Module 36

Motor Milestone Tracker

Month-by-month gross and fine motor milestones from birth to 18 months

Gross Motor Milestones

These are typical ranges — not deadlines. Milestones develop on a spectrum, and many healthy children reach them at different points within the range. Use this as a guide to know what to look for and when to discuss with your pediatrician.

Age	Gross Motor Milestone	What It Looks Like
0-1 mo	Lifts head briefly in prone	Turns head side to side when on stomach; lifts chin momentarily
1-2 mo	Lifts head 45 degrees in prone	Holds head up briefly while on stomach, arms tucked
2-3 mo	Lifts head 90 degrees, chest up	Pushes up on forearms during tummy time; steadier head control
3-4 mo	Rolls front to back	Usually happens first — baby pushes off with arms and tips to one side
4-5 mo	Rolls back to front	Uses trunk rotation; may get "stuck" on stomach at first
4-6 mo	Sits with support	Sits in tripod position (hands on floor for balance) or with pillows
5-7 mo	Sits independently	Sits without hand support for 30+ seconds; catches self when tipping
6-8 mo	Begins crawling (any form)	Army crawl, inchworm, classic hands-and-knees, or scooting all count
7-10 mo	Pulls to standing	Uses furniture or caregiver to pull up from floor to standing
8-11 mo	Cruises along furniture	Side-steps while holding onto couch, table, or push toy
9-12 mo	Stands alone briefly	Lets go of support for 2-5 seconds; wide base, arms up for balance
10-14 mo	First independent steps	Wide-based, arms up, short distances. Falls frequently — normal.
12-15 mo	Walks independently	Walks across room without support; still wobbly and wide-gait
14-18 mo	Runs (stiff-legged)	Fast walking that becomes a stiff run; difficulty stopping and turning
15-18 mo	Climbs stairs with help	Crawls up stairs or walks up holding rail/hand; one step at a time
16-18 mo	Kicks a ball forward	Walks into ball or makes a deliberate kicking motion

Fine Motor Milestones

Age	Fine Motor Milestone	What It Looks Like
0-1 mo	Reflexive grasp	Automatically grips anything placed in palm (palmar reflex)
1-2 mo	Hands mostly fisted	Hands clenched most of the time; beginning to open intermittently
2-3 mo	Hands open more often	Fingers uncurl; may bat at dangling objects without grasping
3-4 mo	Reaches and bats at objects	Swipes at toys; may grasp briefly using whole hand (raking grasp)
4-5 mo	Voluntary grasp (palmar)	Grabs objects deliberately with whole hand; transfers hand to mouth
5-6 mo	Transfers objects hand to hand	Passes toy from one hand to the other; holds bottle with two hands
6-7 mo	Raking grasp	Uses fingers (not thumb) to rake small objects toward palm
7-9 mo	Inferior pincer grasp	Uses thumb and side of index finger to pick up small objects
9-12 mo	Mature pincer grasp	Uses tip of thumb and tip of index finger; picks up Cheerios, puffs
10-12 mo	Controlled release	Places objects in container deliberately rather than just dropping
12-14 mo	Marks with crayon	Holds crayon in fist (palmar-supinate grasp); makes random marks
12-15 mo	Stacks 2 blocks	Places one block on top of another with deliberate aim
15-18 mo	Stacks 3-4 blocks	Increasing precision; beginning to use wrist rotation
15-18 mo	Turns pages (2-3 at a time)	Flips board book pages using whole hand; not yet single pages
16-18 mo	Feeds self with spoon (messy)	Scoops food and brings to mouth; significant spilling is normal

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

Discuss if your child shows any of these patterns

Not lifting head during tummy time by 3 months

Not reaching for or grasping objects by 5 months

Not rolling in either direction by 6 months

Not sitting with support by 7 months

Not bearing weight on legs when held upright by 8 months

Not crawling or finding an alternative way to move by 12 months

Not walking by 18 months

Consistently favoring one side of the body (before 18 months, hand preference can signal hemiplegia)

Loss of previously acquired skills at any age

Persistent toe-walking after 2 years of walking experience

Missing a single milestone by a month isn't cause for alarm. A pattern of delays across multiple milestones, or losing skills, is what warrants evaluation. Trust your instincts — parents who say "something feels off" are right more often than not.