Introduction
The first year of an infant’s life is a time of amazing learning. Remember that every child is unique and will develop at his own pace.
Use these milestones as a guideline to gauge how your infant is growing and acquiring new skills. If you think your baby has a developmental delay or a disability, schedule a check-up with your pediatrician.
I'm an INFANT and Look What I Can Do!
From birth to 4 months, I may:
- Clench my fist around anything pressed into the palm of my hand.
- Sleep 14-17 hours a day.
- And should be put to sleep on my back.
- Have a wobbly head and need you to support me.
- Cry to communicate.
- Look toward bright colors and patterns.
- Move eyes in the same direction together.
- React to loud noises or voices.
- Keep my hands or fingers slightly open most of the time.
- Make throaty or gurgling sounds.
- Lift head and chest while lying on stomach.
- Make eye contact with you.
- Often fuss in the evenings.
- Smile at you when I see or hear you.
- Follow a moving object or person with my eyes.
- Explore objects with my mouth.
- Play with fingers, hands and toes.
- React to sound of voice, rattle or bells.
- Turn my head sideways when I’m on my stomach.
- Love to be touched and held close.
- Enjoy being read to.
- Respond to peek-a-boo games.
- Babble and coo.
- Roll over, stomach to back.
- Sit with support.
- “Bicycle” with my feet when I get excited.
- Be aware of different voices and people.
- I smile at other people, not just at my mother.
- When held in a standing position, bear some weight on my legs.
- Squeal and make other sounds when you talk to me.
- Turn my whole body to face you when I see you.
- Scoot on my stomach.
From 4 to 8 months, I may:
- Sit with support.
- Roll over back to front.
- Follow moving objects with my eyes.
- Babble to get attention.
- Say sounds like “ah-ah-ah,” “ee-ee-ee” and “oo-oo-oo.”
- Explore my world with my hands, fingers and mouth.
- Get my first teeth.
- Reach for things when I see them and am able to grasp them.
- Pick up toy in one hand.
- Transfer objects from one hand to the other.
- Discover parts of my body.
- Touch my feet and play with my toes when I am lying on my back.
- Know familiar objects like my toys.
- Stand and move my body up and down if you hold me under my arms.
- Stop crying when someone talks to me calmly and softly.
- Help hold bottle during feeding.
- Recognize familiar persons.
- Sit with little or no support.
- Cry in different ways to express hurt, hunger or loneliness.
- Drink from a cup with help.
- Learn by using senses.
- Search for toys that are out of sight.
- Smile at my own reflection in a mirror.
- Spend a lot of time watching and observing.
- Show fear of falling off of high places.
- Like to be tickled and touched.
- Raise my arms as a sign to be held.
- Show mild to severe anxiety at separation from parent.
- Briefly look for a dropped toy.
- Pick things up and shake them.
- Turn objects upside down to get another view of them.
- Play games with people I know.
- Repeat sounds.
- Know what the tone of your voice means.
- Hold an object in each hand and bang them together.
- Start to feed myself with my hands.
- Cry when mommy or daddy leaves.
- Rise up on my arms and knees into crawling position, rock back and forth, but may not move forward.
From 8 to 12 months, I may:
- Crawl backward and forward on my stomach.
- Turn pages of board book.
- Enjoy drinking from a cup.
- Explore everything with my mouth.
- Pull myself up holding onto furniture, but may need help getting back down.
- Feed myself a cracker or cookie.
- Push away things I don’t want.
- Say “da-da” or “ma-ma.”
- Say my first word.
- Dance or bounce to music.
- Stand alone, but I need to lean against something.
- Clasp hands, wave “bye-bye.”
- Love to look at picture books.
- Pay attention to conversations.
- Imitate adult actions such as drinking from a cup or talking on the phone.
- Offer toys or objects to others, but I expect them to be returned.
- Express fear or anxiety toward strangers.
- Want caregiver or parent to be in constant sight.
- Become attached to a favorite toy or blanket.
- Recognize some words. When I hear them, I turn and listen.
- Pick up small objects with thumb and index finger.
- Climb stairs on hands and knees, but always need your help to do it safely.
- Walk alone or am learning to walk but I still crawl if I want to get somewhere fast.
- Usually put a toy or food down by dropping or throwing it.
- Want to taste everything I touch.
- Point to parts of my body when you ask me where they are.
- Say “no” and shake my head from side to side.
- Like to show that I know how to use everyday items like a cup, a hairbrush and a ball.
- I like songs and rhymes.
- Still like to be held and cuddled.
- Like trying new foods that I can feed myself.
- Put objects into a container.
- Stack two blocks.
- Have some teeth and need help cleaning them.
- Fuss when I am tired.
- Point to things I want.
- Love being the center of attention and making you smile.
- Hold out arms and legs while being dressed.
- Pull off hat, shoes and socks, but need help getting them back on again.
- Climb out of my crib.
- Understand many words and like you to talk to me.
- Take lids off containers and open cabinet doors.
- Solve simple problems like finding a lost toy.
- Have lots of energy and am always on the go.
- Like to push or pull toys when I practice walking.
- Insist on holding a spoon when I eat, but I’m not too accurate, and I have lots of spills.
- Play by myself for a little while if you are nearby.
Resources
- Byington, Teresa. (1997). Child Development: Understanding the First Five Years. Curriculum: Utah State University Extension.
- Kock, J., Agao, V., Sigman-Grant, M., Martin, S., Reilly, J., Weigel, D., Bixler, M., & Papa, M. (2005). Follow my Lead: Developmentally Appropriate Physical Activities for Young Children. Curriculum Material-05-13, University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension.
- P.E.P. Post. (2006). Developmental Milestones. Volume 9, Issue 2, Las Vegas, NV.
- National Network for Child Care, Ages and Stages. Oesterreich, L. Iowa State University.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (2002). Healthy Start, Grow Smart: Your 12-month-old. Washington, D.C.
