Newborn to 6 Months Milestones
Characteristic Newborn/Birth Milestones:
~Keeps hands fisted, moves arms and legs
~Can track a slow moving object with her eyes
~Sensitive to changes in brightness
~Prefers patterned forms to solid colored ones
~Captivated by a single feature of an object
~Responds to the sound of the human voice, the sight of a human face, and the smell of his mother
~Displays sucking,
swallowing, sneezing, coughing and blinking reflexes – all automatic responses
to stimuli. Other reflexes include:
-hand to mouth
-grasping
-rooting (turning cheek to touch)
-Babinski (toes spread when sole of foot is touched)
- Moro (tendency babies have to swing their arms wide and bring them together again, usually when startled or when baby feels he is losing support)
Characteristic 1-Month Milestones:
~Head is wobbly, support is necessary
~Lifts head while lying on stomach
~Moves head from side to side in prone (face downward) position
~Focuses on a rattle in her line of vision
~Follows a person or an object with his eyes. Sees object placed 8 – 12 inches from his
face
~Distinguishes sounds (orients to human voice) and tastes (sweet and sour)
~Learning about her environment through her senses: touch, sight, sound, taste and smell
~Activity is reduced when talked to
~Quiets when picked up
~Communicates with smiles, gaze, and crying
-Smile – wants to be near you or wants to play
-Gaze – likes to hear you talk; averted gaze indicates it is time for baby to rest
-Cry – hungry, tired or wants to be held
Characteristic 2-Month Milestones:
~Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach
~Head is erect and bobbing
~Follows rattle with eyes
~Eyes follow a moving person
~Looks at mother’s or father’s face when they talk
~Smiles at mother or father when they smile
~Prefers some colors more than others
~Beginning to coo
Characteristic 3-Month Milestones:
~Prone (on stomach) holds head up at 45 degrees
~Rolls from back to tummy and tummy to back
~Grasps objects
~Swats at dangling objects
~Holds rattle placed in hand
~Eyes follow moving objects
~Searches for sound with eyes
~Coos and chuckles
~Beginning to babble
Characteristic 4-Month Milestones:
~Sits with support
~Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach
~Plays with fingers, hands and toes
~Reaches for things he sees and explores objects with mouth
~Turns head toward lights and bright colors
~Watches mother as she walks across the room
~Smiles when spoken to or when face is touched
~Reacts to sound of voice, rattle, bell, etc
~Discriminates between friendly and angry speech
~Jumps or is startled when there is a loud or sudden noise
~Can distinguish between colors -- blue, green, yellow and red
~Makes sounds like "oooo" and "aaaa"
~Laughs out loud
~Recognizes bottle or breast
Characteristics 5-Month Milestones:
~Lets go of objects – rotates wrist
~No head lag when pulled to sit
~Has lots of energy; rolls and wiggles
~Has discovered his feet, sucks his toes
~May try to push up on hands and knees
~Knows his mom and dad from strangers and may cry when one or the other leaves
~Shows signs of being afraid of strangers
~Likes toys that make noise such as ringing bells and squeaking toys
~Is interested in toys that she can look at, touch, chew, suck and bang together
~Squeals and is interested in the sounds you make
Characteristic 6-Month Milestones:
~Sits with assistance or may sit alone
~Reaches for and grasps toys with one hand
~Can eat solid food from a spoon
~Former cooing now sounds like clear voicing of several syllables
~Talks to toys
~May try to imitate adult behaviors (if an adult coos the baby may coo back)
~Turns his head toward sounds or to an adult when they are talking to him
~Enjoys being sociable -- laughs
~Feels happy, sad or uncomfortable
~Reaches out to be picked up
Tools Needed Birth to 6 Months:
~Rattles
~Teething rings
~Cloth books
~Hanging Mobiles
~Cloth toys, Stuffed animals, Dolls, Balls
~ Music
~Keeps hands fisted, moves arms and legs
~Can track a slow moving object with her eyes
~Sensitive to changes in brightness
~Prefers patterned forms to solid colored ones
~Captivated by a single feature of an object
~Responds to the sound of the human voice, the sight of a human face, and the smell of his mother
~Displays sucking,
swallowing, sneezing, coughing and blinking reflexes – all automatic responses
to stimuli. Other reflexes include:
-hand to mouth
-grasping
-rooting (turning cheek to touch)
-Babinski (toes spread when sole of foot is touched)
- Moro (tendency babies have to swing their arms wide and bring them together again, usually when startled or when baby feels he is losing support)
Characteristic 1-Month Milestones:
~Head is wobbly, support is necessary
~Lifts head while lying on stomach
~Moves head from side to side in prone (face downward) position
~Focuses on a rattle in her line of vision
~Follows a person or an object with his eyes. Sees object placed 8 – 12 inches from his
face
~Distinguishes sounds (orients to human voice) and tastes (sweet and sour)
~Learning about her environment through her senses: touch, sight, sound, taste and smell
~Activity is reduced when talked to
~Quiets when picked up
~Communicates with smiles, gaze, and crying
-Smile – wants to be near you or wants to play
-Gaze – likes to hear you talk; averted gaze indicates it is time for baby to rest
-Cry – hungry, tired or wants to be held
Characteristic 2-Month Milestones:
~Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach
~Head is erect and bobbing
~Follows rattle with eyes
~Eyes follow a moving person
~Looks at mother’s or father’s face when they talk
~Smiles at mother or father when they smile
~Prefers some colors more than others
~Beginning to coo
Characteristic 3-Month Milestones:
~Prone (on stomach) holds head up at 45 degrees
~Rolls from back to tummy and tummy to back
~Grasps objects
~Swats at dangling objects
~Holds rattle placed in hand
~Eyes follow moving objects
~Searches for sound with eyes
~Coos and chuckles
~Beginning to babble
Characteristic 4-Month Milestones:
~Sits with support
~Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach
~Plays with fingers, hands and toes
~Reaches for things he sees and explores objects with mouth
~Turns head toward lights and bright colors
~Watches mother as she walks across the room
~Smiles when spoken to or when face is touched
~Reacts to sound of voice, rattle, bell, etc
~Discriminates between friendly and angry speech
~Jumps or is startled when there is a loud or sudden noise
~Can distinguish between colors -- blue, green, yellow and red
~Makes sounds like "oooo" and "aaaa"
~Laughs out loud
~Recognizes bottle or breast
Characteristics 5-Month Milestones:
~Lets go of objects – rotates wrist
~No head lag when pulled to sit
~Has lots of energy; rolls and wiggles
~Has discovered his feet, sucks his toes
~May try to push up on hands and knees
~Knows his mom and dad from strangers and may cry when one or the other leaves
~Shows signs of being afraid of strangers
~Likes toys that make noise such as ringing bells and squeaking toys
~Is interested in toys that she can look at, touch, chew, suck and bang together
~Squeals and is interested in the sounds you make
Characteristic 6-Month Milestones:
~Sits with assistance or may sit alone
~Reaches for and grasps toys with one hand
~Can eat solid food from a spoon
~Former cooing now sounds like clear voicing of several syllables
~Talks to toys
~May try to imitate adult behaviors (if an adult coos the baby may coo back)
~Turns his head toward sounds or to an adult when they are talking to him
~Enjoys being sociable -- laughs
~Feels happy, sad or uncomfortable
~Reaches out to be picked up
Tools Needed Birth to 6 Months:
~Rattles
~Teething rings
~Cloth books
~Hanging Mobiles
~Cloth toys, Stuffed animals, Dolls, Balls
~ Music