4-6 Months Milestones
Milestones
Milestones are behavioral or physical checkpoints in children’s development as they grow. All of our developmental milestones are validated by American Academy of Pediatrics findings. These are the core skills all children should be reaching.
Abilities
Abilities are additional skills your child should be developing. These are important skills that look at your child’s overall behavior to gauge their progress.
Be sure to adjust for prematurity. If your child is missing any milestones, be sure to talk with your healthcareprovider.
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
Motor
Key Milestones
- Uses hands to support self while sitting
- Rolls from back to tummy and tummy to back
- While standing with support, accepts entire weight with legs
- Reaches for nearby toys while on tummy
- While lying on back, reaches both hands to play with feet
- While lying on back, transfers a toy from one hand to the other
- Sits with a rounded back
- Poor head control and unable to lift head
- Difficulty bringing arms forward to reach out
- Arches back and stiffens legs when pulling to a sit
- Holds arms back and has stiff legs in a supported stand
4 to 6 Month Baby - Motor Milestones to Look For
The 4-6 months motor milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of motor milestones baby should reach by 6 months old.
Sensory
Key Milestones
- Uses both hands to explore toys
- Generally happy when not hungry or tired
- Brings hands and objects to mouth
- Able to calm with rocking, touching, and gentle sounds
- Is not upset by everyday sounds
- Enjoys a variety of movements
- Does not try to grasp or reach for toys
- Does not bring hands or objects to mouth
- Frequently irritable for no apparent reason
- Does not visually track moving objects
4 to 6 Month Baby- Sensory Milestones to Look For
The 4-6 months sensory milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of sensory milestones baby should reach by 6 months old.
Communication
Key Milestones
- Reacts to sudden noises or sounds
- Listens and responds when spoken to
- Begins to use consonant sounds in babbling, e.g. “da, da, da”
- Uses babbling to get attention
- Makes different kinds of sounds to express feelings
- Notices toys that make sounds
- Does not respond to sounds or voices
- Does not make any vowel sounds
- Avoids eye contact
- Does not smile or laugh
4 to 6 Month Baby- Communication Milestones to Look For
The 4-6 months communication milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of communication milestones baby should reach by 6 months old.
Feeding
Key Milestones
- Shows interest in food
- Opens mouth as spoon approaches
- Moves pureed food from front of mouth to back
- Begins to eat cereals and pureed foods – Smooth, pureed food (single ingredient only), like carrots, sweet potato, squash, apples, pears
A supported sitter may keep one or both hands on the ground while sitting. They have a stronger core and more control over their neck and head movement, which is important for introducing solids.
- Does not hold own bottle during feeding
4 to 6 Month Baby- Feeding Milestones to Look For
The 4-6 months feeding milestones video shows parents and caregivers examples of feeding milestones baby should reach by 6 months old.
Play and Social Skills
Key Abilities
- Enjoys playful interactions with others, e.g. peek a boo
- Is vocalizing in response to playful interaction
- Turns head toward sounds
- Maintains eye contact with familiar people during playful interaction
- Enjoys playing with toys of varied textures
- Enjoys musical toys
- Raises hands to be picked up
- Enjoys various types of movement, such as being gently swung
Coordination
Key Abilities
- Is beginning to put weight through feet when supported in standing
- Is able to lift head forward when being pulled to sitting, from lying on back
- Is able to play on tummy for short bursts of time
- Is able to roll from tummy to back (5 months) and from back to tummy (6 months)
- Is able to pick up head and prop on elbows during Tummy Time
- Uses hands to play with and explore toys
- Uses both hands equally to play with toys
- Is able to turn head to visually follow moving toys and people
Daily Activities
Key Abilities
- Is able to latch on while nursing or bottle feeding
- Is able to stay calm during car rides when not tired or hungry
- Enjoys bath time
- Is usually able to tolerate diaper changing without crying
- Is not fearful when moving to lying on back for diaper changing
Self-Expression
Key Abilities
- Is able to be comforted by cuddling or a parent’s touch
- Is not fearful of everyday sounds
- Is generally happy when not hungry or tired
- Enjoys varied playful movement experiences, e.g. bouncing on knees
- Is able to calm with experiences such as rocking, touch, and soothing sounds