Developmental milestones: birth to three
Milestones are the skills most children reach by a certain age. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a test — and if something feels off, acting early is always better than waiting.
0–3
Years old
How to use this guide
The checkpoints below follow the milestone checklists published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through its "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program. Each one describes what most children — about 75% — do by that age. Children develop at their own pace, so a single missed skill is not a diagnosis. A pattern of missed skills, or losing a skill a child already had, is worth acting on right away.
In California, you do not need a doctor's referral or a diagnosis to ask for an evaluation. Any parent can contact their local regional center directly, and the evaluation is free.
By Age
What most children do, checkpoint by checkpoint
By 2 months
- Calms when picked up or spoken to
- Looks at your face and briefly watches you move
- Makes sounds other than crying
- Holds head up when on tummy
By 4 months
- Smiles on their own to get your attention
- Makes cooing sounds and responds when you talk
- Holds head steady without support when held
- Brings hands to mouth and pushes up on elbows during tummy time
By 6 months
- Knows familiar people and enjoys looking at themselves in a mirror
- Takes turns making sounds with you and blows raspberries
- Rolls from tummy to back and leans on hands for support when sitting
- Reaches for a toy they want and brings things to their mouth
By 9 months
- Shows several facial expressions and reacts when you leave
- Makes different sounds like mamamama and babababa
- Sits without support and gets to a sitting position by themselves
- Looks for objects when they drop out of sight
By 12 months
- Plays games with you, like pat-a-cake
- Waves bye-bye and calls a parent mama or dada
- Pulls up to stand and walks holding on to furniture
- Puts something in a container and looks for hidden things
By 18 months
- Points to show you something interesting and moves away but checks that you are close
- Tries to say three or more words besides mama or dada and follows one-step directions
- Walks without holding on and climbs on and off a couch or chair
- Scribbles, drinks from a cup without a lid, and tries to use a spoon
By 24 months
- Notices when others are hurt or upset and looks at your face to see how to react
- Says at least two words together, like more milk, and points to things in a book
- Kicks a ball, runs, and walks up a few stairs with help
- Uses switches and knobs on toys and holds something in one hand while using the other
By 30 months
- Plays next to and sometimes with other children, and follows simple routines
- Says about 50 words, uses two-word phrases with an action word, and names things in a book
- Jumps off the ground with both feet and turns book pages one at a time
- Uses things to pretend and shows simple problem solving
When to act early
Talk with your child's doctor, or contact your regional center directly, if your child:
- Loses skills they once had, at any age.
- Is not making eye contact, smiling back, or responding to their name.
- Is not babbling by 9 months or using single words by 15 to 18 months.
- Is not sitting by 9 months, pulling to stand by 12 months, or walking by 18 months.
- Has trouble eating, gagging, coughing, or refusing whole food textures.
- Feels unusually stiff or unusually floppy when held or moved.
Acting early does not mean assuming the worst. It means getting information while a child's brain is at its most adaptable.
What happens if a delay is found
If an evaluation shows a qualifying delay, your child becomes eligible for California Early Start. A service coordinator writes an Individualized Family Service Plan with you, and a vendored provider begins therapy in your child's natural environment — at no cost to your family.
Every Child Achieves is one of those providers. Our occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and child development specialists work in homes, day-cares, and parks across greater Los Angeles.
Read the Early Start guideTherapists: help families reach these milestones
We hire pediatric occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists who want to do this work in person, where children actually live and play.