Milestones

Every baby develops on their own timeline, but the patterns are predictable. Use this checklist to tell what's normal from what's worth a call to your pediatrician or a pediatric PT.

What's normal

• Moves symmetrically — reaches, rolls, and pushes up using both sides of the body.
• Hits the “ministones” before the big milestones: reaching across midline, pivoting on the belly, shifting weight side to side.
• Pushes up onto straight arms in tummy time, and pivots in a circle on the belly around 5–6 months.
• Gets into and out of sitting on their own, using side sitting to transition.
• Pulls to stand, cruises along furniture, then takes independent steps.
• After walking: walks backwards and sideways, squats down to play, climbs, carries toys while walking, kicks a ball.
• Develops at their own pace — motor development is rarely a straight line.

What's atypical — worth a call

• Head lag: can't tuck the chin when you pull them to sit, around 3 months.
• A consistent head tilt, or only turning to look one way.
• A C-curve through the spine, one shoulder or leg hiking higher, or a tummy-time “favorite arm.”
• Rolls, crawls, or reaches with one side only.
• Arches the back a lot in tummy time, or struggles to lift the head.
• A “happy sitter” who won't move out of sitting — or only scoots instead of crawling.
• Loses a skill they had, or stalls for weeks with no forward progress.
• Your gut says something is off — that counts as data. Call your pediatrician or a pediatric PT.

Milestone timelines

• Rolling: 4–6 months
• Sitting: 6–8 months
• Crawling: 6–9 months
• Pulling to stand: 8–11 months
• Walking: 12–15 months
• Standing up from the floor / squatting unsupported: 18 months
• Fine motor at 1 year: clapping, pointing, waving, stacking