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 |
|---|
| Frequently alternates mood (happy to sad, friendly to aggressive) |
4 |
18 – 48
mos.
|
| Uses spoon well |
3 |
18 – 60
mos.
|
| Walks up stairs without support, putting both feet on each step |
3 |
18 – 48
mos.
|
| Kicks ball without demonstration |
3 |
24 – 48
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.
|
| Walks down stairs without support, putting both feet on each step |
2 |
24 – 48
mos.
|
| Builds eight-cube tower |
4 |
30 – 48
mos.
|
| Washes hands |
3 |
30 – 48
mos.
|
| Gives first and last name |
3 |
33 – 48
mos.
|
| Asks to be read to |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Balances on one foot for 1 second |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Balances on one foot for 3 seconds |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Builds seven-cube tower |
2 |
36
mos.
|
| Builds six-cube tower |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Can name most familiar things |
2 |
36
mos.
|
| Can work toys with moving parts |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Carries on a conversation using 2 to 3 sentences |
2 |
36
mos.
|
| Catches ball with stiff arms |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Climbs well with confidence |
3 |
36 – 60
mos.
|
| Cuts with scissors: side-to-side (awkwardly) |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Does puzzles with 3 interlocking pieces |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Draws a 2-part person |
4 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Draws a 3-part person |
4 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Dresses and undresses without assistance |
6 |
36 – 72
mos.
|
| Enjoys interactive play |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Fears imaginary things (e.g. Monsters) |
2 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Follows three-step commands |
4 |
36 – 72
mos.
|
| Gives first name |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Identifies self as boy or girl |
3 |
36
mos.
|
| Imagitive play includes elaborate narrative |
4 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Imitates activites of peers |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Imitates bridge of cubes |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Independent eating |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Is understandable 75% of the time to unfamiliar listeners |
4 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Knows own age |
2 |
36
mos.
|
| Matches letters |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Matches numerals |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Names a friend |
2 |
36
mos.
|
| Names body parts by use |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Names body parts when function described (eg. what do you see with?) |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Pedals tricycle |
3 |
36
mos.
|
| Points to parts of pictures (nose of cow, door of car) |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Pours liquid from one container to another |
3 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Puts on shoes without laces |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Screws jar lid |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Shows affection for friends without prompting |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Shows concern for crying friend |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Shows wide range of emotions |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Sorts objects by category |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Starts to share without prompt |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Starts to share with prompt |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Strings small beads well |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Unbuttons |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Understands "his" or "hers" |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Understands negatives |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Understands what "two" means |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Uses 200 words |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Uses plurals |
3 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Uses pronouns correctly |
4 |
36 – 72
mos.
|
| Uses words to describe what someone else is thinking (“Mom thought I was asleep”) |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Walks down stairs without support, alternating feet |
2 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Walks heel to toe |
1 |
36
mos.
|
| Walks up stairs without support, alternating feet |
4 |
36 – 48
mos.
|
| Acts appropriately for the community’s or family’s cultural values |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Attempts counting sometimes with mistakes |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Balances on one foot for 2 seconds (preferred) |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Balances on one foot for 4 seconds (preferred) |
3 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Brushes teeth independently |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Buttons |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Cares for own toilet needs |
4 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Catches bounced ball |
3 |
48 – 52
mos.
|
| Consistently uses past tense |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Cooperates with other children |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Copies square |
3 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Cuts 5-inch circle |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Cuts food with supervision |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Cuts with scissors |
3 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Draws a 4-part person |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Draws a 6-part person |
3 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Draws circle from memory |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Engages in fantasy play, narrative now includes story lines that are not part of day to day activities |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Enjoys doing new things |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Gallops |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Gives amounts up to four correctly |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Has a preferred friend |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Hops on one foot two to three times |
4 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Imaginative play includes role playing |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Imitates gate with cubes |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Interested in new experiences |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Interested in “tricking” others and concerned about being tricked by others |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Is aware of gender |
3 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Is understandable 100% of the time to unfamiliar listeners |
3 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Knows what to do if cold |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Labels happiness, sadness, fear, and anger in self |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Listens to story at least 5 minutes, directing attention to reader |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Mashes own food |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Names some colors |
4 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Names some numbers |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Names things when actions are described |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Negotiates solutions to conflicts |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Often cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Often can’t tell what’s real and what’s make-believe |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Participates in group play |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Plays board games |
3 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Plays card games |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Plays with favorite toys |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Points to five colors |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Points to letters when named |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Points to numerals when named |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Points to things that are the same versus different |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Prefers playing with other children |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| “Reads” several common signs/ store names |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Remembers parts of a story |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Rote counts to 4 |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Sings a song or says a poem from memory |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Speaks five-word sentences |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Standing broad jump: 1 foot |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Starts to copy some capital letters |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Talks about what she likes |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Tells stories |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Tells you what they think is going to happen next in a book |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Ties single knot |
2 |
48 – 72
mos.
