What Developmental Milestones Is My Child Expected to Reach at Each Age?

Developmental milestones are skills most children acquire at similar ages, across movement, language, thinking, and social interaction. They are approximate ranges, not strict deadlines. Here are the key milestones most children reach, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• 2 months: Smiles when you talk to him, makes sounds other than crying, and lifts his head while on his tummy.
• 6 months: Laughs, takes turns making sounds with you, and rolls from tummy to back.
• 9 months: Turns when his name is called, repeats syllables like "bababa", and sits without support.
• 12 months: Waves goodbye, says "mama" or "dada", stands supported, and walks holding onto furniture.
• 18 months: Says three or more words, walks alone, and points to show you something of interest.
• 2 years: Puts two words together such as "want water", kicks a ball, and points to pictures in a book when asked.
• 3 years: Has a short conversation with you, says his name when asked, and joins other children in play.
• 4 years: Speaks in sentences of four or more words, tells you about something that happened during his day, and catches a large ball most of the time.
• 5 years: Counts to ten, hops on one foot, and tells a story that includes at least two events.

Remember: If your child was born prematurely, calculate their corrected age until about two years old. And the loss of any previously acquired skill warrants consulting a specialist immediately at any age.

Checklists are useful, but even more accurate than them is a developmental questionnaire that accompanies your child stage by stage and gives you a clear picture of each skill, so you know where your child is progressing and where they need extra support.

For practitioners: Share these milestones with families during the first meeting, as family awareness of them shortens the path to early identification.

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.