Physical Development Milestones from birth to ten years old

By Luke Prather

  • Newborn

  • 1 to 3 months

    • Neck muscles become stronger, head bobs then is held erect
    • Turns head from side to side when placed on abdomen
    • Brings hands or objects to mouth
    • Looks at hands
    • Follows light, faces, objects
    • Opens and closes hands
    • Holds, then drops a rattle or other object
    • Active leg movements
    • Begins to imitate some sounds (coos, vowel sounds)
    • Cries become more purposeful and are different for hunger, fatigue, and other needs

  • 4 to 6 months

    • Grasp, Moro, root and tonic neck reflexes disappear
    • Balances head well
    • Begins to support body with legs when held in standing position
    • Rolls from back to front and front to back by 6 months
    • Moves object from one hand to other
    • Grabs feet and toes when lying on back
    • Makes “swimming” motions with arms and legs when placed on abdomen
    • Begins drooling
    • Babbles, imitates sounds
    • By 6 months, makes single syllable sounds (da, ma, ba)

  • 7 to 9 months

    • Rolls over easily from front to back and back to front
    • Gets on hands and feet and rocks back and forth
    • May creep, scoot, crawl – backward first, then forward
    • Begins to pull up to stand
    • Reaches for and grasps objects using whole hand
    • Can hold an object in each hand
    • Plays peek-a-boo
    • Grasps object with thumb and finger
    • Begins teething
    • Puts everything into mouth
    • Makes two syllable sounds (ma-ma, da-da)
    • Responds to own name and “no”

  • 10 to 12 months

    • Pulls up to a standing position
    • Can sit back down from standing position
    • Cruises or walks around holding onto furniture
    • May walk holding on to your finger or hand
    • May begin to take steps and walk on own
    • Can feed self finger foods
    • Can turn pages in a book, often several at a time
    • Bangs objects together
    • New teeth continue to erupt
    • Says da-da and ma-ma and knows who these persons are
    • Drops objects on purpose for others to pick up

  • 1 year

    • Walks alone by 15 months, then begins to run
    • Can stop, squat then stand again
    • Sits down on small stool or chair
    • Climbs stairs while holding on
    • Dances with music
    • Plays with push and pull toys
    • Can build towers out of blocks
    • Throws a ball overhand
    • Puts two- to three-piece puzzles together
    • Mostly feeds self with fingers
    • Begins to feed self with spoon
    • First molar (back) teeth appear
    • By 2 years, says 100 or more words

  • 2 years

    • Walks and runs well
    • Begins to throw, kick and catch balls
    • Can stand momentarily on one foot
    • Climbs on playground structures
    • Turns doorknobs and lids
    • Begins to ride a tricycle
    • All 20 teeth appear
    • Has developed right- or left-handedness
    • Turns pages in a book, one at a time
    • Begins to have bladder and bowel control
    • Says about 200 to 300 words
    • Begins to put three words together (subject, verb, object), for example “Me want ball”

  • 3 years

    • Runs and jumps easily
    • Walks up stairs
    • Rides a tricycle
    • Uses spoon well and feeds self
    • Dresses and undresses self except for buttons and laces
    • Can concentrate on tasks for eight or nine minutes
    • Has all 20 primary teeth
    • Bladder and bowel control are usually established
    • Should be able to say about 500 to 900 words
    • Speech can be understood by others
    • Speaks in two or three word sentences and progresses to four to five word sentences

  • Preschool (4 to 5 Years)

    4-year-olds: • Sings a song
    • Skips and hops on one foot
    • Catches and throws a ball overhand
    • Walks downstairs alone
    • Draws a person with three separate body parts
    • Understands the difference between fantasy and reality 5-year-olds: • Walks backward
    • Uses scissors
    • Begins learning to tie shoes
    • Copies shapes while drawing
    • Dresses self
    • Knows address and phone number
    • Recognizes and recites the alphabet
    • Permanent teeth may begin coming in

  • School-Age (6 to 12 Years)

    6- to 7-year-olds: • Enjoys many activities and stays busy
    • Likes to paint and draw
    • May lose first tooth
    • Vision is as sharp as an adult’s vision
    • Practices skills in order to become better
    • Rides a bike 8- to 9-year-olds: • More graceful with movements and abilities
    • Jumps, skips and chases
    • Dresses and grooms self completely
    • Can use tools (hammer, screwdriver) 10- to 12-year-olds: • Remainder of adult teeth develop
    • Likes to sew and paint