As your baby grows, you’ll see new skills bloom—some right on cue, some a little early, some a little later. That’s normal. Milestones are guideposts, not a race. Below is a parent-friendly month-by-month overview based on national pediatric guidelines, plus when we want you to reach out. If questions pop up at any point, our team is here—schedule a well-child visit so we can check in together.
Quick note on milestones
The CDC’s checklists describe what most (about 75% or more) children can do by a certain age. Every child is unique, and one missed item doesn’t automatically mean a problem. Still, trust your gut. If you’re worried, call us.
0 – 1 month
You’ll often see: brief eye contact, startles to loud sounds, hands near face, tight flexed posture, short periods of alertness.
Try at home: skin-to-skin, talk and sing, tummy time on your chest.
Call us if: your newborn isn’t waking to feed, seems very floppy or very stiff, or won’t calm at all with soothing.
Feeding questions are common — really common. If latch or weight gain is stressful, our team can help. Learn about our lactation consulting.
2 months
Often emerging: social smiles, coos, looks at your face, smoother movements, holds head up during tummy time.
Support: 3–5 short tummy-time sessions daily, mirror play, face-to-face “conversations.”
Call us if: no response to sounds or faces, no movement of one arm or leg, very little alertness.
Keep those checkups coming — our immunization visits protect against serious infections.
4 months
Often emerging: big smiles and squeals, hands to mouth, reaches for toys, rolls to side, steady head control.
Support: rattles, gentle floor gyms, peek-a-boo, supervised rolling practice.
Call us if: very stiff or very floppy body, no social smiles, not bringing hands to mouth.
6 months
Often emerging: rolls both ways, sits with support, babbles (“ba,” “da”), reaches and transfers toys hand-to-hand.
Support: read daily, let them explore textures, practice sitting with pillows.
Call us if: no vocal sounds, not rolling, very limited eye contact, or feeding is a battle despite adjustments. Reach out — our well-child team can problem-solve with you.
9 months
Often emerging: sits without help, crawls or scoots, plays back-and-forth games, looks when you call name, makes a variety of sounds.
Support: simple “copy me” games, hiding toys to find, cruising along furniture (when ready).
Call us if: no back-and-forth sounds, doesn’t bear weight on legs with support, isn’t interested in people.
Screening check-ins
Pediatricians recommend standardized developmental screening at 9, 18, and 30 months, in addition to observing progress at every visit. We’ll guide you through this at your well-child checks.
12 months (1 year)
Often emerging: waves “bye-bye,” points to show interest, says 1–2 words, stands alone, may take first steps, pincer grasp to pick up small items.
Support: name and point to everyday objects, stack blocks, safe push toys.
Call us if: no babbling or pointing, not pulling to stand, loss of skills.
15 months
Often emerging: uses a few words, imitates chores, scribbles, walks well, drinks from an open cup with help.
Support: simple choices (“blue cup or green cup?”), “help me” pretend chores, chunky crayons.
Call us if: not walking, not using gestures (pointing, waving), no interest in sharing things with you.
18 months
Often emerging: says 10–20 words (varies), points to show what they want, follows 1-step directions, walks up steps with help, feeds self with a spoon.
Support: lots of labeling (“That’s a dog!”), simple puzzles, songs with motions.
Call us if: no words, doesn’t notice others, can’t follow simple directions, or any loss of skills.
Autism Screening
All children should receive autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months. If you have any concerns about communication, social interaction, or behavior, please bring them up—we’d rather hear “false alarms” than miss something that early support could help.
If concerns persist, we can evaluate and coordinate care. Learn more about our Autism diagnosis & treatment.
24 months (2 years)
Often emerging: combines two words (“more milk”), follows two-step directions, runs, kicks a ball, copies lines and circles, plays beside other children.
Support: label feelings (“You’re frustrated”), lots of outdoor movement, simple turn-taking.
Call us if: very few words, doesn’t use two-word phrases, limited interest in interacting, can’t walk steadily.
30 months
Often emerging: 3–4 word phrases, jumps off the ground with both feet, washes/drys hands, shows more pretend play.
Support: pretend play kits (kitchen, doctor), simple chores, sing-along routines.
Call us if: not combining words, frequent falls or clumsy movement, minimal pretend play.
3 years
Often emerging: talks in short sentences most people understand, pedals a tricycle, draws a circle, takes turns in simple games, understands “on/in/under.”
Support: play-dates, obstacle courses, “I spy” language games.
Call us if: speech is mostly hard to understand, frequent tantrums that block daily life, or persistent sensory sensitivities. If attention or behavior is a concern, our ADHD pediatricians can help with evaluation and parenting strategies.
4 years
Often emerging: tells stories, draws a person with a few body parts, hops on one foot, plays cooperatively, knows some colors and shapes.
Support: make-believe with costumes, board games with simple rules, arts & crafts.
Call us if: very hard time playing with peers, unclear speech, or trouble with basic motor skills like jumping.
Your 4- and 5-year visits are also perfect timing for school readiness checks and booster shots — see our immunizations page.
When to call Provo Pediatrics right away
- You see skill loss/regression at any age.
- Your child doesn’t respond to sounds or has no babbling/words by 18 months, or no two-word phrases by 24 months.
- Very limited eye contact or interest in others.
- Severe stiffness or floppiness, persistent toe-walking, or not walking by 18 months.
- You’re worried. Full stop. Parents notice changes first—your instincts matter.
Call us at (801) 377-8000, or use our contact page to get same-week guidance. For day-to-day questions between visits, keep up with scheduled well-child checks.
A final word from our team
You don’t have to memorize this list — that’s what we’re here for. At each visit, we watch development closely and use evidence-based screening at key ages (9, 18, 30 months; autism at 18 and 24 months). If anything is off-track, we’ll partner with you on next steps, whether that’s language therapy, early intervention, or specialty care. 
If feeding, growth, or sleep is making those early months hard, lean on us—we can pair your well-check with a feeding consult or bring you in for a sick visit. And when Utah summer returns, peek at our quick safety tips for splash pads — healthy play fuels healthy development.
