Developmental Milestones: The following are general descriptions of developmental milestones and are only meant to be used as a guideline.

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 3 Months:

• Raises head and chest when on tummy

• Supports upper body with arms when on tummy

• Pushes into surface when feet are placed on firm surface

• Opens and closes hands

• Brings hand to mouth

• Grasps rattles

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 7 Months:

• Rolls front to back and back to front

• Gets into sitting position without assistance

• Crawls forward on belly

• Reaches with one hand

• Transfers object from hand to hand

• Uses raking of the hand to grasp object

• Finger-feeds self

• Finds partially hidden object

• Explores objects with hands and mouth

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 12 Months:

• Tests parent responses to behaviors

• Finger-feeds self

• Crawls on hands and knees

• Pulls to stand

• Walks holding onto furniture

• Takes two or three steps without support

• Uses pincer grasp

• Bangs two objects together

• Puts objects into container

• Releases objects voluntarily

• Explores objects in many ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)

• Finds hidden objects easily

• Begins to use objects correctly (brushing hair, drinking from cup)

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 18 Months:

• Walks alone

• Pulls toys while walking

• Turns over container to pour out contents

• Spoon- feeds

• Uses open and sippy cup

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 24 Months:

• Carries large toy or several toys while walking

• Begins to run

• Kicks a ball

• Walks up and down stairs with support

• Scribbles

• Builds tower of 4 or more blocks

• Demonstrates handedness

• Helps with undressing

• Finds objects hidden under multiple covers

• Begins to sort by shapes and colors

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 36 Months/3 years:

• Climbs well

• Walks up and down stairs alternating feet

• Runs easily

• Pedals a tricycle

• Bends over without falling

• Makes lines vertically, horizontally, and scribbles circles

• Turns pages of a book one at a time

• Builds a 6 block tower

• Holds a crayon or pencil in writing position

• Turns rotating handles

• Completes inset puzzles with 3-4 pieces

• Undresses self

• Toilet training begins

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 48 Months/4 years:

• Dresses and Undresses

• Hops and stands on one foot

• Goes up and down stairs without support

• Throws a ball overhead

• Catches a bounced ball most of the time

• Copies squares

• Draws a person with 2-4 body parts

• Uses scissors

• Draws circles and squares

• Begins to copy capital letters

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 60 Months/5 years:

• Stands on one foot for 10 seconds or longer

• Hops

• Somersaults

• Swings

• Begins to skip

• Copies triangle and other shapes

• Draws a person with a body

• Prints uppercase letters

• Cuts on line consistently

• Uses fork and spoon

• Cares for own toileting needs

• Can count 10 or more objects

• Knows about use of everyday items (food, money)

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 6 years:

• Needs to win and may change rules to suit

• Increasingly aware that others have feelings

• Shows more interest in taking care of his or her self without help

• Cleans his or her room, including making the bed

• Likes board games, crafts and other constructive projects

• Can move in time with music or a beat

• Takes risks while climbing and balancing

• Learns to skip with rope

• More in control of his or her body

• Bounces and catches tennis ball

• Holds a pencil with three finger with movement from fingers

• Copies a diamond

• Draws a person with detail

• Writes alphabet

• Ties shoelaces without help

• Eye-hand coordination significantly improves

• Masters buttons and fasteners

• Cuts with a knife

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Occupational Therapy Developmental Milestones By 7 years:

• Has good balance

• Executes more complicated gymnastics such as a cartwheel

• Activities become more sport specific

• Proficient with paper and pencil tasks

• Able to organize multi-step sequences