|
| Understands more complex adjectives (eg. pointed) |
2 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Understands simple analogies (ice is cold and fire is ....) |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Uses 300 words |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Uses “feeling” words |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Uses fork well |
3 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Uses tongs to transfer |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Uses words that represent time |
3 |
48
mos.
|
| Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings |
2 |
48
mos.
|
| Walks or runs forward and backward with agility |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Washes face |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Wipes after bowel movement |
1 |
48
mos.
|
| Writes part of first name |
2 |
48 – 60
mos.
|
| Able to cut food with table knife independently |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Alternates from being cooperative to being demanding |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Apologizes for mistakes |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Balances on one foot for 10 seconds (preferred) |
4 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Bathes independently |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Better understands the concept of time |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Builds stairs with cubes from model |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Can do a somersault |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Can swing independently, pumping with legs |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Can use clothespins to transfer small objects |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Copies geometric pattern, like a flag |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Copies triangle |
4 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Counts 10 things |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Defines simple words |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Distinguishes fantasy from reality |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Draws an 8-part person |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Enjoys rhyming words and alliterations |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Gives amounts up to 10 correctly |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Has group of friends |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Hops on one foot 15 times |
4 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Identifies coins |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Jumps backward |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Knows about things used every day in the home (money, food, appliances) |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Knows important numbers (parent phone number, address) |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Knows right and left on self |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Knows sounds of consonants and short vowels |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Likes to act |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Likes to dance |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Likes to sing |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| More likely to agree with rules |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Names 10 colors |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Names letters out of order |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Names numerals out of order |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Points correctly to “side,” “middle,” “corner” |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Points to different one in a series |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Produces words that rhyme |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Puts paper clip on paper |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Reads 25 words |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Repeats six-word sentence |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Responds to “why” questions |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Responds verbally to good fortune of others (eg. "Congrats!") |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Retells part of a story |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Retells story with clear beginning, middle, end |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Rote counts to 10 |
2 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Running broad jump 2 feet |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Says name and address |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Shows concern and sympathy for others |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Skips |
4 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Speaks sentences of more than 5 words |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Spreads with knife |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Takes on more independence outside of home |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Tells a simple story using full sentences |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Understands “er” endings |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Uses 2,000 words |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Uses future tense |
2 |
60
mos.
|
| Uses letter names as sounds to invent spelling |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Walks backward heel-toe |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Wants to be like friends |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Wants to please friends |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Writes first name |
1 |
60
mos.
|
| Writes some letters |
2 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| Writes some numbers |
3 |
60 – 72
mos.
|
| 10,000 word vocabulary |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Asks what unfamiliar words mean |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Builds stairs with cubes from memory |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Can tell which words do not belong in a group |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Combs hair |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Creates short sentences |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Describes events in order |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Does simple addition/subtraction |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Draws a 12-part person (includes facial features, fingers for example) |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Draws diamond from memory |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Enjoys school |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Forms letters with down-going and counterclockwise strokes |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Gives amounts up to 20 correctly |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Has best friend |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Has mature pencil grasp |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Knows days of the week |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Listens to a story or lesson for at least 10 minutes |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Looks both ways at street |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Reads 250 words |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Remembers to bring belongings |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Repeats 8-word sentences |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Rote counts to 20 |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Sounds out regularly spelled words |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Tandem walks |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Ties shoes |
2 |
72
mos.
|
| Understands seasons |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Uses appropriate tenses |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Writes first and last name |
1 |
72
mos.
|
| Writes short sentences |
1 |
72
mos.
|