| Age | Mastered Skills | Emerging Skills | Advanced Skills |
1 month
| - Lifts head when lying on tummy
- Responds to sounds
- Stares at faces
| - Follows objects briefly with eyes
- Vocalises: oohs and aahs
- Can see black-and-white patterns
| - Smiles, laughs
- Holds head at 45-degree angle
|
2 months
| - Vocalises: gurgles and coos
- Follows objects across field of vision
- Notices his hands
- Holds head up for short periods
| - Smiles, laughs
- Holds head at 45-degree angle
- Makes smoother movements
| - Holds head steadily
- Can bear weight on legs
- Lifts head and shoulders when lying on tummy (mini push-up)
|
3 months
| - Recognises your face and scent
- Holds head steadily
- Visually tracks moving objects
| - Squeals, gurgles and coos
- Blows bubbles
- Recognises your voice
- Does mini push-ups
| - Rolls over, from tummy to back
- Turns toward loud sounds
- Can bring hands together, bats at toys
|
4 months
| - Smiles, laughs
- Can bear weight on legs
- Coos when you talk to him
| - Can grasp a toy
- Rolls over, from tummy to back
| - Imitates sounds: “baba”, “dada”
- Cuts first tooth
- May be ready for solid food
|
| 5 months | - Distinguishes between bold colours
- Plays with his hands and feet
| - Recognises own name
- Turns toward new sounds
- • Rolls over in both directions
| - Sits momentarily without support
- Mouths objects
- Separation anxiety may begin
|
6 months
| - Turns toward sounds and voices
- Imitates sounds
- Rolls over in both directions
| - Is ready for solid food
- Sits without support
- Mouths objects
- Passes objects from hand to hand
| - Lunges forward or starts crawling
- Jabbers and combines syllables
- Drags objects toward himself
|
7 months
| - Sits without support
- Drags objects toward herself
| - Lunges forward or starts crawling
- Jabbers or combines syllables
- Starts to experience stranger anxiety
| - Waves goodbye
- Stands while holding onto something
- Bangs objects together
- Begins to understand object permanence
|
8 months
| - Says “mama” and “dada” to both parents (isn’t specific)
- Passes objects from hand to hand
| - Stands while holding on to something
- Crawls
- Points at objects
- Searches for hidden objects
| - Pulls self to standing position, cruises
- Picks things up with thumb-finger pincer grasp
- Indicates wants with gestures
|
9 months
| - Stands while holding on to something
- Jabbers and combines syllables
- Understands object permanence
| - Cruises while holding onto furniture
- Drinks from a sippy cup
- Eats with fingers
- Bangs objects together
| - Plays peek-a-boo
- Says “mama” and “dada” to the correct parent
|
10 months
| - Waves goodbye
- Pick things up with pincer grasp
- Crawls well, with belly off the ground
| - Says “mama” and “dada” to correct parent
- Indicates wants with gestures
| - Stands alone for a few seconds
- Puts objects into a container
|
11 months
| - Says “mama” and “dada” to correct parent
- Plays “peek-a-boo”
- Stands alone for a couple of seconds
- Cruises
| - Understands “no” and simple instructions
- Puts objects into a container
| - Says one word besides “mama” and “dad”
- Stoops from standing position
|
12 months
| - Imitates others
- Indicates wants with gestures
| - Takes a few steps
- Says one word besides “mama” and “dada”
| - Walks alone
- Scribbles with crayon
- Says two words besides “mama” and “dada”
|
13 months
| - Uses two words skilfully e.g. “hi” and “bye”
- Bends over and picks up an object
| - Enjoys gazing at his reflection
- Holds out arm or leg to help you dress him
| - Combines words and gestures to make needs known
- Rolls a ball back and forth
|
14 months
| - Eats with fingers
- Empties containers of contents
- Imitates others
| - Toddles well
- Imitates games
- Points to one body part when asked
- Responds to instructions e.g. give me a kiss
| - Uses a spoon or fork
- Matches lids with appropriate containers
- Pushes and pulls toys while walking
|
15 months
| - Plays with balls
- Uses three words regularly
- Walks backward
| - Scribbles with crayon
- Runs
- Adopts “no” as his favourite word
| - “Helps” around the house
