From birth to 2 years, children develop very rapidly. These changes affect motor skills, vision, comprehension and communication. During the first 2 years, infants progress from being totally dependent on their carers to meet their needs to being able to run, speak over 50 words and feed themselves with a spoon.

Click on the images at the top to show childhood developmental milestones for each age.

Developmental milestones

Newborn

• Movement takes the form of generalised reflexes, involving the whole body
• Hands are held in fists most of the time
• Focuses on faces and other objects at close range (20-30 cm)
• Is sensitive to touch and to pain
• Has well developed sense of smell and after a few days will recognise the scent of own mother
• Can hear all sounds in environment but will respond most to loud or high-pitched noises
• Recognises and prefers mother’s voice
• Can taste different flavours and prefers sweet tastes
• Communication is limited to crying

3 months

• Able to lift head and chest when lying on stomach
• Hands unfisted (open) most of the time
• Begins to develop hand-eye coordination; e.g. bats at dangling objects
• Watches faces intently; follows moving objects
• Recognises familiar objects/people at a distance
• Turns head in the direction of sound
• Begins to imitate sounds
• Has a variety of cries, e.g. hunger, pain
• Smiles and laughs
• Makes sounds in response to hearing someone speak
• May imitate some movements and facial expressions

6 months

• Sits up with support and rolls over
• May start to push self up or try to bear some weight on legs
• Full head control
• Reaches for and grasps objects, e.g. a finger
• Able to transfer an object from hand to hand
• Vision may be fully developed
• Starts to babble (join consonants and vowels together repetitively)

12 months

• Stands alone
• First independent steps or walks with hand held
• Bangs blocks together, stacks objects or nests them inside each other
• Holds items between thumb and forefinger
• Makes gestures, e.g. waving
• Speaks first words and associates words with meaning
• Can follow a simple command if accompanied by a gesture
• Uses exclamations, e.g. “uh-oh!”
• Responds to “no”
• May begin to form relationships

18 months

• Walks alone
• Hurls a ball
• Sits down on small chair
• Climbs onto furniture
• Will feed self using a spoon but spills food; drinks from a cup
• Speaks 10-25 words
• Able to point to objects or pictures when they are named
• Knows names of familiar people and parts of body

24 months

• Runs well without falling
• Jumps
• Walks up and down stairs alone
• Kicks a ball
• Feeds self with a spoon and spills little food
• Speaks 50+ words
• Knows and speaks own name
• Connects words into short phrases

NOTE: Development varies widely from child to child. The above should be used as a general guide only. If you are concerned about the development of your child, please consult your doctor or health care professional.