Birth – 3 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Tracks contrasting visual stimuli from side to midline
- Looks at hands
- Clutches and pulls at clothing
- Blinks at sudden visual stimuli
- Follows with eyes upward
- Follows with eyes downward
- Grasps rattle briefly
- Scratches at blanket with fingers
- Breastfeeds or drinks from a bottle without choking, coughing, or gagging
- Arms become active at sight of colorful rattle
- While on back, briefly brings hands together at midline
- Bears some weight on forearms while on belly
- While on belly, works to momentarily lift and turn head
Gross Motor - Turns head to each side when on back
- Holds head up 45 degrees when on tummy
- Head bobs upright in supported sitting
- Has random body movements
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3 months – 6 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Looks at objects a few feet away
- Mouths objects
- Can follow with eyes without head movement
- Uses arms to pivot while on belly
- Briefly keeps both hands on bottle
- Grasps cube against palm
- Mouths hands
- Tracks objects/people from side across midline
- Extends arms straight toward rattle
- While on back, clasps hands together at midline
- Props on forearms while on belly
- Notices tiny object(s)
- Eats small amounts of pureed baby food
Gross Motor - Lifts chest from surface when on tummy
- Pushes up on straight elbows on tummy
- Rolls belly to back (both sides)
- Sits w/slight support for brief moments
- Pivots around on belly
- Actively moves head when in supported sitting
- Head control in all positions
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6 months – 9 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Drops objects in space
- Attends to pictures
- Uses arms for “so big”, “peek a boo,” “pat a cake”
- Shakes rattle
- Bangs object on table
- Transfers objects from hand to hand
- Rotates wrist while holding toy
- Pokes at objects using index finger
- Reaches in all directions
- Feeds self: increasing variety of food sizes/shapes
- Holds & drinks from bottle or spouted cup
- Rakes cheerios, scooping with several fingers
Gross Motor - Sits independently
- Rolls back to belly
- Stands, holding on (may bounce on legs)
- Pulls to stand at furniture (using mostly upper body)
- Belly crawls
- Gets into quadruped (hands & knees position)
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9 months – 12 months (1 year) | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Holds leg & foot out for putting on pants & shoes
- Holds arms out for dressing/undressing
- Uses fingers (not palm) to hold small cube
- Releases object independently on surface
- Puts objects in a large container
- Places 1 large block on top of 2nd block
- Clasps hands together
- Uses pincer (thumb & index finger) grasp to pick up cheerios
- Bangs objects together at midline
- Removes rings from a stacking pole
Gross Motor - Sits well to play
- Transitions from sitting to belly
- Creeps/crawls on hands and knees
- Stands momentarily
- Cruises along furniture
- Walks with hands held
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12 months – 18 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Turns 2-3 pages at a time of a board book
- Points with index finger
- Holds toy in 1 hand & manipulates it with the other hand
- Removes hat
- Removes socks & shoes
- Stacks 2-3 cubes
- Dumps contents from a jar
- Pushes arms through sleeves, legs through pants
- Places circle in a shape sorter
- Eats a variety of soft/chopped table foods
- Holds cup by the handle
- Stirs spoon in a cup (following demonstration)
- Drinks from cup (with some spilling)
Gross Motor - Stands alone well
- Kneels
- Walks without support
- Creeps/crawls up stairs
- Walks hurriedly
- Walks backwards
- Walks up stairs with hand held
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18 months – 24 months (2 years) | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Removes loose fitting shoes
- Unzips large zipper
- Uses both hands together at midline
- Places tiny objects in small mouth container
- Imitates vertical & circular strokes
- Sits on potty chair with assistance
- Washes hands partially
- Scribbles on paper
- Builds a block tower with more than 3 blocks
- Begins to hold crayon with finger tip & thumb (may have hand pronated down)
- Scoops food with spoon with some spillage
