Your baby’s first two years go by in a blur! It seems like no time passes before they go from a tiny, helpless newborn to an active and curious toddler. Along the way, they’ll hit several baby milestones that mark their growth and development.
From making eye contact to sitting up and rolling over, these milestones are an exciting and important part of your baby’s journey. And though every child develops at their own pace, there are some general guidelines for when you can expect your baby to do certain things.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the most common baby milestones by age. We’ll also give you some tips on encouraging and supporting your little one as they master these critical skills.
Key Takeaways
Why are baby milestones important?
Baby milestones show how your child is developing and growing. They also indicate that your baby’s brain and body work together as expected.
Tracking these milestones can help you identify potential challenges early on and take action if needed. The CDC has a Milestone Tracker App that can help you monitor your child’s progress. They also offer a digital checklist.
Your child’s doctor will also ask about milestones at each checkup. They can provide guidance and recommendations if you have any questions or concerns.
Baby milestones by age
Now that you know what baby milestones are, let’s look at some of the most common ones by age.
1-2 months old
As your newborn adjusts to life outside the womb for the first month, they gain more control over their body. By the time they’re two months old, your baby will likely reach the following milestones.
Social-Emotional
- Stop crying and calm down when you talk to them or pick them up
- Stare intently at your face
- Smile when they see you or when you talk to them
Language
- Make simple vowel sounds like “oooo” or “aaaa”
- Startle when they hear a loud sound (known as the startle or Moro reflex)
Cognitive
- Stare at you as you move around
- Look at a nearby object for several seconds
Physical development
- Briefly lift and hold head up during tummy time
- Move all four limbs
- Open hand for a short time before closing it again
The baby in this short video demonstrates all three of these physical milestones:
3-4 months old
Your little one becomes more interactive and communicative between three and four months of age. They’ll likely reach the following milestones during this time.
Social-Emotional
- Giggle or chuckle when you do something silly to try and make them laugh
- Try different ways to get your attention (Such as making eye contact, smiling, moving, or cooing)
Language
- Coo and babble with vowel sounds
- Use different cries to express needs (hunger, boredom, wetness, etc.)
- Turn towards your voice
- Babble back when you talk to them
Cognitive
- Show interest in their hand (looks at it while opening and closing it, tries to grasp things, etc.)
- Open mouth when they see the breast or bottle if they’re hungry
Physical development
- Support their own head when you’re holding them
- Lift chest slightly by pushing up onto their elbows or forearms when on their belly
- Swing arms to try to reach toys
- Put hands in mouth
5-6 months old
By now, your baby’s personality is starting to shine! They’re becoming more curious about the world around them and beginning to realize that they are a separate person from you.
Here are some milestones you can watch for during their fifth and sixth months of life.
Social-Emotional
- Recognize familiar people such as family members and caregivers
- Enjoy looking at self in a mirror
- Laugh out loud
Language
- Respond with cooing after you talk to them
- Make raspberry sounds
- Squeal
Cognitive
- Use mouth to learn more about objects
- Reach for objects
- Close their mouth to indicate they don’t want any more food
Physical development
- Roll over onto their back from their tummy
- Use hands to support self while sitting
- Push up onto straight arms during tummy time
7-8 months old
Your baby is now more mobile and active. If you haven’t yet baby-proofed your house, here’s your reminder to do so.
During these months, your baby may:
Social-Emotional
- Fuss when you leave
- Show different emotions like happiness and sadness
- Reach their arms up to show you they want to be picked up
Language
- Try to imitate sounds you make
- Voice two-syllable sounds (like da-da)
- Babble with different vowel and consonant sounds
- Understand simple words like no, bye-bye, and come here
Cognitive
- Look when you call their name
- Uncover a toy they see you cover
Physical development
- Roll over in both directions
- Sit unsupported
- Get into a hands-and-knees position
- Stand with support
- Hold an object in each hand
9-10 months old
At this stage, your baby is constantly moving and exploring their environment. They’re also starting to communicate more and indicate their needs and wants.
You can expect your nine or ten-month-old to do the following:
Social-Emotional
- Feel shy or clingy around strangers
- React when you leave by crying or reaching for you
- Smile or laugh when playing an interactive game
Language
- Make lots of different sounds and combining them into strings of syllables (like ba-ba-da-oo)
- Point to things with a finger
- Copy movements they see (like sticking out their tongue or waving bye-bye)
Cognitive
- Explore objects by shaking them or banging them together
- Track falling objects to see where they land
Physical development
- Can get into sitting position
- Starts to crawl
- Transfer objects from one hand to the other
- Use fingers as a rake to pull objects or food closer
11-12 months old
Can you believe it’s almost been a year since your little one was born? It’s amazing how much they’ve grown and learned already, and this is just the beginning!
