestures

6-12 Months:
Shows attachment to primary caregivers
Begins to exhibit stranger anxiety and may become distressed when
separated from caregivers
Engages in social games such as peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake and round and
round the garden
Begins to understand simple social cues and gestures (e.g. waving “bye-
bye”)

1-2 Years:
Imitates behaviour of others, especially adults and older children
Increasingly aware of themself as separate from others
Shows increasing independence and assertiveness
Increasingly enthusiastic about company of other children
Engages in parallel play alongside other children
Begins to share toys and take turns with peers
Begins to express different emotions when asked
Shows empathy and comfort to others who are upset
Begins to show understanding of basic social rules (e.g. waiting in line,
taking turns)

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2-3 Years:
Initiates interactions with peers and adults
Engages in cooperative play with peers
Begins to express emotions verbally and to use words to describe
feelings (e.g. saying "happy," "sad")
Identifies own emotions and begins to develop self-regulation skills (e.g.
controlling impulses)
Uses simple coping strategies to deal with frustration or
disappointment (e.g. seeking comfort from caregivers)
Begins to understand concepts of sharing and taking turns
Begins to understand and follow simple social rules (e.g. saying
“please”, “thank you”)
Shows increasing empathy and understanding of others' feelings

3-5 Years:
Interested in new experiences
Forms friendships, engages in more complex play scenarios and plays
cooperatively with peers
Demonstrates empathy and offers comfort to others
Expresses a wide range of emotions and begins to manage/ regulate
them effectively and independently
Shows increasing independence and self-confidence in social
interactions
Begins to use problem-solving skills to resolve conflicts or challenges in
social situations
Demonstrates resilience in the face of setbacks or disappointments,
bouncing back from negative experiences with support from caregivers
and peers
Begins to understand and follow more complex social rules and
expectations

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