Pink Mom MathDevelopmental Milestones: What to Expect Month by Month
Developmental milestones are skills and behaviors that most children achieve by a certain age. Understanding these benchmarks — and the wide range of normal — helps parents track their baby's development, recognize early signs of developmental delays, and have productive conversations with their pediatrician.
About the CDC 2022 Developmental Milestones
This guide is based on the CDC's updated Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone checklists, revised in 2022. The new guidelines reflect what 75% of children achieve by the given age (previously based on 50%), making them a more reliable "minimum baseline" rather than a median estimate. These milestones are checked at well-child visits at 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 months.
Milestones at 2 Months
Motor
- Can hold head up briefly when on tummy
- Moves both arms and legs
- Opens and closes fists
Language/Communication
- Makes cooing sounds (vowel sounds)
- Turns toward sounds
- Reacts to loud sounds
Social/Emotional
- Social smile — smiles spontaneously, especially at faces (key 2-month milestone)
- Starts to look at familiar faces
- Calms with rocking, holding, or sucking
Cognitive
- Pays attention to faces
- Follows objects with eyes
- Recognizes familiar people at a distance
Milestones at 4 Months
Motor
- Good head control — holds head steady unsupported
- Pushes up on arms during tummy time
- Brings hands to mouth
- Bats at objects
Language/Communication
- Coos and babbles (consonant + vowel combinations beginning)
- Turns head toward sounds
- Makes sounds when you talk to them
Social/Emotional
- Smiles spontaneously at people
- Likes to play with people; cries when playing stops
- Copies some movements and facial expressions
Milestones at 6 Months
Motor
- Sits with support — can sit with hands propped forward for balance
- Rolls from tummy to back and back to tummy
- Reaches for objects with one hand; passes objects hand to hand
- Rakes pellet-sized objects (raking grasp)
Language/Communication
- Babbles with consonants — "ba ba," "da da" (reduplicative babbling)
- Responds to name being called
- Uses sounds to express pleasure and displeasure
Social/Emotional
- Recognizes familiar faces; becomes anxious with strangers
- Likes to look at self in mirror
Cognitive
- Looks around for dropped objects
- Begins to understand cause and effect (shakes rattle to make sound)
Milestones at 9 Months
Motor
- Sits independently without support
- Crawling begins for some (range: 7–12 months)
- Pulls to standing with support
- Pincer grasp beginning (picking up objects with thumb and finger)
Language/Communication
- Responds to name (red flag if not present)
- Understands "no"
- Uses gestures (waving, clapping)
- Variegated babbling ("ba-da-ga")
Social/Emotional
- Stranger anxiety peaks (9–12 months)
- Looks to caregivers for reassurance in new situations
Cognitive
- Object permanence developing — will search briefly for hidden objects
- Explores objects by banging, throwing, shaking
Milestones at 12 Months
Motor
- Pulls to standing; cruises along furniture
- First steps for some (range: 9–18 months for walking independently)
- Refined pincer grasp — picks up small objects precisely
Language/Communication
- First words appearing ("mama," "dada," "uh-oh")
- Points to objects of interest
- Responds to simple verbal requests with gestures
Social/Emotional
- Separation anxiety peaks
- Shows objects to caregivers
- Joint attention — follows caregiver's pointing finger
Milestones at 18 Months
Motor
- Walking independently (must be present by 18 months — red flag if not walking by this age)
- Climbs onto chairs and furniture
- Scribbles spontaneously with crayons
- Throws ball overhand
Language/Communication
- Vocabulary of at least 5–10 words
- Points to body parts when named
- Follows simple 2-step instructions
Social/Emotional
- Parallel play — plays alongside but not yet with other children
- Shows affection toward familiar people
- Engages in simple pretend play (feeding a doll)
Cognitive
- Full object permanence — searches for hidden objects
- Pretend play beginning (cause-and-effect understanding well established)
Milestones at 24 Months (2 Years)
Motor
- Runs (falls occasionally but fluid running gait)
- Kicks a ball
- Climbs furniture independently
- Stacks 4–6 blocks
Language/Communication
- Two-word phrases ("more milk," "go away," "daddy shoe")
- Vocabulary of 50+ words
- Points to objects in pictures
Social/Emotional
- Plays alongside and occasionally with other children
- Parallel and beginning associative play
- Shows a range of emotions
Wide Range of Normal
Developmental timelines show wide variation in healthy children. Walking, for example, is normal anywhere from 9 to 18 months. The milestones above represent what most children can do by the listed age — not the earliest age at which a skill might appear.
Important factors in interpreting milestones:
- Correct age for premature babies: Use corrected age until 2–3 years
- Second languages: Bilingual children may appear to have smaller vocabulary in each language individually — total vocabulary across both languages is what matters
- Temperament and personality: Cautious children may walk later; social children may talk earlier
- Birth order: First-born children sometimes talk earlier; younger siblings sometimes walk earlier
Medical disclaimer: This guide presents general developmental milestone information based on CDC 2022 guidelines. Developmental assessment requires a complete clinical evaluation. If you have any concerns about your baby's development, discuss them with your pediatrician promptly. Early intervention services are available and highly effective when developmental delays are identified early.