Motor Milestones

MOTOR TASKS YOU CAN EXPECT YOUR CHILD TO HAVE REACHED AT CERTAIN AGES:

3 MONTHS
• lift head when held at your shoulder
• lift head and chest when lying on his stomach
• turn head from side to side when lying on his stomach
• follow a moving object or person with his eyes
• often hold hands open or loosely fisted
• grasp rattle when given to her
• wiggle and kick with arms and legs

6 MONTHS
• holding their heads up when being held in a sitting position
• rolls
• rushing themselves up onto their arms when on belly
• pivot body when on belly
• sit momentarily when leaning
• hold head steady when sitting with your help
• reach for and grasp objects play with his toes
• help hold the bottle during feeding
• explore by mouthing and banging objects
• move toys from one hand to another
• shake a rattle
• pull up to a sitting position on her own if you grasp her hands
• sit with only a little support
• sit in a high chair
• bounce when held in a standing position

1 YEAR
• sit without support
• crawl
• walk while holding something for support (a hand or toy)
• imitate you as you roll a ball
• pull to stand and cruise around furniture
• stand for a few seconds
• drink from a cup with help
• feed herself finger food like raisins or bread crumbs
• grasp small objects by using her thumb and index or forefinger
• use his first finger to poke or point
• put small blocks in and take them out of a container
• knock two blocks together
• cooperate with dressing by offering a foot or an
• pick things up with pincer grasp (thumb and one finger)
• transfer objects from one hand to the other
• release objects (purposefully)
• put objects into and take objects out of containers with large openings
• hold a spoon

18 MONTHS
• like to pull, push, and dump things
• pull off hat and socks
• turn pages in a book
• stack 2 blocks
• carry a stuffed animal or doll
• scribble with crayons
• walk without help
• run stiffly, with eyes on the ground

2 YEARS
• brush teeth with help
• kick a ball
• stack 4 to 6 blocks
• four rings on a stick
• place five pegs in a pegboard
• scribble
• turn knobs
• throw a small ball
• paint with whole arm movement, shifting hands, making strokes
• begin to use scissors and string beads
• open doors using knobs

3 YEARS
• run forward well
• jump in place with two feet together
• stand on one foot (with some support)
• walk on tiptoe
• kick a ball forward
• stand on one foot for up to 5 seconds
• catch large ball
• climb and walk up stairs alternating feet
• string four large beads
• turn single pages
• snip with scissors
• hold crayons with thumb and finger (not fist)
• use one hand consistently in most activities
• copy circular, vertical, and horizontal lines when drawing
• roll, pound, squeeze, and pull playdough
• build tower of up to 9 blocks
• string smaller inch beads
• cut along a line
• use a fork
• manage large buttons

4 YEARS
• brush own teeth
• run around obstacles
• walk on a line
• balance on one foot for five to ten seconds
• hop on one foot
• push, pull and steer wheeled toys
• ride a tricycle
• use a slide independently
• jump over object and land on both feet together
• throw a ball overhead
• catch a bouncing ball
• hold a pencil with appropriate grasp
• dress self

5 YEARS
• walk backwards toe-heal
• jump forward 10 times without falling
• walk up and down stairs independently, alternating feet
• make a somersault
• cut on a line continuously
• copy a cross
• copy a square
• write some letters

Courtesy Maretha Labuschagne 021 591 9082