CDC Milestone Category

Cognitive

Milestone Name Expected Age
Pays attention to faces 2
Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at distance 2
Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn’t change 2
Lets you know if she is happy or sad 4
Responds to affection 4
Reaches for toy with one hand 4
Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it 4
Follows moving things with eyes from side to side 4
Watches faces closely 4
Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance 4
Looks around at things nearby 6
Brings things to mouth 6
Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach 6
Begins to pass things from one hand to the other 6
Watches the path of something as it falls 9
Looks for things he sees you hide 9
Plays peek-a-boo 9
Puts things in her mouth 9
Moves things smoothly from one hand to the other 9
Picks up things like cereal o’s between thumb and index finger 9
Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing 12
Finds hidden things easily 12
Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named 12
Copies gestures 12
Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup, brushes hair 12
Bangs two things together 12
Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container 12
Lets things go without help 12
Pokes with index (pointer) finger 12
Knows what ordinary things are for; for example, telephone, brush, spoon 18
Points to get the attention of others 18
Shows interest in a doll or stuffed animal by pretending to feed 18
Points to one body part 18
Scribbles on his own 18
Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures: for example, sits when you say “sit down” 18
Finds things even when hidden under two or three covers 24
Begins to sort shapes and colors 24
Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books 24
Plays simple make-believe games 24
Builds towers of 4 or more blocks 24
Might use one hand more than the other 24
Follows two-step instructions such as “Pick up your shoes and put them in the closet.” 24
Names items in a picture book such as a cat, bird, or dog 24
Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts 36
Plays make-believe with dolls, animals, and people 36
Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces 36
Understands what “two” means 36
Copies a circle with pencil or crayon 36
Turns book pages one at a time 36
Builds towers of more than 6 blocks 36
Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle 36
Names some colors and some numbers 48
Understands the idea of counting 48
Starts to understand time 48
Remembers parts of a story 48
Understands the idea of “same” and “different” 48
Draws a person with 2 to 4 body parts 48
Uses scissors 48
Starts to copy some capital letters 48
Plays board or card games 48
Tells you what he thinks is going to happen next in a book 48
Counts 10 or more things 60
Can draw a person with at least 6 body parts 60
Can print some letters or numbers 60
Copies a triangle and other geometric shapes 60
Knows about things used every day, like money and food 60
Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy” 12