Keep your eyes peeled for these exciting milestones:
Social-Emotional
- Plays simple, interactive games like Pat-a-cake
- Hands you an object when they want to play
- Demonstrates preferences for toys and food
Language
- Waves goodbye
- Uses a special name for you (such as mama or dada)
- Understands the word “no”
Cognitive
- Puts objects into containers
- Stacks one object on top of another
Physical development
- Pulls to stand
- Cruising around furniture
- Takes a sip from an open cup if you hold it
- Picks up objects with a pincer grasp (between their thumb and index finger)
13-15 Months
In 2022, the CDC updated the baby milestone lists and added a 15-month checklist. Let’s look at what many toddlers can do at this age.
Social-Emotional
- Copies others while playing
- Claps when excited
- Hugs toys (such as stuffed animals or dolls)
- Shows you things they like
- Shows affection through hugs, kisses, or cuddles
Language
- Has a vocabulary of one or two words besides “mama” or “dada”
- Looks or points to familiar objects when you say their name
- Follows simple one-step directions when given with words and gestures
- Points to ask for help or to indicate they want something
Cognitive
Tries to use objects the way they’ve seen you use them (such as a phone or book)
Stacks two or more small objects
Physical development
- Takes a few independent steps
- Feeds self with fingers
16-18 Months
Your toddler is growing and learning so much at this age. Here are some things you can expect to see them do soon.
Social-Emotional
- Feels more comfortable stepping away from you but watches to make sure you’re still there
- Points to things they find interesting
- Looks at a book with you for a little while
- Puts their hands out to make it easier for you to wash them
Language
- Has a vocabulary of three or more words in addition to “mama” or “dada”
- Follows one-step directions when given orally
Cognitive
- Copies you when you clean the house (such as sweeping or trying to fold laundry)
- Engages with toys as they play (such as pushing a toy car or rolling a ball back and forth with you)
Physical development
- Walks independently
- Scribbles
- Drinks from an open cup, even if they spill a bit
- Tries using a spoon or fork
- Independently climbs onto a couch or chair and can get down
19-24 Months
Can you believe that your little one’s second birthday is almost here? By the time they celebrate, you’ll likely notice these developmental milestones.
Social-Emotional
Notices when someone else feels upset
Looks at you to see your reaction when encountering a new situation
Language
- Points to an item that you name on the page of a book
- Says two or three words together (such as “me go too” or “more apple”)
- Points to two or more body parts when you name them
- Uses gestures to communicate (such as nodding or shaking their head or blowing a kiss)
Cognitive
- Holds an item in one hand while using the other hand
- Attempts to use knobs, switches, or buttons on toys
- Uses more than one toy at a time while playing (such as trying to “fix” one toy with a toy hammer or “cooking” toy food by putting it on the stove of their toy kitchen)
Physical development
- Kicks a ball
- Attempts to run
- Walks up a few stairs, even if they need help
- Feeds self with a spoon
What if your baby is behind?
As you read through this list of baby milestones, you may realize that your baby hasn’t met all of the ones for their age. If that happens, don’t panic! Instead, take a deep breath and remember that every child is different. They all develop at their own pace.
Your baby may be a little ahead in some areas and slightly behind in others. That’s OK! As long as they’re making progress and showing growth, there’s usually no cause for concern.
However, there are some red flags to watch for, including:
- Lost skills
- No response to loud sounds
- No babbling by 12 months
- Not moving all four limbs
- Using only one side of the body
- Floppy head at four months
- No intentional smiles or laughter by six months
If you notice any of these, you’ll want to discuss your child’s progress with their doctor.
How to help your baby meet milestones
As your child’s first teacher, you play a vital role in helping them meet their milestones. Here are some tips for supporting their development during their first two years of life:
Do tummy time regularly.
Tummy time helps your baby strengthen their muscles and allows them to practice their milestones. Plan on making this time a regular part of your routine for at least six months.
Once your little one can sit up independently or start crawling, they’ll no longer need official tummy time. Instead, give them ample time to move their body and play with toys.
The Newton Travel Crib & Play Yard makes a great, safe location for tummy time.
Read daily.
Reading aloud is one of the best ways to introduce your baby to the English language. Even if they’re too young to understand exactly what you’re saying, newborns can benefit from this special time together.
Here’s why you should read aloud to your baby each day:
- Creates a strong bond
- Introduces them to new words
- Stimulates brain development
- Builds language skills
- Establishes a habit of reading
- Sparks an interest in books
Plus, studies have shown that reading aloud to your baby can help them do better in school when they’re older. Researchers found a strong correlation between reading to young children and their academic success.
Sing to your baby.
Singing to your baby is another great way to build a strong bond and introduce them to language. Since they’re naturally drawn to the soothing sound of your voice, singing can help calm them down when they’re upset.
