Developmental milestones

Developmental milestones refer to the steps that baby and children take in their early years to develop skills. All children are different, but an awareness of milestones and your child’s progress can be a helpful way of working out if your child needs extra support. A child’s family and the people in their lives are essential in supporting them to develop - talking, playing and guiding your child will support them on their journey.

Below, you can find a list of some of the things you might expect your child to be doing at certain ages. Remember that milestones are a rough guide, and it’s unlikely that your child will be on target across all areas. But if there may be a delay, acting early is important.


Two months:

Turns head to the side while lying on tummy

Waves arms and legs while lying on back

Briefly holds a toy when given to them

Follows objects or people with both eyes

Makes cooing sounds and smiles when spoken to

Four months:

Holds head up when lying on tummy

Holds head steady when sitting

Reaches for nearby toys

Holds and explores toys in their hand

Smiles at themselves in a mirror and chuckles

Six months:

Rolls from back to tummy

Sits with support

Gets into a crawling position

Grasps toys with both hands and passes them from one hand to the other

Nine months:

Sits without support

Crawls or pulls to stand

Rolls over both ways

Responds to simple commands and points at objects

Twelve months:

Sits well and stands with support

Walks around furniture and may stand alone

Uses first finger and thumb to pick up small objects

Says meaningful words like "Mummy" and "Daddy"

Eighteen months:

Walks well and climbs stairs with help

Stacks blocks and turns pages of a book

Says several single words and follows simple commands

Two years old:

Tries to kick a ball and runs well

Holds a pencil correctly and strings small items

Uses cups with no lid and engages in pretend play

Three years old:

Walks on tip toes and pedals a tricycle

Climbs walls and catches a large ball

Says name, age, and numbers up to 10

Four years old:

Walks up and down stairs using alternate feet

Hops and stands on one foot

Draws a person with recognizable body parts

Five years old:

Balances and stands on one foot for about 10 seconds

Swings, climbs, and slides down a slide

Speaks very clearly, knows their name and address, and enjoys storytelling