Remember that all babies are individuals and develop at their own pace. Premature infants, especially, reach many milestones later than their same-age peers. This checklist should be used only to get a general sense for where your baby is or where he is heading. If you have any concerns about your child's development, consult with your physician.
Physical Development
Crawls quickly.
Pulls to standing.
May cruise holding onto furniture.
Comes to sitting position from stomach.
Points with finger.
Picks up tiny objects with thumb and finger.
May begin to demonstrate right- or left-handedness.
Holds bottle and cup.
Handles two objects simultaneously.
Intellectual Development
Eager to explore.
Shakes, drops, feels, and tastes all he finds.
Briefly searches for hidden objects.
Enjoys being recognized for newly developed feats.
Experiences heightened anxiety level.
Understands the word no (but doesn't always obey it).
May develop fear of heights or bath.
Recognizes parents and self in mirror, will kiss own image on mirror.
Social And Emotional Development
Responds to own name.
Shows moods: angry, happy, hurt, sad
Plays peek-a-boo.
May play patty-cake.
Playfully imitates sounds of others, including coughing, lip smacking, and hissing.
Experiences separation and stranger anxiety.
Easily overwhelmed by older, noisy children.
Fights with other children over toys.
Objects if you try to take toy away.
Begins to identify with same-sex parent.
Language Development
Correlates words with gestures, such as waving bye-bye or nodding yes.
Combines sounds into longer expressions.
May say mama, dada, or bye-bye.
Dr. Bettye M. Caldwell Ph.D. Professor of Pediatrics in Child Development and Education
Our parenting advice is given as suggestions only. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent or about a medical condition.