Child's Age Mastered Skills (most kids can do)

1 month • Lifts head when lying on tummy

• Responds to sound
• Stares at faces
2 months • Vocalizes: gurgles and coos
• Follows objects across field of vision
• Notices his hands
• Holds head up for short periods
3 months • Recognizes your face and scent
• Holds head steady
• Visually tracks moving objects

4 months • Smiles, laughs

• Can bear weight on legs
• Coos when you talk to him
5 months • Distinguishes between bold colors
• Plays with his hands and feet

6 months • Turns toward sounds and voices

• Imitates sounds
• Rolls over in both directions

7 months • Sits without support

• Drags objects toward herself

8 months • Says "mama" and "dada" to both parents (isn't specific)

• Passes objects from hand to hand

9 months • Stands while holding onto something

• Jabbers or combines syllables
• Understands object permanence

10 months • Waves goodbye

• Picks things up with pincer grasp
• Crawls well, with belly off the ground
11 months • Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent
• Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo
• Stands alone for a couple of seconds
• Cruises
12 months • Imitates others' activities
• Indicates wants with gestures

Child's Age Mastered Skills (most kids can do)

13 months • Uses two words skillfully (e.g., "hi" and "bye")
• Bends over and picks up an object
14 months • Eats with fingers
• Empties containers of contents
• Imitates others

15 months • Plays with ball

• Uses three words regularly
• Walks backward
16 months • Turns the pages of a book
• Has temper tantrums when frustrated
• Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object

17 months • Uses six words regularly

• Enjoys pretend games
• Likes riding toys
18 months • Will "read" board books on his own
• Scribbles well

19 months • Uses a spoon and fork

• Runs
• Throws a ball underhand
• Enjoys helping around the house
20 months • Feeds doll
• Takes off own clothes
• Dumps an object in imitation, such as throwing garbage away
21 months • Can walk up stairs
• Able to set simple goals (e.g., deciding to put a toy in a certain place)

22 months • Kicks ball forward

• Follows two-step requests (e.g., "Get your doll and bring it here")

23 months • Names simple picture in a book

• Uses 50 to 70 words

24 months • Names at least six body parts

• Half of speech is understandable
• Makes two- to three-word sentences
25 and 26 months • Stacks six blocks
• Walks with smooth heel-to-toe motion
27 and 28 months • Jumps with both feet
• Opens doors
29 and 30 months • Brushes teeth with help
• Washes and dries own hands
• Draws a vertical line
31 and 32 months • Recites own name
• Draws a circle

33 and 34 months • Names one color

• Names one friend
• Carries on a simple conversation

35 and 36 months • Describes how two objects are used

• Uses three to four words in a sentence
• Names two actions (e.g., skipping, jumping)
Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
• Follows objects briefly with eyes
• Vocalizes: oohs and aahs
• Can see black-and-white patterns
• Smiles, laughs
• Holds head at 45-degree angle
• Makes smoother movements

• Squeals, gurgles, coos

• Blows bubbles
• Recognizes your voice
• Does mini-pushup
• Can grasp a toy
• Rolls over, from tummy to back

• Recognizes own name

• Turns toward new sounds
• Rolls over in both directions
• Is ready for solid foods
• Sits without support
• Mouths objects
• Passes objects from hand to hand
• Lunges forward or starts crawling
• Jabbers or combines syllables
• Starts to experience stranger anxiety

• Stands while holding onto something

• Crawls
• Points at objects
• Searches for hidden objects
• Cruises while holding onto furniture
• Drinks from a sippy cup
• Eats with fingers
• Bangs objects together
• Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent
• Indicates wants with gestures

• Understands "no" and simple instructions

• Puts objects into a container

• Takes a few steps

• Says one word besides "mama" and "dada"

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)

