A Step Ahead
Pediatric Therapy
Your Baby's First Year of Development
A baby's first year is an exciting time of rapid growth and learning. Every child develops at their own pace, but the milestones listed in the chart provide a general idea of what to expect. Skills from one stage should continue in the next - for example, abilities gained at 7 months should still be present at 8 months and beyond.
If a baby is missing multiple milestones or falling behind in several areas, it may cause concern and challenges for both the child and family. Early support can make a big difference in helping a child learn and grow. If you have concerns about your child's development, contact us today! Our team is here to provide expert guidance and support to help reach their full potential.
Infant Milestones - 0 to 2 Months
- Lifts head briefly when on tummy, moves arms and legs randomly
- Turns head to side when on back
- Brings hands to mouth
- Reflexive stepping when feet touch surface- Kicks legs when lying on back
- Starts developing head control
Offer tummy time DAILY to build muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back. Use a soft blanket or a play mat to provide a safe space for them to practice lifting their head.
- Watches objects move
- Follows high-contrast items with eyes
- Brings hands together near face
- Reflexively grasps finger when placed in palm
- Tracks moving objects briefly
- Starts to open and relax fingers
Encourage visual tracking by holding a high-contrast object, like a black and white rattle, and slowly moving it side to side. Let your baby explore their hands by holding them near their face, allowing them to bring their hands to their mouth.
- Startles to loud sounds
- Makes cooing noises
- Turns head toward voices
- Cries to indicate needs
- Responds to soothing voices
Talk to your baby frequently, even if they can't talk back yet. Mimic their sounds to help them begin to understand communication.
- Rooting reflex helps find nipple
- Sucks and swallows effectively
- Hands move toward mouth reflexively
- Begins to grasp caregiver's finger during feeding
Help with feeding by insuring your baby is latched properly and is comfortable during feedings. Use the rooting reflex to help guide your baby to the breast or bottle.
- Coordinates sucking, swallowing, and breathing
- Begins to explore hands in mouth
- Tongue moves forward and back for sucking
- Reflexively pushes tongue out when something enters mouth (tongue thrust reflex)
Encourage sucking on fingers or pacifiers for self-soothing. Practice keeping the tongue in a neutral position during feeding.
- Sensitive to bright lights and loud noises
- Sleeps around 14-17 hours/day
- Enjoys skin-to-skin contact
- May be easily startled by sudden movements
Create a calm environment for sleep by keeping the room dim and quiet. Practice gentle rocking or swaddling to soothe your baby to sleep.
- Recognizes caregiver's voice
- Begins to smile responsively
- Enjoys looking at faces
- Prefers human faces over objects
Engage in face-to-face interactions by making eye contact and smiling. Encourage gentle rocking or singing to help soothe and connect with your baby.
- YOU! (most babies prefer people over toys)
- High contrast books and toys
- Soft rattles
- Black and white images
- Soft fabric books
Infant Milestones - 3 to 4 Months
- Holds head up steadily
- Pushes up on arms during tummy time
- Rolls from tummy to side
- Kicks legs actively
Encourage tummy time to help your baby strengthen their muscles and learn to push up on their arms. Provide toys just out of reach to motivate reaching and rolling.
- Grasps toys placed in hand
- Bats at dangling objects
- Brings hands together to play
- Begins reaching for objects
- Holds onto rattle briefly
Give your baby safe, colorful toys that encourage them to grab, bat, or shake. Hold objects near their hands to encourage them to reach and grasp.
- Laughs aloud
- Cooing becomes more varied
- Reacts to tone of voice
- Blows raspberries
- Starts "talking" back to caregivers
Respond to your baby's coos and mimic their sounds. Talk to your baby about the world around them to help build early language skills.
- Opens mouth when bottle/nipple is near
- Brings hands to bottle or breast
Encourage your baby to explore self-feeding with a bottle. Gently guide your baby's hands to help them practice holding a bottle or spoon.
- Begins to move tongue side to side
- Starts teething (in some babies)
- Enjoys sucking on fingers
Offer pacifiers and safe teething toys as your baby begins to explore their mouth.
- Responds to gentle touch and rocking
- Begins sleeping longer at night
- Reacts to different textures
- Shows preference for certain sounds
Introduce a soft lullaby or white noise machine to help soothe your baby to sleep. Monitor for signs of overstimulation and ensure your baby has a calm space to rest.
- Smiles at familiar people
- Imitates facial expressions
- Watches caregivers intently
- Starts laughing when tickled
Play peek-a-boo or other simple games. Encourage giggling by making funny faces or sounds, helping your baby develop social engagement.
- Tummy time mats
- Soft mirrors
- Light-up toys with music
- Crinkle fabric toys
Infant Milestones - 5 to 6 Months
- Rolls both ways
- Sits with support
- Pushes up fully on arms in tummy time
- Bears weight on legs when held upright
- Rocks back and forth on hands and knees
Encourage rolling by placing toys just out of reach. Help your baby sit up with support and encourage reaching for toys to practice balance.
