6 to 9 months :
• Rolls from back to belly and belly to back
• Begins to crawl , crawling independently by 9 months
• Sits independently , and gets in and out of the sitting position
• Makes different consonant and vowel sounds
• Anticipates your actions
• Bangs objects together to make loud sounds
9 to 12 months :
• Crawls
• Pulls to stand
• Begins to cruise
• Attempts to stand without support
• May walk , though many walk later
• Uses gestures like pointing to involve you in their routines , interests and requests
• Babbles with intonations similar to an adult ’ s speech patterns
• Imitates simple , familiar words
• Takes turns while playing
• Follows simple directions when used with gestures
Year 2 : Taking it all in stride
Once you have a toddler , physical milestones become less about rolling and sitting and more about , well , toddling .
“ From 13 to 14 months old , most kids are walking , but not all ,” said Losak . “ They can crawl up stairs , squat and pick up a toy , and they are learning to stand up from the floor without help . At 15 to 18 months , little ones can crawl down the stairs , run , and start to kick a ball forward .”
By the time your child is 2 , your little explorer should have an easy time walking with few falls and a more mature gait ( meaning they don ’ t rock back and forth while stepping ). He or she can also jump in place and kick a ball with either foot .
As for communication , Tarantino said by 18 months , she hopes to see children using at least 10 words .
“ This can include things they want , like ‘ cookie ,’ object names , like ‘ cup ’ or ‘ car ,’ and descriptions , like ‘ hot .’ Toddlers should be able to wait for a snack to be prepared , show you what they want if you don ’ t understand their request , and begin to play pretend .”
The age 2 milestone for words is 60 , but most kids will know more than 100 and will be stringing together phrases and making requests .
Year 3 : A hop , skip and jump
With another year of practice , that sometimes-clumsy 2-year-old will become a coordinated and well-spoken child . And the more you chat with them , the more they ’ ll learn .
“ A 2-to-3-year-old is expected to be about 50 % intelligible ,” said Tarantino . “ We try to encourage parents to sit or lay on the floor with their child and play , read and be silly .”
When playing , it ’ s important to talk about the interaction rather than “ quiz ” the child during play . This helps build a stronger language connection . An example would be , “ Wow ! You put the block on top !” instead of , “ Where is the block ?”
“ At 3 , children can balance on one foot for a few seconds at a time and jump forward 10 to 12 inches . They can catch a large ball , so they ’ re getting some hand-eye coordination , and they ’ re starting to ride those little tricycles . In fact , they ’ re pretty good at most things ,” said Losak .
Year 4 : Well on their way
By age 4 , your kiddo will be running , jumping and climbing like a champ . In fact , kids this age should be proficient at most movements , but there ’ s one last milestone to check for : being able to hop on one foot .
“ If parents are watching their child struggle with balance and coordination activities like kicking or hopping , they should mention it to their pediatrician ,” Losak said .
Same goes for if your little one is difficult to understand more often than not .
“ We would expect 75 % intelligibility by age 4 ,” Tarantino said . “ By the time a child is 5 , you should be able to understand everything he or she is saying .”
What if milestones aren ’ t met ?
Every child is different , and so too are their developmental journeys . Your child ’ s pediatrician will check for milestone developments at routine appointments , which are scheduled frequently throughout the first year . If your child hasn ’ t met a milestone on time , don ’ t worry too much — just keep an eye on your little one , and mention it at their next checkup .
Pediatric therapists offer treatment for developmental delays , fine or gross motor challenges , and more . If your child is having difficulty with any physical , cognitive , occupational , speech or feeding tasks , call 904.202.4200 or visit
wolfsonchildrens . com / rehab to learn more about Wolfson Children ’ s Rehabilitation .
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