This document outlines typical developmental milestones for infants from 0-12 months in the areas of gross motor, fine motor, and communication skills. By 12 months, infants can typically walk independently, move freely between lying, sitting, and standing positions. They can pick up small items with a pincer grasp, attempt to stack blocks, and scribble with fisted hands. Communication skills at 12 months include understanding simple instructions and having a vocabulary of a few words.

1. Developmental Milestones: 0-12 months
By 3 Months
By 6 Months
By 9 Months
By 12 Months
• Keeps head in middle of body and kicks
legs when on back
• Lifts head to 45 - 90 degrees when lying
on tummy
• Rolls from side to back
• Can hold head upright when held
in sitting
• Lifts head and brings both feet to mouth
when lying on back
• Lifts head and chest off ground and will
reach for toy with one arm when on
tummy
• Rolls from tummy to back and may roll
from back to tummy (4-7 months)
• Bounces on legs when held in standing
• Uses hands to support self when sitting
• Sits independently and plays with toys
• Can get into sitting from tummy or back
• May commando crawl or crawl on hands
and knees
• Can stand with support and may start
cruising (taking side steps) along
furniture
• May walk with 2 hands held
• Crawls with alternating arm and leg
movements
• Pulls self to stand and cruises along
furniture. Stands alone briefly
• May walk independently (10-15 months)
• Moves in and out of lying/sitting/
standing freely
Gross Motor
• Brings hands to mouth and
middle of body
• Hands mostly open and thumbs
are out
• Reaches for and bats toys
• Can hold toy briefly
• Holds a toy in both hands at the
same time
• Passes toys between hands and
will bang/pat/suck toys
• Holds smaller toys with palm,
fingers and thumb (radial palmar
grasp)
• Uses raking motion to get small
items
• Points and pokes with index
finger
• Holds blocks using thumb and
fingers (radial-digital grasp)
• Purposefully drops toys
• Shakes/bangs/ manipulates toys
• Pokes/points with index finger
only
• Picks up small items with thumb
and index finger (pincer grasp)
• Drops items into containers
• Attempts to stack 2 blocks
• Scribbles with fisted hand
Fine Motor
• Turns head towards sounds
and voices
• Coos and smiles
• Different cries to indicate pain,
hunger or tiredness
• May start to giggle at 3 months.
• Starting to use consonant
sounds in babble. Eg. da, da.
• Has a variety of sounds to
express feelings (babbling,
blowing raspberries, squealing)
• Reacts to sudden noises
• Takes turns talking to people
• May start to respond to their
name
• Uses a variety of syllable
combinations when babbling. Eg
Bababba.
• Looks at familiar objects and
people when named
• Uses simples gestures, such as
shakes head for no and raises
hands to be picked up
• Knows and turns to own name
• Understands simple instructions
such as "Come to mummy"
• May have a few words
• Uses gestures to communicate
with you. Eg points, makes
sounds or nods/shakes head
Communication