Milestones by the end of 1 Year

• Shy or anxious with strangers
• Cries when mother or father leaves
• Enjoys imitating people in his play
• Shows preferences for certain people/toys
• Test parental responses to his behavior
• May be fearful in some situations
• Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over others
• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
• Finger-feeds himself or herself
• Extends arm or leg to help with being dressed

• Reaches sitting position without assistance
• Crawls forward on belly
• Assumes hands-and-knees position
• Creeps on hands and knees
• Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on stomach) position
• Pulls self up to stand
• Walks holding on to furniture
• Stands momentarily without support
• May walk to or three steps without support

• Uses pincer to grasp
• Bangs two objects together
• Puts objects into and takes objects out of container
• Lets objects go voluntarily
• Tries to imitate scribbling

• Pays increasing attention to speech
• Responds to simple verbal requests
• Responds to “no”
• Uses simple gestures
• Babbles with inflection (changes in tone)
• Says “dada” and “mama”
• Tries to imitate words

• Explores objects in many different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
• Finds hidden objects easily
• Looks at correct picture when the image is named
• Imitates gestures
• Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from a cup, brushing hair, dialing phone)

Milestones by the end of 2 Years

• Imitates behavior of others, especially adults and older children
• More aware of him/herself as separate from others
• More excited about company of other children
• Demonstrates increasing independence
• Begins to show defiant behavior
• Separation anxiety increase toward midyear then fades

• Walks alone
• Pulls toys behind him/her while walking
• Begins to run
• Stands on tiptoe
• Kicks a ball
• Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted
• Walks up and down stairs holding on to support

• Scribbles on his or her own
• Turns over container to pour out contents
• Builds tower of four or more blocks
• Might use one hand more often then the other

• Points to objects or picture when it’s named for him
• Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and body parts
• Says several single words (by 15 o 18 months)
• Uses simple phrases (by 18 to 24 months)
• Uses 2-to-4 word sentences
• Follows simple instructions
• Repeats words overheard in conversation

• Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers
• Begins to sort by shapes and colors
• Begins make-believe play

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