• Enjoys gazing at his reflection
• Holds out arm or leg to help you dress him
• Toddles well
• Initiates games
• Points to one body part when asked
• Responds to instructions (e.g., "give me a kiss")
• Scribbles with a crayon
• Runs
• Adopts "no" as his favorite word
 • Discovers the joy of climbing
• Stacks three blocks
• Uses spoon or fork
• Learns the correct way to use common objects (e.g., the telephone)
• Feeds doll
• Speaks more clearly
• Throws a ball underhand
• Strings two words together in phrases
• Brushes teeth with help
• Stacks four blocks
• Understands as many as 200 words
• Recognizes when something is wrong (e.g., calling a dog a cat)

• Learns words at a rate of ten or more a day

• Can walk up stairs (but probably not down)
g garbage away
• Throws a ball overhand
• Kicks ball forward
• Stacks six blocks
• Does simple puzzles
• Draws a straight line
• Names several body parts
• Opens doors
• Sings simple tunes
• Takes more of an interest in playing with other kids
• Talks about self
• Arranges things in categories
• Can walk down stairs
• Uses pronouns (e.g., I, me, you)
• Washes and dries own hands
• Understands descriptions (e.g., big, soft)
• Draws a vertical line
• Draws a circle
• Balances on one foot

• Puts on a T-shirt
• Balances on each foot for a second
• Recognizes ABCs
• Brushes teeth by herself
• Alternates feet going up and down stairs
• Uses prepositions (e.g., on, in, over)
• Speaks clearly most of the time (75 percent can be understood)
• Stacks eight blocks
• Hops and skips
• Follows a two- or three-part command
• Separates fairly easily from parents
• Rides a tricycle
Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
• Smiles, laughs
• Holds head at 45-degree angle

• Holds head steady

• Can bear weight on legs
• Lifts head and shoulders when lying on tummy (mini-pushup)

• Rolls over, from tummy to back

• Turns toward loud sounds
• Can bring hands together, bats at toys

• Imitates sounds: "baba," "dada"

• Cuts first tooth
• May be ready for solid foods
• Sits momentarily without support
• Mouths objects
• Separation anxiety may begin
• Lunges forward or starts crawling
• Jabbers or combines syllables
• Drags objects toward himself

• Waves goodbye
• Stands while holding onto something
• Bangs objects together
• Begins to understand object permanence
• Pulls self to standing, cruises
• Picks things up with thumb-finger pincer grasp
• Indicates wants with gestures

• Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo

• Says "mama" and "dada" to the correct parent

• Stands alone for a couple of seconds

• Puts objects into a container

• Says one word besides "mama" and "dada"

• Stoops from standing position

• Walks alone
• Scribbles with a crayon
• Says two words besides "mama" and "dada

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)

• Combines words and gestures to make needs known
• Rolls a ball back and forth
• Uses a spoon or fork
• Matches lids with appropriate containers
• Pushes and pulls toys while walking

• "Helps" around the house

• Puts his fingers to his mouth and says "shhh"
 • Takes off one piece of clothing by himself
• Gets finicky about food
• Switches from two naps to one
on objects (e.g., the telephone)
• Dances to music
• Sorts toys by color, shape, or size
• Kicks ball forward
• Throws a ball overhand
• Takes toys apart and puts them back together
• Shows signs of toilet training readiness
• Washes and dries own hands with help
• Points to picture or object when you call it by name
• May know when she needs to pee

• May start exploring genitals

• Draws a straight line
• Names several body parts
• Names simple picture in a book
• Can walk down stairs

• Puts on loose-fitting clothes

• Might be ready for a big bed
• Understands opposites (e.g., tall vs. short)
• Talks about self (likes, dislikes)
• Asks "why?"
with other kids
• Begins to understand abstract concepts (e.g., sooner and later)
• Becomes attuned to gender differences
• Learns to jump
• Speaks clearly most of the time
• Draws a vertical line
• Starts to recognize ABCs
• Balances on one foot
• Puts on a T-shirt
• Names one color
• Names one friend
• Uses two adjectives
• Draws a cross
• Points to objects described by use

• Is toilet trained during the day

• Wiggles thumb
• Expresses a wide range of emotions
• Draws a stick figure
• Balances on each foot for three seconds
• Gets dressed without help