Developmental Milestones for a Child (2024)

"A Child's Developmental Milestones"

At What Age Should My Child...

…Sit Up?

The average child can sit up while supported around four months. She will start sitting up unsupported around 6 – 8 months.

…Crawl?

Theaverage child will begin crawling around 8-9 months. They usuallystart with the “army crawl” where they scoot on their bellies. After acouple of weeks of that, they will get up on all fours for thetraditional “baby crawl.”

…Walk?

Childrentend to start pulling themselves up on furniture around the age of 10months. Walking on their own happens at around 12 months.

…Talk?

Mostchildren will start babbling as early as 4 months. Words that only themost significant people in their life will understand will startforming at around 12-15 months. Audible words will start being usedaround 15 – 18 months. By the age of 2, they may be stringing a fewwords together. At 2-1/2 years old, they could be speaking in shortsentences.

…Hold their own bottle?

Babies will start helping you hold the bottle at 8 – 9 months. They will be able to hold their own bottle at around 10 months.

…Give up the bottle?

Anytime after one year of age. The sooner you break the habit, the easierit is for your child. At age one, switch them to a sippy cup with asoft tip. When they learn to drink from this cup, change it out for asippy cup with a hard over and air-release value. At about the age ofthree, they should be ready for a normal cup that they can hang on towith two hands.

…Quit using a pacifier?

Some time between the age of one and two. Again, the sooner you break the habit, the easier it is for your child.

…Stop sucking their thumb?

Thishabit is a little harder to break than the pacifier habit. You canthrow away pacifiers, but you can’t throw away a thumb. You want yourchild to quit sucking their thumb at around the age of two.

…Cut down to one nap?

You have to read your baby’s mood, but sometime between 12 and 18 months is the normal time to cut down to one nap.

…Take no nap?

Children should take a nap up until the age of four. Younger children need longer naps. Older children need shorter naps.

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More Developmental Milestones

…Say the ABC’s and know colors and shapes?

Achild should be able to recite the alphabet anywhere between the age of2 and 4. This is also the time when they should be able to distinguishcolors and shapes.

…Eat solid foods?

Rightaround the age of one, you should be able to cut normal table food intosmall bite-sized pieces and expect the child to be able to pick it upand feed themselves.

…Switch from a crib to a regular bed?

Ifthere are no other factors involved, a child should be moved to a bedaround the age of two. But sometimes there are circ*mstances, such as anew baby coming that forces the change earlier. That is totallyacceptable.

…Change from an infant car seat to a child’s car seat?

Laws vary from state to state, but a general consensus would be to change seats at one year of age or 20 pounds. Visit this website for a chart of car seat laws from state to state.

…Not use a car seat anymore?

Again,this law varies from state to state. Some states regulate car seatusage by weight and some by age. For a chart of car seat laws fromstate to state, visit this website.

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…Potty Trained?

Children vary widely regarding when they are ready to potty train. Any time between the ages of two and three is normal. There are children who can potty train earlier than the age of two.

…Taken to the dentist for the first time?

Properoral hygiene should be taught as soon as their first tooth comes in. Atrip to the dentist should be taken around the age of two.

…Allowed to use the computer?

Inthe technology world that we live in, it’s important to teach childrencomputer skills at a very young age. Children as young as two years oldcan learn to use a mouse and play educational computer software on acomputer.

If you are you raising or caring for a child with special needs, please visit Natalie's website, The Special Needs Child.It will provide you with information, resources and support neededwhile learning about and dealing with a child with special needs.

If you have suggestions of other Developmental Milestones that should appear on this web page, please submit them here!

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• Potty Training a Toddler
• Naptime for Children
• Projects for Preschoolers

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