Gross Motor - Kicks a ball forward
- Runs fairly well
- Climbs into adult chair
- Picks up toys from floor without falling
- Squats in play w/out losing balance
- Walks up & down stairs holding rail with both feet on each step
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24 months – 30 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Imitates horizontal strokes
- Snips with scissors
- Strings large beads
- Puts shoes on with assistance
- Stacks more than 5 cubes
- Unbuttons one large button
- Washes hands independently
- Folds paper in half
- Helps w/pushing pants down & pulling them up
- Holds cup with 1 hand
- Spears food with fork with some spillage
- Uses spoon with little spillage
- Unwraps some food packages
- Can turn pages in book 1 at a time
Gross Motor |
30 months – 36 months (3 years) | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Imitates a 3-cube bridge & 4-cube train
- Copies a circle (with visual aid)
- Builds cube tower with more than 8 cubes
- Unties & removes shoes
- Removes pull over shirt
- Puts on front button shirt (without buttoning)
- Tries to put socks on
- Goes to bathroom independently (needs help with wiping)
- Brushes hair with supervision
- Pushes, winds, slides to activate toy
- Pours liquid from 1 container to another
- Uses a napkin
Gross Motor - Jumps forward, sideways, & backwards
- Catches a ball, may trap at chest
- Walks up stairs and down stairs with alternating feet while holding rail
- Runs wells, avoids obstacles
- Walks backwards 10 feet
- Balances on 1 foot for 1-5 seconds, & hops on 1 foot
- Pedals a tricycle
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36 months – 42 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Unscrews a jar lid
- Cuts 6 inches across a paper
- Displays hand dominance
- Winds a knob on a toy
- Builds a 4-cube wall
- Puts shoes on (may be on incorrect feet)
- Completes a 5 – 8 piece interlocking puzzle
- Laces 3 holes (after demonstration)
- Sorts objects (ex. by color)
- Fastens/unfastens large buttons
- Holds pencil thumb & 3 or more fingers (pinky-side facing down along paper)
Gross Motor - Imitates simple postures
- Throws tennis ball overhand 10 feet
- Catches a medium-sized ball from 5 feet away
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42 months – 48 months (4 years) | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Puts on pants
- Puts on socks & shoes (intermittent assistance)
- Zips down pants
- Unbuckles
- Unbuttons & buttons medium-sized buttons
- Holds pencil in tripod (3-finger) or quadrupod (4-finger) grasp
- Copies a cross
- Washes & dries hands and face
- Tries to wipe self after toileting
- Completes snaps
- Cuts across paper remaining within 1⁄4 inch of line
- Traces within a 1⁄2 inch path
- Holds glass/cup with one hand
Gross Motor - Walks up & downstairs alternating feet, without rail
- Jumps down from 1 ft height with feet together, maintaining balance
- Gallops
- Walks on a line
- Throws tennis ball underhand 8 – 10 feet
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48 months – 54 months | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Copies a diagonal stroke, X, and square
- Cuts out a circle within 1⁄4 inch accuracy
- Draws a 3-part person
- Uses dominant hand consistently
- Holds spoon/fork with fingers
- Traces medium-sized geometric shapes within 1/8 inch accuracy
- Completes 5-piece puzzle
Gross Motor - Catches a tennis ball
- Throws ball overhand 10 feet
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54 months – 60 months (5 years) | Fine Motor / Visual Motor / Self Help - Buckles
- Connects a zipper & zips up
- Independently fastens Velcro fasteners
- Places shoes on correct feet
- Colors 2×2 inch area with 75% coverage within lines
- Places paperclip on paper (after demonstration)
- Draws a person with 6+ parts
- Builds 6 cube pyramid
- Knows front vs. back of clothing & inside vs. outside
- Sucks through straw while holding container with 1 hand
- Completes toileting hygiene independently
- Thoroughly brushes teeth
- Performs opposition (each finger to thumb within 8 seconds)
- Cuts out a square within 1⁄4 inch accuracy
- Copies an triangle
- Has dynamic pencil grasp
Gross Motor - Stands on one foot 10 seconds
- Skips
- Pumps a swing
- Begins jumping rope
- Somersaults
- Walks on balance beam forward and backward
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