Developmental Checklist

for Children

This developmental check list is adapted from the U.S. Department of Health. Education and Welfare in 1979. It is offered here only for educational purposes. If you suspect a child has a significant developmental delay a complete, multi-disciplinary evaluation by an appropriately trained team of professionals should be obtained. To get a referral to such a team you can contact your pediatrician, school district or local department of health.

Age 3 to 6 Months

Age 3 to 6 Months

Motor	will bear weight on legs can roll over stomach to back engages hands in midline when pulled to sit, head is steady, does not fall back when on abdomen, can lift shoulders off mat when on abdomen, can lift head and look about will begin to reach for and grasp objects sits with support
Mental	looks at objects in hand looks after a toy which is dropped uses a 2-hand approach to grasp toys looks at objects as small as a raisin turns head to voice, follows with eye
Language	coos gurgles chuckles laughs aloud squeals has expressive noises
Social	has a social smile will pat a bottle with both hands anticipates food on sight

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Age 6 to 9 Months

Motor	rolls from back to stomach gets feet to mouth sits alone, unsupported, for extended period (over 1 min,) stands with hands held on back, can lift head up beginning attempts to crawl or creep when sitting, reaches forward to grasp without falling Secures a small object with fingers using a raking motion
Mental	bangs toys in play transfers objects from handto hand reaches for a toy with one hand picks up a toy he/she drops is persistent in obtaining toys would pull a toy to self by attached string
Language	responds to name vocalizes to social stimulus has single consonants, i.e., ba., ka, ma combines syllables, i.e da-da, ba-ba. likes to make sounds with toys imitates simple sounds
Social	expects repetition of stimulus likes frolicky play discriminates strangers smiles to mirror image takes some solid food to mouth beginning to enjoy peekaboo bites and chews toys

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Age 9 to 12 Months

Motor	crawls well can sit steadily for more than 10 minutes stands holding on to furniture can pull to standing position walks holding on to a hand or to furniture
Mental	will uncover a toy he/she sees covered up can grasp object small as raisin with thumb and on finger beginning to put things in and out of containers goes for an object with index finger outstretched likes to drop objects deliberately shows interest in pictures
Language	understands no, or inflection of "no!" uses mama, or dada first inappropriately, then with meaning by 12 months has at least one other word knows meaning of 1-3 words
Social	cooperates in games plays patacake and peekaboo waves good-bye will offer toy without releasing it will try to roll ball to another person likes to interact in play with adult

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Age 12 to 18 Months

Motor	can get to standing position alone creeps up stairs can scoop and recover an object by 18 months, walks well alone walking, pulls a pull-toy seats self on chair
Mental	looks at pictures in a book will scribble spontaneously with pencil or crayon uses spoon drinks from cup will follow one or two directions ,i.e., take a ball to... Stacks 2-4 one inch blocks
Language	has 3-5 words will point to one body part will point to at least one picture uses jargon, i.e., unin - telligible " foreign" language with inflection imitates some words
Social	cooperates in dressing holds own bottle or cup finger feeds points or vocalizes to make desires known shows or offers a toy

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Age 18 to 24 Months

Motor	can run, albeit stiffly walks up and down stairs if hand held hurls a ball can kick a ball or object jumps with both feet stands on one foot with hand held kicks ball forward
Mental	can tower 4-6 one inch blocks turns pages of a book, even 2-3 at a time tries to imitate what an adult draws with a crayon can point to 2-3 body parts
Language	by two years, has at least 20 words by two years, is combining two words in a phrase jargon, which was elaborate by 18mo. is gone by 24 mo. verbalizes desires with words
Social	uses spoon, spilling very little removes one piece of clothing imitates housework more and more handles a cup quite well

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Age 2 to 3 Years

Motor	can walk up stairs without hand held can balance on one foot for one second can jump in place walk on tiptoe can jump from the bottom step can throw ball
Mental	can tower 6 one-inch blocks can dump a raisin from a bottle to attain without hints can imitate a vertical line and a horizontal line, with pencil words can anticipate the need to urinate or defecate points to several parts of a doll on request
Language	uses 2-4 word phrases uses plurals names at least one picture talks incessantly vocabulary 100-300 by 3 years uses some personal pronouns, i.e., I, me, mine identifies over 5 parts of own body
Social	puts on some clothing washes and dries hands has parallel play with peers can pour from a pitcher if worked with, can toilet self

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Age 3 to 4 Years

Motor	rides tricycle alternates feet when going up stairs can stand on one foot for 2-5 seconds can broad jump uses scissor swings and climbs
Mental	can tower 8-10 one-inch block says full name can match colors has sense of round, square & triangular shaped figures copies a circle, line, cross with pencil can repeat 3 digits
Language	can answer some questions knows rhymes and songs asks questions has understanding of on, under, and behind
Social	knows own sex beginning to play with other children unbuttons dresses with supervision

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Age 4 to 5 Years

Motor	runs well and turns can hop on one foot 1-2 times beginning to skip stands on one leg for 8-10 seconds throws ball well overhand walks down stairs one foot to each step
Mental	can copy a cross with a pencil can pick the longer of two lines can copy a square with pencil rote counts to ten expressively identifies 4 (red, blue, yellow, green) draws person with 2 body parts
Language	vocabulary over 1000 words can match colors, and by 5 years, name 3-4 colors counts 3 objects with pointing 90% of speech intelligible can define words in terms of use can answer questions like: what do you do when you are cold...hungry...tired?
Social	can separate from mother easily dresses with little supervision buttons likes to play "dramatic" play, make-believe imaginative play with a doll

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Age 5 to 6 Years

Motor	skips on both feet alternately can catch a bounced ball can walk heel to toe on a line can hop on one foot for 10 feet
Mental	can copy a square or triangle from looking at a copy gives age knows morning from afternoon draws a person with a body with 3-6 parts prints simple words
Language	can repeat 4 digits asks questions about meaning of words counts 10 objects names coins can tell what some things are made of can define some words
Social	no supervision necessary for dressing plays "dress-up" elaborate dramatic play does simple chores unattended at home

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Developmental Checklist

for Children

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social

Motor

Mental

Language

Social