Seven to Twelve Months
Motor Development Milestones
- Learns to sit up by his/her self for a short period of time (approximately 5 minutes)
- Uses finger and thumb to pick up objects such as pieces of food (pincer grip)
- Begins to hold own bottle
- Pulls self into a crawling position by raising up on arms and drawing knees up beneath
- May accidentally begin scooting backwards when placed on his/her stomach; soon will transition to crawling forward
- Enjoys being held and supported in the standing position; may jump in place
Cognitive Development Milestones
- Uses hand, mouth, and eyes in coordination to explore own body, toys
- Imitates actions such as pat-a-cake, waving bye-bye, and playing peek-a-boo
- Shows some fear or hesitation when placed on a high surface such as a changing table, stairs; depth perception is becoming evident
- Searches for a toy or food that has been completely hidden under cloth; beginning to understand that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen
- Explores objects in many ways, turns them, feels surfaces, bangs & shakes them
- Reaches accurately with either hand
- Plays actively with small toys such as a rattle
- Holds small object in one hand while reaching toward another object
- Inspects objects with hands and eyes simultaneously
- Ten to Twelve Months
- Speech and Language Development
- Babbles or jabbers deliberately to initiate a social interaction
- Shakes head for no
- Looks for a voice when name is called
- Babbles in sentence like sequences; followed later with a language like inflection
- Waves “bye-bye”
- Claps hands together when asked
- Imitates sounds that are similar to those already learned
- Imitates motor noises, tongue clicks etc
- May say “dada” or “mama”
- Enjoys rhyming and simple songs
- Shows interest in vocalizing while listening to music
- Hands toy to an adult when appropriate gestures accompany the request
Social Development Milestones
- Clings to parent or caregiver while resisting separation, exhibits a fear of strangers
- Desires for caregiver to be in constant sight
- Enjoys being near and included in daily activities of caregiver or family members
- Enjoys novel experiences and opportunities to examine and explore new objects
- Begins to assert self be resisting caregiver’s requests
- Offers toys or objects to others
- Becomes attached to a favorite toy or object
- Looks toward and smiles at person calling his/her name
- Repeats behaviors that get attention
- Jabbers continuously
- Can execute simple directions and request
- Understands the meaning of the word or sign for “no”