
0-2 MONTHS
3 MONTHS
4 MONTHS
5 MONTHS
6 MONTHS
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Rolls back to belly in each direction
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Sits on floor with hands free to play or reach for toys in front of body
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Stands independently briefly at support surface when placed
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Begins shaking a small toy or rattle
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Begins holding a small toy in each hand at the same time
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Babbles and responds to sounds
7 MONTHS
- Prefers to be on belly
- Begins to crawl on belly
- Assumes hands-and-knees position and can rock back and forth
- Transitions in and out of sitting, belly, and hands-and-knees positions
- Shows stranger anxiety and recognizes familiar people
8 MONTHS
- Catches self with arms when losing balance in sitting
- Crawls on hands and knees as primary means of mobility
- Pulls to stand at support surface by bringing one knee up and using arms
- Stands independently at furniture
- Walks alongside furniture
- Understands “no” and “hot”
- Uses gestures such as waving or reaching to communicate
9 MONTHS
- Crawls up stairs
- Climbs frequently on furniture, stairs, and people
- Walks with both hands held
- Begins clapping hands together
- Develops fine motor control due to good trunk control in sitting
- Waves in response to “bye-bye”
- Responds to requests such as “come here”
- Points to objects to indicate interest
10 MONTHS
- Moves into sitting position from belly or back
- Lowers self from standing to retrieve toys
- Transports toys around the room when crawling
- Reaches across midline in sitting
- Begins self-feeding small pieces of food using thumb and index finger (pincer grasp)
- Says “mama” and “dada” specifically
- Plays peek-a-boo
11 MONTHS
- Walks with one hand held
- Releases grasp from support surface in standing
- Attempts to take steps away from support surface
- Begins to put objects into containers and remove the
- Assists with dressing arms and legs
- Removes both socks
- Opens a board book
12 MONTHS
- Rises to stand without using arms
- Begins walking independently
- Identifies two body parts on self
- Uses 2–3 words other than “mama” and “dada”
- Uses each hand for separate roles to complete tasks (e.g., holding a jar with one hand while unscrewing the lid with the other)
- Uses squatting position for play
- Chooses favorite things and people
- Shows early signs of problem-solving (e.g., finding a hidden toy)
18 MONTHS
- Likes to hand things to others as play
- Shows affection to familiar people
- Plays simple pretend games, such as feeding a doll
- May cling to caregivers in new situations
- Says several single words
- Says and shakes head “no”
- Points to show someone what he/she wants
- Knows what ordinary things are for (e.g., telephone, brush, spoon)
- Points to one body part
- Scribbles spontaneously
- Can follow 1-step verbal commands without gestures (e.g., “sit down”)
- May walk up steps and run
- Pulls toys while walking
- Can help undress himself/herself
- Drinks from a cup
2 YEARS
Fine Motor Skills
- Can place 2–3 shapes into a puzzle
- Can place 4 rings on a post (e.g., ring stacker)
- Turns pages of a book one at a time
- Builds a tower of 6 blocks
- Imitates vertical and circular strokes
- Pinches small food/toy items using the pad of finger and thumb (forming a circle)
- Can unscrew a jar/lid
- Holds a crayon using thumb and all fingers with thumb turned down toward paper
- Cuts snips in paper using dull scissors
- Uses a fork
Self-Help Skills
- Puts on simple clothing items such as hats, t-shirts, or pants with an elastic waist
- Spoon feeds without excessive spilling
- Drinks from open-mouth cup with little spillage
- Feeds self with utensils
- Undresses self with help on buttons
Communication Skills
- Understands simple questions and commands
- Identifies body parts
- Refers to self by name
- Asks for drink, toilet, food
- Uses 2–3 word sentences
Gross Motor Skills
- Walks backward 10 steps
