- May startle to loud noises
- May smile when spoken to
- Familiar voices are soothing and comforting
- Varies cries depending on needs
- Cooing and gooing sounds when happy
- May smile when seeing familiar faces (mom, dad)
- Fluctuates speed of sucking in accordance to sounds
- May suck fingers if near mouth
- Fluctuates speed of sucking in accordance to sounds
- Recognizes the difference between nipple and bottle
- New voices are intriguing
- Lifts head briefly
- Turns from side to back purposefully
- Briefly (for 5–10 seconds) holds an object such as a rattle
- Follows the direction of sounds with eyes
- Attentive to music and toys that make sounds
- Vocalizes enthusiasm and discontent through laughter or cries
- Makes babbling and gurgling sounds as a form of speech
- Can hold bottle without assistance from mom or dad
- Responds with an open mouth if spoon is nearby
- Responsive to the word “no” as well as changes in parental tone of voice
- Attentive to music, rhythm, and other surrounding noises
- Sits when propped up (the back may be curved forward)
- Brings hands and objects to mouth
- Holds, shakes, and bangs a rattle with hands
- Rolls from front to back and back to front
- Creeps forward when lying on stomach
- Begins to self-feed food (i.e. snacks, crackers)
- Sips from cup dependent on adult holding it up (some loss of liquid)
- If presented with a spoon, will reach for it
- Makes sounds with the spoon by banging on table surface
- Favors parent feeding versus self-feeding
- Turns when name is called
- Sits with minimal support with back straight
- Creeps forward when lying on stomach
- May begin crawling
- Bears weight when in a standing position
- Holds an object and transfers it from one hand to another
- Rakes the hand to reach an object or food
- Appreciates games such as peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
- Recognizes familiar objects by name
- Starts to reply to requests through gestures and babbling
- Uses one or two words (closer to 1 year)
- Begins to imitate certain speech sounds
- Attentive when spoken to
- Consumes lumped or mashed foods
- Begins the use of rotary jaw chewing
- Sits for long periods of time
- Crawls, scoots, shakes, bangs, points, and throws objects
- May be able to pull to a stand and cruise around furniture
- May start to take a few steps
- Has a good pincer grasp (is able to pick up items with index finger and thumb)
- Can recognize and point to body parts if asked
- Recognizes and points to pictures names in books
- Attentive to children’s stories and enjoys songs
- Follows simple commands and comprehends simple questions
- Uses one/two word questions (i.e. “What’s that?”)
- Puts words together to express wants/needs
- Effectively drink from a straw and grasp a spoon
- Vocabulary grows from 2-50 words
- Pulls up to a standing position
- Moves around while holding on to the couch or other furniture (known as “cruising”)
- Takes steps independently
- Puts objects in and takes them out of a container
- Squats down and stands back up
- Points at items he or she wants
- Copies some of your actions (such as holding a phone to their ear, or pointing with a remote control)
- Throws or kicks a ball
- Knows how to indicate wet pants
- Uses third-person language by referring to self by name
- Involved in parallel play
- Participates in communicating social words (i.e. “hi,” “bye,” “thank you”)
- Begins imitating adults
- Gives up the bottle, self feeds, and has limited spills
- Able to swallow with full lip closure
- Vocabulary grows from 50-300 words
- Intelligible speech 25-50%
- Pronouns produced include: “I” and “it”
- Understands prepositions such as in, on, and under
- Understands directional terms such as up and down
- Uses a spoon
- Drinks from a cup
- Walks alone; may be running
- Comprehends variances in meaning such as opposites
- Listens and enjoys longer stories
- Follows two-step commands
- Stutter may occur in words or sounds
- Draws attention by labeling or commenting
- Holds a cup in one hand and drinks with limited spillage
- Effectively use spoon/fork and bite through various thicknesses
- Vocabulary grows from 300-1,000 words
- Intelligible speech 50-75%
- Speech sounds produced include: /b/, /w/, /h/, /m/, /n/, /p/
- Pronouns produced include: my, me, mine, you, your, she, he, yours, we
- Begins asking “where” and “what” questions
- Understands prepositions such as in, off, on, under, out of, together, away from
- Comprehends size differences (i.e. big and little)
- Able to identify similar objects from a presented group of various objects
- Draws or copies lines or circles
- Runs and climbs
- Uses one hand more than the other while eating and coloring
- Responds to name called from a distance or separate room
- Listens to electronics (i.e. television or radio) at same loudness levels as adults
- Recognizes and comprehends basic colors and shapes
- Comprehends family labels (i.e. brother, sister, grandma, grandpa)
- Begins to ask “when” and “how” questions
- Starts to rhyme simple words (i.e. dad-bad)
- Sentences contain 4+ words
- Vocabulary grows from 1,000-1,600 words
- Intelligible speech 75-90%
- Speech sounds produced include: /f/, /t/, /k/, /g/, /y/, /d/
- Pronouns produced include: “they,” “us,” “hers,” “its,” “our,” “him,” “myself,” “yourself,” “ourselves”
- Begins asking one-word “why” questions along with “is,” “what,” “where,” “when,” “how,” and “whose” questions
- Understands prepositions such behind, in front, around, beside, between
- Able to discern the different object from the presented group
- Stacks more than 6 blocks or other objects
- Runs and climbs well
- Pedals a tricycle
- Begins to comprehend sequences of events (i.e. first, second, third)
- Obeys multi-step directions and classroom instructions
- Hears and comprehends home and school conversation
- Capable of telling a short/long imaginative and dramatic story
- Understands transitioning between outdoor versus indoor voice
- Converses easily with adults and participates in conversation with strangers
- Capable of identifying letters and numbers
- Varies speech dependent upon communication partner and environment
- Vocabulary grows from 1,600-2,500 words
- Intelligible speech 90-100%
- Speech sounds produced include: /j/, /ch/, /sh/, /z/, /v/, /r/, /l/, /s/
- Asks questions that follow a pattern of “do you want to?” “are we going to?” and “can you?”
- Understands prepositions such as nearest, through, first, middle, last
- Comprehends time concepts (i.e. yesterday, today, tomorrow)
- Catches a ball that is bounced, most of the time
- Stands briefly on one foot