- Watches objects move
- Follows high-contrast items with eyes
- Brings hands together near face
- Reflexively grasps finger when placed in palm
- Tracks moving objects briefly
- Starts to open and relax fingers
Encourage visual tracking by holding a high-contrast object, like a black and white rattle, and slowly moving it side to side. Let your baby explore their hands by holding them near their face, allowing them to bring their hands to their mouth.
- Babbles chains of sounds (ba, da, ma)
- Responds to own name
- Starts to show excitement through sounds
- Makes high-pitched squeals
Mimic your baby's sounds and add new sounds to encourage vocal play. Sing songs or repeat their coos to help them practice communication.
- Holds own bottle briefly
- Reaches for spoon during feedings
- Helps guide hand to mouth
- Brings feet to mouth
Allow your baby to try holding their bottle and drinking from it with your help. Start practicing wiping their face after meals to develop self care habits.
- Begins to accept puree foods
- Stronger suck/swallow skills
- Tongue movements become more refined
- Starts chewing on toys and fingers
Introduce new foods like mashed veggies or fruit, encourage self-feeding. Allow your baby to explore food textures with their fingers and mouth.
- Shows excitement or discomfort in response to sensory input
- Brings objects to mouth for exploration
- Starts sleeping longer at night
Create a bedtime routine (e.g., bath, lullaby, story) to help signal sleeptime. Watch for signs of sleep readiness, such as rubbing eyes or yawning.
- Laughs when engaged
- Enjoys peek-a-boo
- Reaches toward familiar people
- Begins to show preference for caregivers
Introduce a few more complex games, like pat-a-cake, to encourage social interaction. Encourage interaction with other babies in a safe, controlled setting.
- Stacking cups
- Textured teethers
- Soft plush toys
- Musical rattles
Infant Milestones - 7 to 8 Months
- Sits without support
- Pushes into hands-and-knees position
- May begin to crawl or scoot
- Attempts to pull to stand
- Moves from sitting to hands/knees position
Encourage your baby to crawl by placing toys just out of reach. Support your baby in standing with assistance or by holding onto furniture.
- Uses raking grasp to pick up small items
- Bangs objects together
- Passes toys from one hand to the other
- Holds two objects at the same time
Offer small objects for your baby to grasp and transfer between hands. Encourage pointing by showing them objects of interest.
- Imitates sounds
- Understands "no"
- Responds to simple words or phrases
- Starts using consonant sounds (b, d, m)
Encourage mimicking sounds and simple words like "mama" or "dada." Use clear, simple words for everyday activities (e.g., "eat," "drink," "bath").
- Begins finger-feeding
- Tries to hold spoon
- Helps push arms into sleeves
- Holds a cup with two hands
Let your baby attempt to feed themselves with their hands, even if its messy. Guide their hands through clothing as they start practicing dressing.
- Less gag reflex, better tongue control,
- Drinks from a sippy cup with assistance
- Tries new flavors and thicker textures
Introduce more textured foods, like small pieces of soft fruit or crackers. Practice drinking from a sippy cup and gently guide their hand to help them.
Encourage safe exploration of different textures (like soft toys, towels, etc.) to support sensory development. Create a consistent sleep schedule to help your baby fall asleep more quickly.
- Laughs when engaged
- Enjoys peek-a-boo
- Reaches toward familiar people
- Begins to show preference for caregivers
Introduce a few more complex games, like pat-a-cake, to encourage social interaction. Encourage interaction with other babies in a safe, controlled setting.
- Stacking cups
- Textured teethers
- Soft plush toys
- Musical rattles
-Pulls to stand
-Crawls well on hands and knees
-Cruises along furniture
-Stands with support
May begin to take steps while holding hands
Encourage standing by letting your baby hold onto furniture. Help your baby crawl through tunnels or encourage them to move by reaching for toys placed away from them.
-Pincer grasp begins (thumb and finger)
-Pokes with index finger
-Stacks two small objects
-Turns pages in a board book
Practice pincer grasp by offering small objects to pick up. Help your baby stack toys or place them into containers to develop fine motor skills.
-Says "mama" or "dada" (nonspecific)
-Waves "bye-bye"
-Copies simple sounds
-Points to things of interest
Encourage new sounds by repeating simple words and helping your baby babble. Praise your baby for making new sounds to build confidence in communication.
-Begins using spoon for self feeding
-Tries to remove socks
-Drinks from sippy cup independently
-Brushes at hair with hands
Help your baby practice drinking from a cup and encourage them to feed themselves finger foods. Let them attempt to take off socks or shoes to develop their self care abilities.
-Chews more effectively
-Eats mashed or chopped foods
-Holds and bites into a soft cracker
-Explores food textures with fingers
Offer more solid foods that require chewing. Use a spoon with some assistance and let your baby explore using a fork.
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Introduce a new sensory experience, such as soft, bumpy, or smooth objects to explore. Maintain a calming routine before bed to encourage restful sleep.
- Smiles at familiar people
- Imitates facial expressions
- Watches caregivers intently
- Starts laughing when tickled
Play peek-a-boo or other simple games. Encourage giggling by making funny faces or sounds, helping your baby develop social engagement.
- Tummy time mats
- Soft mirrors
- Light-up toys with music
- Crinkle fabric toys