0-3 years
developmental milestones and their importance
Your baby’s first smile, first word, first step – as a parent, these are all special moments that you will treasure for a long time. Did you know that these little moments of joy were also important markers of your baby’s development? Your paediatrician or child care specialist would call them by a more sober name – Developmental Milestones.
- Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age
- They are behavioural and physical checkpoints in a child’s development.
These milestones can be used as a framework to identify children who may be at risk for developmental delay. Developmental delay occurs when a child exhibits a significant delay in the acquisition of milestones in one or more domains of development. Early detection of developmental delays allows for early interventions and support.
Download our mobile app to access ‘The Milestone Tracker’ and check whether your child meets the milestones in the relevant age-group. If a risk of developmental delay is detected, you can opt for expert support from our clinical team and start an early intervention program.
Read on to know more about the milestones in the age-group you have selected. Please note that even within the broad confines of milestones, each child is unique and the timelines can vary.
Developmental Milestones for ages 0 to 3
2 Months
Motor (Physical Development) Milestones
- Able to open hands, move fist from closed to open
- May suck on a fist or few fingers
- While on tummy, holds head up
- Moves both arms and both legs
Communication Milestones
- Reacts to loud sounds
- Able to make some sounds other than crying
- May hear a few gurgles, grunts or coos
Cognitive Milestones
- Watches you as you move nearby
- Starts recognizing your voice
- Looks at a toy for several seconds
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Smile in response to your voice
- Calms down when spoken to or picked up
- Looks at your face
- Seems happy to see you when you walk up to her
4 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Holds head steady without support when you are holding her
- Can move a toy or shake a rattle
- Holds a toy when you put it in her hand
- Uses her arm to swing at toys
- Brings hands to mouth
- Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy
Communication Milestones
- Makes sounds like “oooo”, “aahh” (cooing)
- Makes sounds back when you talk to him
- Turns head towards the sound of your voice
Cognitive Milestones
- If hungry, opens mouth when she sees breast or bottle
- Looks at her hands with interest
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Smiles on his own to get your attention
- Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make her laugh
- Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention
6 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Rolls from tummy to back
- Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy
- Leans on hands to support himself when sitting
Communication Milestones
- Takes turns making sounds with you
- Blows “raspberries” (sticks tongue out and blows)
- Makes squealing noises
Cognitive Milestones
- Puts things in her mouth to explore them
- Reaches to grab a toy he wants
- Closes lips to show she doesn’t want more food
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Knows familiar people
- Likes to look at self in a mirror
- Laughs
9 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Gets to a sitting position by herself
- Moves things from one hand to her other hand
- Uses fingers to “rake” food towards himself
- Sits without support
Communication Milestones
- Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
- Lifts arms up to be picked up
Cognitive Milestones
- Looks for objects when dropped out of sight
- Bangs two things together
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers
- Shows several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised
- Looks when you call her name
- Reacts when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)
1 Year
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Pulls up to stand
- Walks, holding on to furniture
- Drinks from a cup without a lid, as you hold it
- Picks things up between thumb and pointer finger, like small bits of food
Communication Milestones
- Waves “bye-bye”
- Calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name
- Understands “no” (pauses briefly or stops when you say it)
Cognitive Milestones
- Puts something in a container, like a block in a cup
- Looks for things she sees you hide, like a toy under a blanket
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Plays simple games with you
15 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Takes a few steps on her own
- Uses fingers to feed herself some food
Communication Milestones
- Tries to say one or two words besides “mama” or “dada,” like “ba” for ball or “da” for dog
- Looks at a familiar object when you name it
- Follows directions given with both a gesture and words. For example, she gives you a toy when you hold out your hand and say, “Give me the toy.”
- Points to ask for something or to get help
Cognitive Milestones
- Tries to use things the right way, like a phone, cup, or book
- Stacks at least two small objects, like blocks
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Copies other children while playing, like taking toys out of a container when another child does
- Shows you an object she likes
- Claps when excited
- Hugs stuffed doll or other toy
- Shows you affection (hugs, cuddles, or kisses you)
18 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Walks without holding on to anyone or anything
- Scribbles
- Drinks from a cup without a lid and may spill sometimes
- Feeds herself with her fingers
- Tries to use a spoon
- Climbs on and off a couch or chair without help
Communication Milestones
- Try to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”
- Follows one-step directions without any gestures, like giving you the toy when you say, “Give it to me.”
Cognitive Milestones
- Copies you doing chores, like sweeping with a broom
- Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Moves away from you, but looks to make sure you are close by
- Points to show you something interesting
- Puts hands out for you to wash them
- Looks at a few pages in a book with you
- Helps you dress him by pushing arm through sleeve or lifting up foot
2 Years
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Kicks a ball
- Runs
- Walks (not climbs) up a few stairs with or without help
- Eats with a spoon
Communication Milestones
- Points to things in a book when you ask, like “Where is the bear?”
- Says at least two words together, like “More milk.”
- Points to at least two body parts when you ask him to show you
- Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes
Cognitive Milestones
- Holds something in one hand while using the other hand; for example, holding a container and taking the lid off
- Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy
- Plays with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a toy plate
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying
- Looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation
30 Months
Motor(Physical Development) Milestones
- Uses hands to twist things, like turning door knobs or unscrewing lids
- Takes some clothes off by himself, like loose pants or an open jacket
- Jumps off the ground with both feet
- Turns book pages, one at a time, when you read to her
Communication Milestones
- Says about 50 words
- Says two or more words together, with one action word, like “Doggie run”
- Names things in a book when you point and ask, “What is this?”
- Says words like “I,” “me,” or “we”
Cognitive Milestones
- Uses things to pretend, like feeding a block to a doll as if it were food
- Shows simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a small stool to reach something
- Follows two-step instructions like “Put the toy down and close the door.”
- Shows he knows at least one colour, like pointing to a red crayon when you ask, “Which one is red?
Social/Emotional Milestones
- Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them
- Shows you what she can do by saying, “Look at me!”
- Follows simple routines when told, like helping to pick up toys when you say, “It’s clean-up time.”
Follow the trail of developmental milestones.
Skills, knowledge and abilities to make a smooth and successful transition to school