🧸 Milestone Tracker
Choose your child's age to see CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. checklist for it, word for word: what most children do by that age.
Informational only: not medical advice or a screening. If you have any concern, talk with your child's doctor now rather than waiting.
🌱 CDC Milestones by Age
What most babies do by 4 months (CDC)
- Smiles on his own to get your attention
- Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make him laugh
- Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention
- Makes sounds like “oooo”, “aahh” (cooing)
- Makes sounds back when you talk to him
- Turns head towards the sound of your voice
- If hungry, opens mouth when he sees breast or bottle
- Looks at her hands with interest
- Holds head steady without support when you are holding him
- Holds a toy when you put it in his hand
- Uses his arm to swing at toys
- Brings hands to mouth
- Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy
These are CDC's milestones for this age, word for word, from its 4 months checklist. This tool does not score your child. Share the checklist with your child's doctor at every well visit; the next CDC checklist is at 6 months.
What is a Milestone Tracker?
It shows CDC's milestone checklists (2022 revision) for 12 ages from 2 months to 5 years, grouped as CDC groups them: social and emotional, language and communication, cognitive, and movement.
Use it to celebrate progress and to bring to every well visit. It does not score or judge your child. CDC built these checklists so that any missed milestone or concern leads to a talk with the doctor, not a wait to see.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are developmental milestones?
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving bye-bye. CDC groups them by how children play, learn, speak, act, and move, and publishes checklists from 2 months to 5 years. This tool shows those checklists word for word.
What does it mean if my child has not done one yet?
CDC's 2022 checklists list milestones most children (75% or more) reach by each age, so that a missed milestone leads to a conversation rather than waiting to see. It is not a diagnosis and this tool never scores your child. Talk with your child's doctor, share what you have noticed, and ask about developmental screening.
How should I use the checklist?
Bring it to every well visit, and use it to notice and celebrate what your child is doing. CDC's milestone pages and its free Milestone Tracker app include tips and activities for each age.
What should I do if I am concerned?
CDC says not to wait: act early if your child is not meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills they once had, or you have other concerns. Talk with your child's doctor and ask about developmental screening. If you or the doctor are still concerned, CDC suggests asking for a referral to a specialist and calling your state's early intervention program (cdc.gov/FindEI).