- Puts his fingers to his mouth and says, “shhh”
|
16 months
| - Turns the pages of a book
- Has temper tantrums when frustrated
- Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object
| - Discovers the joy of climbing
- Stacks three blocks
- Uses spoon or fork
- Learns the correct way to use common objects e.g. the telephone
| - Takes off one piece of clothing himself
- Gets finicky about food
- Switches from two naps to one
|
17 months
| - Uses six words regularly
- Enjoys pretend games
- Likes riding toys
| - Feeds doll
- Speaks more clearly
- Throws a ball underhand
| - Dances to music
- Sorts toys by colour, shape, or size
- Kicks ball forward
|
18 months
| - Will “read” books on his own
- Scribbles well
| - Strings two words together in phrases
- Brushes teeth with help
- Stacks four blocks
| - Throws a ball overhand
- Takes toys apart and puts them back together
- Shows sig of toilet training readiness
|
19 months
| - Uses a spoon and fork
- Runs
- Throws a ball underhand
- Enjoys helping around the house
| - Understands as many as 200 words
- Recognises when something is wrong e.g. calling a dog a cat
| - Washes and dries own hands with help
- Points to picture or object when you call it by name
- May know when she needs to pee
|
20 months
| - Feeds dolls
- Takes off own clothes
- Dumps an object in imitation e.g. throwing garbage
| - Learns words at a rate of ten or more a day
- Can walk up stairs (but probably not down)
| - May start exploring genitals
- Draws a straight line
- Names several body parts
|
21 months
| - Can walk up stairs
- Able to set simple goals e.g. decide to put a toy in a certain place
| - Throws a ball overhand
- Kicks ball forward
- Stacks six blocks
| - Names simple pictures on a book
- Can walk down stairs
|
22 months
| - Kicks ball forward
- Follows 2-step requests e.g. get your doll and bring it here
| - Does simple puzzles
- Draws a straight line
- Names several body parts
| - Puts on loose-fitting clothes
- Might be ready for a big bed
- Understand opposites e.g. tall vs short
|
23 months
| - Names simple pictures in a book
- Uses 50 to 70 words
| - Opens doors
- Sings simple tunes
- Takes more interest in playing with other kids
| - Talks about self (likes, dislikes)
- Asks “why?”
|
24 months
| - Names at least six body parts
- Half of speech is understandable
- Makes two- to three-word sentences
| - Talks about self
- Arranges things in categories
- Can walk down stairs
| - Begins to understand abstract concepts e.g. sooner and later
- Becomes attuned to gender differences
- Learns to jump
|
25-26 months
| - Stacks six blocks
- Walks with smooth heel-to-toe motion
| - Uses pronouns e.g. I, me, you
- Washes and dries own hands
| - Speaks clearly most of the time
- Draws a vertical line
|
27-28 months
| - Jumps with both feet
- Opens doors
| - Understands descriptions e.g. big, soft, etc.
- Draws a vertical line
| - Starts to recognise ABCs
- Balances on one foot
|
29-30 months
| - Brushes teeth with help
- Washes and dries own hands
- Draws a vertical line
| - Draws a circle
- Balances on one foot
| - Puts on a T-shirt
- Names one colour
- Names one friend
|
31-32 months
| - Recites own name
- Draws a circle
| - Puts on a T-shirt
- Balances on each foot for a second
- Recognises ABCs
- Brushes teeth by herself
| - Uses two adjectives
- Draws a cross
- Points to objects described by use
|
33-34 months
| - Names one colour
- Names one friend
- Carries on a simple conversation
| - Alternate feet going up and down stairs
- Uses prepositions e.g. on, in, over
- Speaks clearly most of the time (75% can be understood)
- Stacks eight blocks
| - Is toilet trained during the day
- Wiggles thumb
- Expresses a wide range of emotions
- Draws a stick figure
|
35-36 months
| - Describes how two objects are used
- Uses three to four words in a sentence
- Names two actions e.g. skipping, jumping
| - Hops and skips
- Follows a two- or three- part command
- Separates fairly easily from parents
- Rides a tricycle
| - Balances on each foot for three seconds
- Gets dressed without help
|
