A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Milestones in Speech, Language, and Motor Development
Understanding communication and motor milestones can be helpful when you have questions about your child’s development. Use the information here as a guideline to help you think about your child’s pattern of development. Remember that each child is unique, and there are variations in developmental patterns. See your pediatrician or family physician if you have concerns about your child’s development.

Babies from birth to six months are learning to:
- respond and react to sounds around them
- imitate sounds
- recognize and respond to their name
- babble – make sounds on their own
- make sounds with their lips, like “b, p, m”
- make sounds to show happiness or discomfort
- begin sitting without support
- roll front to back and back to front
- begin supporting weight with their legs
At nine months babies often will:
- show recognition of familiar people
- understand “no-no”
- string sounds together and make sound combinations like “bababa”
- imitate sounds and gestures of others
- enjoy “back and forth” games and play
- look where you point to call their attention to something
- stand with support
- get into sitting position and sit without support
- transfer toys from one hand to another
- pick up small objects like cereal “O’s” with thumb and index finger


At 18 months children typically:
- can pretend play, such as feeding a baby doll
point to request something or to call others’ attention to something interesting
know what common objects are for (cup, ball, brush)
point to a few body parts when asked
point to objects or pictures in books when named
will listen to simple stories and songs
can say single words and vocabulary grows rapidly
walk alone
begin to walk up steps and run
can help with undressing
At 2 years of age, children typically:
can self-feed
drink from an open cup with little spillage
follow basic two-step directions
understand differences in meaning of words like “big/little”, “on/off”
speak clearly enough to be understood about 50% of the time
imitate adult behaviors and voice patterns
show enjoyment or excitement around other children
can kick a ball
can throw a ball overhand
can walk up and down stairs holding on
can run
can climb on and off furniture without help


At 3 years of age, children typically:
self-feed with a spoon or fork with little spillage
follow three-step directions
understand concepts in words like “mine, yours,” and “in, on, under”
understand some basic number concepts
have 1000 words in their vocabulary
speak clearly enough to be understood about 75% of the time
speak in 3-4 word sentences, using pronouns and plurals
can ask ‘who, what, where’ questions
engage in pretend play and group activities with other children
take turns and play cooperatively
can have a conversation with 2-3 speaking turns
take turns and play cooperatively
show affection for friends and family members
are interested in learning to button and zip clothing
can dress and undress themselves
climb well and run easily
walk up and down steps, one foot on each step
At 4 years of age, children typically:
can remember and retell parts of a story
- understand time concepts like ‘yesterday, today, tomorrow’
- can identify and name some colors and numbers
have 1600 words in their vocabulary
speak clearly enough to be understood about 90% of the time
speak routinely in sentences of 4 or more words
act out events using dramatic play
can express ideas and feelings and tell stories
prefer to play with other children than alone
can draw a person with 2-4 body parts
can manage fasteners like buttons and zippers
can hop and stand on one foot for a few seconds
can catch a bounced ball most of the time
At 5 years of age, children typically:
speak very clearly
can tell a story using full sentences
can describe future events (Dad will be home later.)
stay on topic when telling a story or having a conversation.
communicate easily with other children and adults.
can say full name and address
say most sounds correctly except a few like l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th
can make rhyming words
have verbal communication skills that resemble older children and adults
can copy shapes and print letters and numbers
can hop, skip, swing and do a somersault
wants to please and be like friends