search aussie childcare network

Developmental Milestones From 2 Months Old To 5 Years Old

  • Written by 
  • Print
Developmental Milestones From 2 Months Old To 5 Years Old Developmental Milestones From 2 Months Old TO 5 Years Old

Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age range as they grow and develop. The following provides the developmental milestones from 2 months to 5 years old.

What Are Developmental Milestones

Child development refers to how a child becomes able to do more complex things as they get older and reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move. Developmental milestones include:

  • Gross motor skills - using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, walk, run, etc., keeping balance and changing positions
  • Fine motor skills - using hands to be able to eat, draw, dress, play, write and do many other things
  • Language skills - speaking, using body language and gestures, communicating, and understanding what others say
  • Cognitive skills - thinking skills including learning, understanding, problem-solving, reasoning, and remembering
  • Social skills - interacting with others, having relationships with family, friends, and teachers, cooperating and responding to the feelings of others.

2 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Calms down when spoken to or picked up
    • Looks at your face
    • Seems happy to see you when you walk up to her
    • Smiles when you talk to or smile at her

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Makes sounds other than crying
    • Reacts to loud sounds

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Watches you as you move
    • Looks at a toy for several seconds

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Holds head up when on tummy
    • Moves both arms and both legs
    • Opens hands briefly

4 months Milestone

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Smiles on his own to get your attention
    • Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make her laugh
    • Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention

    Language/Communication Milestones

    • Makes sounds like “oooo”, “aah” (cooing)
    • Makes sounds back when you talk to him
    • Turns head towards the sound of your voice

    Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • If hungry, open mouth when she sees breast or bottle
    • Looks at his hands with interest

    • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Holds head steady without support when you are holding her
    • Holds a toy when you put it in his hand
    • Uses her arm to swing at toys
    • Brings hands to mouth
    • Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

6 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Knows familiar people
    • Likes to look at self in a mirror
    • Laughs

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Takes turns making sounds with you
    • Blows “raspberries” (sticks tongue out and blows)
    • Makes squealing noises

    • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving

    • Puts things in her mouth to explore them
    • Reaches to grab a toy he wants
    • Closes lips to show she doesn’t want more food

    Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Rolls from tummy to back
    • Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy
    • Leans on hands to support himself when sitting

9 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers
    • Shows several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised
    • Looks when you call her name
    • Reacts when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)
    • Smiles or laughs when you play peek-a-boo

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
    • Lifts arms up to be picked up
    • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
    • Looks for objects when dropped out of sight (like his spoon or toy)
    • Bangs two things together

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Gets to a sitting position by herself
    • Moves things from one hand to her other hand
    • Uses fingers to “rake” food towards himself
    • Sits without support

1 Year Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Plays games with you, like pat-a-cake
    • Language/Communication Milestones
    • Waves “bye-bye”
    • Calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name
    • Understands “no” (pauses briefly or stops when you say it)

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Puts something in a container, like a block in a cup
    • Looks for things he sees you hide, like a toy under a blanket

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones
    • Pulls up to stand
    • Walks, holding on to furniture
    • Drinks from a cup without a lid, as you hold it
    • Picks things up between thumb and pointer finger, like small bits of food

15 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

  • • Copies other children while playing, like taking toys out of a container when another child does
    • Shows you an object she likes
    • Claps when excited
    • Hugs stuffed doll or another toy
    • Shows you affection (hugs, cuddles, or kisses you)

    Language/Communication Milestones

    • Tries to say one or two words besides “mama” or “dada,” like “ba” for ball or “da” for dog
    • Looks at a familiar object when you name it
    • Follows directions given with both a gesture and words. For example, he gives you a toy when you hold out your hand and say, “Give me the toy.”
    • Points to ask for something or to get help

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Tries to use things the right way, like a phone, cup, or book
    • Stacks at least two small objects, like blocks

    Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Takes a few steps on his own
    • Uses fingers to feed herself some food

18 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Moves away from you, but looks to make sure you are close by
    • Points to show you something interesting
    • Puts hands out for you to wash them
    • Looks at a few pages in a book with you
    • Helps you dress him by pushing arm through sleeve or lifting up foot

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Tries to say three or more words besides “mama” or “dada”
    • Follows one-step directions without any gestures, like giving you the toy when you say, “Give it to me.”