- Walks on all types of surfaces
- Tiptoes
- Runs 5–10 steps without falling
- Walks up and down stairs holding one rail
3 YEARS
Fine Motor Skills
- Can stack at least 10 blocks
- Can cut across a piece of paper using scissors
- Copies age-appropriate shapes such as circles and squares
- Holds pencil with fingertips
- Can string 4 large beads
- Can draw intersecting lines (+)
- Laces 3 holes in a lacing card following directions
Self-Help Skills
- Uses feeding utensils well
- Opens doors
- Pours well from a pitcher
- Dresses and undresses self but may need help with buttons or zippers
- Can use potty chair or toilet
Communication Skills
- Can match primary colors and name them
- Whispers and sings
- Understands concepts like “yesterday,” “summer,” “lunchtime,” “little/big”
- Frequently practices talking to self
- Begins to obey prepositional phrases like “put the block under the chair”
- Can tell a story or relay an idea
- Knows last name, sex, home street, nursery rhymes
- Uses 3–4 word sentences
- May repeat sounds, words, and phrases
- Expresses fatigue verbally
Gross Motor Skills
- Walks 5 steps on tiptoes with hands on hips or carrying an object with both hands
- Walks up and down stairs without holding handrail
- Jumps off floor with both feet
By 3.5 years
- Runs with some periods of flight (both feet off the ground)
- Hops once in place on one foot
- Walks up 10 steps (right, left, right, left) without holding rail
- Jumps over an 8-inch hurdle
4 YEARS
Fine Motor Skills
- Can use scissors to cut on a line
- Can hold paper with one hand while writing with the opposite hand
- Can copy age-appropriate shapes such as + and triangle
- Can identify common objects by touch only
- Can fold a sheet of paper
Self-Help Skills
- Can unbutton clothing without assistance
- Can button 1 or 2 buttons
- Performs toileting needs independently
- Washes and dries hands independently
- Serves self food without assistance
Communication Skills
- Points to colors red, blue, yellow, and green
- Can speak of imaginary conditions such as “what if…”
- Uses 4–8 word sentences
- Uses past tense correctly
- Stays with one activity for more than 10 minutes
Gross Motor Skills
- Skips 5 steps
- Hops up to 3 times on preferred foot
- Jumps rope for 2 cycles
- Jumps over several 8-inch obstacles in succession
- Jumps from 24–30 inch height with feet together on take-off and landing
- Stands on either leg for 6 seconds
- Kicks a ball 12–15 feet
- Throws 3-inch ball to an adult, overhand
- Catches 3-inch ball with elbows bent
By 4.5 years
- Skips 5–10 steps with coordinated step-hop
- Runs fast
- Hops 5 times on preferred foot
- Walks down stairs (right, left, right, left) holding rail
- Does 1 somersault
- Walks full length of balance beam or curb
- Pumps swing independently
5 YEARS
Fine Motor Skills
- Can touch finger to thumb within 8 seconds following demonstration, starting with index finger to thumb
- Connects 2 dots with a straight line
- Draws a 6-part person
- Cuts and pastes shapes such as circle, square, and triangle
- Can build a 6-cube pyramid with example in front of him/her
- Can fold paper into equal halves
- Colors between two vertical lines
- Writes name without model
- Can copy age-appropriate shapes of diagonal line, X, and diamond
- Completes ABC puzzle
- Displays hand dominance
Communication Skills
- Has correct articulation of speech sounds
- Uses past tense and future tense appropriately
- Understands meanings of most sentences
- Follows 3-part commands (“Pick up your shoes, put them in your room, and come sit down”)
- Knows meanings of “today,” “yesterday,” and “tomorrow”
- Asks “What?”, “Why?”, and “How?
- Names days of the week in order and can count to 30
- Tells month and day of birthday, name and address, left and right
Gross Motor Skills
- Skips 10 or more steps
- Stands on one leg for 10 seconds each
- Walks full length of balance beam while carrying something in both hands or with hands on hips
- Does 2 somersaults in a row
- Rides bicycle with training wheels
Monroe
West Monroe
Ruston
Shreveport
Monday-Friday
8am-5:30pm
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