Milestones

Milestones are scientifically supported behavioral or physical checkpoints seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. All of our developmental milestones are validated by American Academy of Pediatrics findings.

Abilities

Abilities are additional skills your child should be developing. When reviewing abilities, look at your child’s overall behavior to gauge their progress.

It’s Important to Remember:

Be sure to adjust for prematurity.  If your child is missing milestones, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider.

Missing one or two abilities should not cause alarm, as every child develops differently. However, if they are missing multiple abilities, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider.

Use our checklists to track your baby’s development and discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider.

Get Baby’s Milestones in a Handheld Guide

Learn about Early Detection & Early Intervention

Make Sure Your Baby Has Met Prev. Milestones

Motor

Milestone

Key Milestones

  • Sits without support
  • Sits and reaches for toys without falling
  • Moves from tummy or back into sitting
  • Starts to move with alternate leg and arm movement e.g. creeping, crawling
  • Picks up head and pushes through elbows during Tummy Time
  • Turns head to visually track objects while sitting
  • Shows more control while rolling and sitting
  • Picks up small objects with thumbs and fingers
  • In simple play imitates others
Act early by talking to your healthcare provider if your child:
    • Uses one hand predominately
    • Rounded back when sitting, inability to straighten back
    • Poor use of arms in sitting
    • Difficulty crawling
    • Uses only one side of the body to move
    • Cannot take weight on legs
    • Does not transfer toys from one hand to the other

7 to 9 Month Baby - Motor Milestones to Look For

The 7-9 months motor milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of motor milestones baby should reach by 9 months old.

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Sensory

Milestone

Key Milestones

  • Enjoys a variety of movements – bouncing up and down, rocking back and forth
  • Explores and examines an object using both hands and mouth
  • Turns several pages of a chunky (board) book at once
  • Experiments with the amount of force needed to pick up different objects
  • Focuses on objects near and far
  • Investigates shapes, sizes, and textures of toys and surroundings
  • Observes environment from a variety of positions – while lying on back or tummy, sitting, crawling, and standing with assistance
Act early by talking to your healthcare provider if your child:
    • Does not enjoy playing with toys of varied textures
    • Does not enjoy playing with musical toys
    • Is not interested in playing with colorful objects
    • Does not move to explore environment when placed on the floor
    • Does not enjoy different types of movement, such as being swung
    • Seems fearful of everyday sounds

7 to 9 Month Baby- Sensory Milestones to Look For

The 7-9 months sensory milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of sensory milestones baby should reach by 9 months old.

See More Videos

Communication

Milestone

Key Milestones

  • Uses increased variety of sounds and syllable combinations in babbling
  • Looks at familiar objects and people when named
  • Recognizes sound of name
  • Participates in two-way communication
  • Follows some routine commands when paired with gestures
  • Shows recognition of commonly used words
  • Uses simple gestures, e.g. shaking head for “no”
  • Imitates sounds
Act early by talking to your healthcare provider if your child:
    • Is not interested in interacting with others
    • Does not maintain eye contact during playful interaction
    • Unresponsive to sounds or voices
    • Does not babble
    • Does not respond to own name

7 to 9 Month Baby- Communication Milestones to Look For

The 7-9 months communication milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of communication milestones baby should reach by 9 months old.

See More Videos

Feeding

Milestone

Key Milestones

  • In a high chair, holds and drinks from a bottle
  • Begins to eat thicker pureed and mashed table foods
  • Enjoys teethers that can massage sore and swollen gums during teething
  • Stays full longer after eating
  • Starts to look and reach for objects, such as food that is nearby
  • Shows strong reaction to new smells and tastes
At 7-9 months baby can sit up without touching their hands to the ground. During this time, they might try more variety in the texture and types of food they eat.
Act early by talking to your healthcare provider if your child:
    • Unable to latch on while nursing or bottle feeding

7 to 9 Month Baby- Feeding Milestones to Look For

The 7-9 months feeding milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of feeding milestones baby should reach by 9 months old.

See More Videos

Play and Social Skills

Ability

Key Abilities

  • Is interested in interacting with others, e.g. peek a boo
  • Enjoys playing with toys of varied textures
  • Enjoys playing with musical toys
  • Is interested in playing with colorful objects
  • Raises hands towards adult to be picked up
  • Maintains eye contact with people during playful interaction
  • Enjoys moving to explore the environment when placed on floor
  • Enjoys various types of movement, such as being gently swung in the air by parents

Coordination

Ability

Key Abilities

  • Is able to put weight through feet when supported in standing
  • Is able to pick up head and push through elbows during Tummy Time
  • Keeps head forward when being pulled to sitting from lying on back
  • Is able to play on tummy
  • Moves on floor to get desirable toy
  • Moves in and out of various positions, e.g. sitting, tummy, and hands and knees
  • Is able to turn head to visually follow moving toys and people
  • Maintains balance while sitting and using two hands together to explore toys
  • Uses both hands equally to play with toys

Daily Activities

Ability

Key Abilities

  • Is able to latch on while nursing or bottle feeding
  • Enjoys bath time
  • Is able to self calm in car rides when not tired or hungry
  • Usually tolerates diaper changes without crying
  • Is not fearful of tipping head back when moving from sitting to lying down for activities, such as diaper changing
  • Is able to transition from milk or formula to infant cereal

Self-Expression

Ability

Key Abilities

  • Is able to be comforted by cuddling or a parent’s touch
  • Is generally happy when not hungry or tired
  • Is able to calm with experiences, such as rocking, touch, and soothing sounds
  • Is not fearful of everyday sounds
  • Has an established and reliable sleeping schedule
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