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Copies you doing chores, like sweeping with a broom
    • Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Walks without holding on to anyone or anything
    • Scribbles
    • Drinks from a cup without a lid and may spill sometimes
    • Feeds herself with her fingers

2 Years Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying
    • Looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Points to things in a book when you ask, like “Where is the bear?”
    • Says at least two words together, like “More milk.”
    • Points to at least two body parts when you ask him to show you
    • Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Holds something in one hand while using the other hand; for example, holding a container and taking the lid off
    • Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy
    • Plays with more than one toy at the same time, like putting toy food on a toy plate

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Kicks a ball
    • Runs
    • Walks (not climbs) up a few stairs with or without help
    • Eats with a spoon

30 Months Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Plays next to other children and sometimes plays with them
    • Shows you what she can do by saying, “Look at me!”
    • Follows simple routines when told, like helping to pick up toys when you say, “It’s clean-up time.”

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Says about 50 words
    • Says two or more words, with one action word, like “Doggie run”
    • Names things in a book when you point and ask, “What is this?”
    • Says words like “I,” “me,” or “we”

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Uses things to pretend, like feeding a block to a doll as if it were food
    • Shows simple problem-solving skills, like standing on a small stool to reach something
    • Follows two-step instructions like “Put the toy down and close the door.”
    • Shows he knows at least one colour, like pointing to a red crayon when you ask, “Which one is red?”

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Uses hands to twist things, like turning doorknobs or unscrewing lids
    • Takes some clothes off by himself, like loose pants or an open jacket
    • Jumps off the ground with both feet
    • Turns book pages, one at a time, when you read to her

3 Years Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave her, like at a childcare drop off
    • Notices other children and joins them to play

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Talks with you in the conversation using at least two back-and-forth exchanges
    • Asks “who,” “what,” “where,” or “why” questions, like “Where is mommy/daddy?”
    • Says what action is happening in a picture or book when asked, like “running,” “eating,” or “playing”
    • Says the first name, when asked
    • Talks well enough for others to understand, most of the time

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Draws a circle, when you show him how
    • Avoids touching hot objects, like a stove, when you warn her

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Strings items together, like large beads or macaroni
    • Puts on some clothes by himself, like loose pants or a jacket
    • Uses a fork

4 Years Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Pretends to be something else during play (teacher, superhero, dog)
    • Asks to go play with children if none are around, like “Can I play with Alex?”
    • Comforts others who are hurt or sad, like hugging a crying friend
    • Avoids danger, like not jumping from tall heights at the playground
    • Likes to be a “helper”
    • Changes behaviour based on where she is (place of worship, library, playground)

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Says sentences with four or more words
    • Says some words from a song, story, or nursery rhyme
    • Talks about at least one thing that happened during his day, like “I played soccer.”
    • Answers simple questions like “What is a coat for?” or “What is a crayon for?”

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Names a few colours of items
    • Tells what comes next in a well-known story
    • Draws a person with three or more body parts

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Catches a large ball most of the time
    • Serves himself food or pours water, with adult supervision
    • Unbuttons some buttons
    • Holds crayon or pencil between fingers and thumb (not a fist)

5 Years Milestones

  • Social/Emotional Milestones

    • Follows rules or takes turns when playing games with other children
    • Sings, dances, or acts for you
    • Does simple chores at home, like matching socks or clearing the table after eating

  • Language/Communication Milestones

    • Tells a story she heard or made up with at least two events. For example, a cat was stuck in a tree and a firefighter saved it
    • Answers simple questions about a book or story after you read or tell it to him
    • Keeps a conversation going with more than three back-and-forth exchanges
    • Uses or recognizes simple rhymes (bat-cat, ball-tall)

  • Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

    • Counts to 10
    • Names some numbers between 1 and 5 when you point to them
    • Uses words about time, like “yesterday,” “tomorrow,” “morning,” or “night”
    • Pays attention for 5 to 10 minutes during activities. For example, during story time or making arts and crafts (screen time does not count)
    • Writes some letters in her name
    • Names some letters when you point to them

  • Movement/Physical Development Milestones

    • Buttons some buttons
    • Hops on one foot

Reference: 
Developmental Milestones, CDC 

Created On June 20, 2022 Last modified on Monday, June 20, 2022
Child Care Documentation App

© 2009-2024 Aussie Childcare Network Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.