0-2 MONTHS
3 MONTHS
4 MONTHS
5 MONTHS
6 MONTHS
  • Rolls back to belly in each direction

  • Sits on floor with hands free to play or reach for toys in front of body

  • Stands independently briefly at support surface when placed

  • Begins shaking a small toy or rattle

  • Begins holding a small toy in each hand at the same time

  • 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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