Your child's development in the first two years: a milestone map
Knowing the normal milestones is the foundation of any developmental assessment. In the first two years there are recognisable markers across motor, language, and social development. Children vary, and these are guides rather than deadlines — but the overall pattern is informative.
Around 3 months
- Developing head control
- Social smile
- Turning towards sounds
Around 6 months
- Sitting with support
- Reaching for objects
- Babbling
Around 9 months
- Sitting without support
- Recognising their own name
- Imitating simple actions
Around 12 months
- Pulling to stand
- First meaningful words
- Pointing
Around 18 months
- Walking independently
- A vocabulary of roughly 10–20 words
Around 24 months
- Two-word phrases
- Symbolic (pretend) play
- Running
A note on prematurity: for babies born early, "corrected age" is used in the first years. The gap is expected to narrow over time as the child approaches their chronological age. If the gap persists or widens, that is treated as a reason to look more closely.
Educational information only — not a diagnosis. Every child develops on their own timeline; share any concerns with your treating clinician.
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