Repetition is key to helping your child learn new words, so feel free to sing the same set of songs repeatedly.
And don’t worry if you’re not a great singer! Your baby doesn’t care if you're off-key or forget the words. They simply enjoy the sound of your voice and the attention you’re giving them.
Here are some ways to engage your baby even more while singing:
- Tap gently on their feet in time to the music
- Clap their hands together to make a beat
- Say their name in the song
- Hold your baby close and dance while you sing
- Sing in different voices
- Add some action songs to your repertoire
- Stomp your feet as you sing
- Give an older baby a rattle or simple drum so you can make music together
Talk about what you’re doing.
Another easy way to help your baby with language development is by simply talking about what you’re doing. As you go through your daily routine, describe what’s happening.
Tell them about washing the dishes, putting on sunscreen, and why you wear a coat when going outside on a cold day. This will help them understand the world around them and expose them to new words and concepts.
Encourage exploration and independence.
Provide your baby with safe places for them to play and learn. Babies are naturally curious and will explore their surroundings, which can help them learn about cause and effect.
Encourage their independence by allowing them to explore and discover things on their own. For example, if you have a baby toy that plays music when they push a button, give them time to figure it out before showing them how to do it.
You can also encourage movement with a Newton X Figgy Play Couch. The cushions come off, and your little one will have a blast climbing onto and over them. They can use the pieces to build epic forts as they get older!
Play interactive games.
Promote social-emotional skills by playing simple games with your baby. Here are some favorites:
- Peek-a-boo
- Pat-a-cake
- This Little Piggy
- Itsy-Bitsy Spider
- Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
As they learn to anticipate these games' actions, they learn about social skills and interacting with others.
Let your baby get messy.
Messes, while not fun to clean up, are important for your child’s development. If you try to keep things too tidy, you may limit your baby’s opportunity to explore and learn.
For example, if you keep feeding your toddler to avoid the mess, they may miss out on developing fine motor skills and learning to self-feed. So embrace the mess and allow your child to learn through exploration. You’ll have some cute, messy baby pictures to share!
And remember, it won’t take long before they learn how to eat without making such huge messes and become more adept at helping clean up. This phase really does pass quickly!
Get outside.
Spending time outdoors has numerous benefits for your baby’s development. It allows them to experience different textures, smells, and sounds, which stimulates their senses and helps with brain development.
Make it a habit to spend some time outside whenever the weather allows. You can walk around the neighborhood or sit in the backyard and spread a blanket on the grass for your baby.
Provide age-appropriate toys.
Stimulate your baby’s senses with age-appropriate toys and other objects they can play with safely.
Here are some ideas:
- Large building blocks
- Kitchen pots and pans and a wooden spoon
- Stuffed animals with different textures
- Shape sorters
- Sealed cans of food to roll around
These toys and items can help develop their motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills.
Once your baby is about two months old, try showing them a toy and encouraging them to reach for it. Next, try to incorporate toys into tummy time. Place them just out of reach in front of your little one. Before you know it, they’ll be able to get to the toy and pick it up.
Make sure they get enough sleep.
Babies and toddlers need a lot of sleep to support their physical and mental growth. Establish a bedtime routine and ensure their sleep environment is calming and comfortable.
Here are some tips:
- Check out the Newton Crib Mattress. It’s ultra-breathable for safety and helps prevent your baby from overheating.
- Dress your baby in pajamas with the optimal TOG rating for their room temperature.
- Keep the lights low.
- Use a humidifier to keep the room between 40-60% humidity.
- Try a white noise machine.
- Avoid letting your baby get overtired.
Remember that babies grow when they sleep, so not getting enough rest can affect their development and behavior.
Be patient.
It’s normal for babies and toddlers to go through different stages of development at their own pace. Be patient with your child and give them time to learn and grow.
If you’re getting frustrated working on a specific skill, take a break and try again in a few weeks. Time really can make a difference.
Avoid making comparisons.
Along those same lines, resist the urge to compare your child’s development to that of other babies or toddlers. You want to instill confidence in your child, and comparing them to others can create unnecessary pressure and expectations.
Celebrate their progress.
Even if it doesn’t seem like it, your baby is learning and growing daily. Take time to celebrate their milestones and progress, no matter how small.
This will boost their confidence and encourage them to continue learning and exploring.
Grow baby, grow!
Your little one’s first two years are an exciting journey full of growth. From that first bright smile to their first steps, each baby milestone is a testament to their development and your support as a parent.
By understanding the typical milestones and providing your child with a safe, nurturing environment, you can help them reach their full potential. And Newton is here to support you every step of the way.
Our blog contains plenty of helpful tips and parenting advice, and we design our products with your baby’s health and safety in mind. We’re always here to help you and your little one thrive.
Here’s to many more milestones and magical moments in the years to come!
