Developmental observations are discrete descriptions of behaviors or skills that are progressively acquired across development. In this database, each observation has been mapped to one or more milestones derived from four commonly used milestones checklists. While observations themselves are not associated with an age at which they should be met, the ages associated with each milestone are provided.
| Observation | Connected milestones | Expected ages |
|---|
| Engages in pretend play with other people (eg, tea party, birthday party) |
5 |
18 – 30
mos.
|
| Runs well |
2 |
18 – 36
mos.
|
| Tries to help with household tasks |
2 |
18 – 33
mos.
|
| Understands “mine” |
2 |
18 – 36
mos.
|
| Walks up stairs with support, alternating feet |
4 |
18 – 36
mos.
|
| Asks parent to read a book |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Begins to mask emotions for social etiquette |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Climbs down from furniture without help |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Completes sentences and rhymes in familiar books |
3 |
24 – 30
mos.
|
| Copies circle |
4 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Corrects you if you change a word in a familiar book |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Follows two-step command |
5 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Gets excited when with other children |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Has established a special attachment to a transitional object |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Imitates activities of adults and older children (like swepping, talking on phone, food preparation) |
5 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Imitates circle |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Imitates horizontal line |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| In response to, “Where is _____?”, points to object or animal in a book |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Is understandable 50% of the time to unfamiliar listener |
2 |
24 – 30
mos.
|
| Jumps in place |
3 |
24 – 30
mos.
|
| Kicks ball without demonstration |
3 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Makes a single-line “train” of cubes |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Matches objects to pictures |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Might use one hand more than the other |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Names three pictures |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Parallel play |
3 |
24
mos.
|
| Plays with other children |
2 |
24 – 30
mos.
|
| Points to five pictures |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Pulls off pants |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Recognizes names of familiar objects |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Recognizes names of familiar people |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Refers to self by name |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Refers to self with correct pronoun |
2 |
24 – 30
mos.
|
| Repeats words overheard in conversation |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Separates easily from mom and dad |
3 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Shows more and more independence |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Sorts colors |
3 |
24
mos.
|
| Sorts shapes |
3 |
24
mos.
|
| Speaks-three-word sentences |
3 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Speaks two-word sentence (noun with verb) |
4 |
24
mos.
|
| Stands on tiptoe |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Sucks through a straw |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Takes off clothes without buttons |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Throws ball in specific direction |
5 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Throws ball overhand 10 feet |
5 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Throws overhand |
5 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Turns book pages one at a time |
2 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Turns door handle |
2 |
24 – 36
mos.
|
| Understands difference between "me" and "you" |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Uses 50 words |
2 |
24
mos.
|
| Uses simple phrases |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Uses telegraphic speech (eg. "Shoe on" or "Want juice") |
1 |
24
mos.
|
| Walks down stairs without support, putting both feet on each step |
2 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Begins to use pronouns (I, me, you) |
2 |
28 – 36
mos.
|
| Communicates to caregiver when needs to use toilet |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Jumps from bottom step with one foot leading |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Matches colors |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Matches shapes |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Names ten pictures |
2 |
28 – 36
mos.
|
| Puts on clothes with help |
2 |
28 – 30
mos.
|
| Repeats two digits |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Strings large beads awkwardly |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Turns paper pages (often several at once) |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Understands “just one” |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Unscrews jar lid |
2 |
28 – 36
mos.
|
| Walks backward 10 steps |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Walks on toes after demonstration |
1 |
28
mos.
|
| Brushes teeth with assistance |
2 |
30
mos.
|
| Builds eight-cube tower |
4 |
30 – 48
mos.
|
| Dries hands after washing |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Echolalia and jargoning gone |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Engages in imaginitive, more complex pretend play that incorporates dolls, stuffed animals, or people |
3 |
30 – 36
mos.
|
| Has preference for certain peers (has friends) |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Knows the correct action for a selected animal or person |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Makes a “train” of cubes and includes a smoke stack |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| May get upset with major changes in routine |
2 |
30 – 36
mos.
|
| Names familiar objects by use |
2 |
30 – 36
mos.
|
| Points to six body parts |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Points to small details in pictures |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Puts things away |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Replaces circle in form board after it has been turned around with little or no trial and error) |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Stands with both feet on balance beam |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Understands actions words: “playing... washing... blowing” |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Understands at least two prepositions ("in", "on") |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Walks with one foot on balance beam |
1 |
30
mos.
|
| Washes hands |
3 |
30 – 48
mos.
|
| Begins to take turns |
2 |
33 – 36
mos.
|
| Builds nine-cube tower |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Enjoys being read to (short books) |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Gives first and last name |
3 |
33 – 48
mos.
|
| Imitates cross |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Is toilet trained during the daytime for both bowel and bladder |
2 |
33 – 36
mos.
|
| Points to body parts based on function (“What do you hear with?”) |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Points to objects by use: “ride in ... put on feet ... write with” |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Points to self in photos |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Puts on coat unassisted |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Puts six square pegs in pegboard |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Rote counts to 3 |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Sometimes uses past tense |
1 |
33
mos.
|
| Understands at least three prepositions |
2 |
33 – 36
mos.
|
| Understands simple adjectives eg. long/ short, big/small, dirty/wet |
2 |
33 – 36
mos.
|
| Walks swinging arms opposite of legs (synchronous gait) |
1 |
33
mos.
|