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Developmental Checklist

This checklist enables you to determine whether your child's development is according to the accepted age norms.
Should you find that your child differs significantly from the below listed norms, it is advisable to make an appointment with an Occupational Therapist who will then do an in depth evaluation to assess his/her developmental status and advise you concerning the need for therapy.

What can I expect of my 0 to 1 year old child?

2 months old
  • Can briefly raise head and turn it from side to side.
  • Kicks legs for brief periods.
  • Grasps objects in hands as a reflex action or brings hands to mouth.
  • Gets excited when recognises somebody, and likes to smile.
4 months old
  • Raises head 90° and supports body on forearms when lying on tummy.
  • Back is firm and neck straight when held in a sitting position.
  • Starts to reach for objects but cannot yet grasp at own will.
  • Follows a moving object with eyes and recognises own name.
Baby
6 months old
  • Lifting head and shoulders to try and sit up and can roll from tummy to back.
  • Tends to pass objects from one hand to another and grasps at own will.
  • Likes to bang hands against a table.
  • Starts to sit without support and bounces when held in a standing position.
  • Responds to "no", peek-a-boo games and knows familiar faces.
8 months old
  • Starts to crawl by using sailing movements and sits up from lying on back.
  • Picks up objects with thumb and index finger and claps hands.
  • Enjoys casting objects on the floor or hitting them against each other.
  • Might pull into standing position against objects.
  • Very attached to mother.
  • can wave "bye-bye" and likes to look at pictures for up to a minute.
Mother Holding Baby Finger
10 months old
  • Can crawl sufficiently and also move from lying down to sitting up on own.
  • Finds objects, knowing where they were put away.
  • Holds cup while drinking and eats finger foods like biscuits.
  • Pulls at people's clothes to attract their attention.
12 months old
  • Can crawl up stairs and puts everythin​g in mouth.
  • Points to objects with index finger.
  • Can walk when held by the hand and starts to walk independently.
  • Although messy, feeds independently with a spoon.
  • Able to pull off socks.
Sleeping Baby

What can I expect of my 1 to 2 year old child?

15 months old
  • Walks alone and stands up from sitting.
  • Holds a crayon with all fingers and copies scribbling patterns or lines.
  • Turns pages of a book (several at a time) and puts lids back on containers.
  • Responds to simple commands i.e. "Fetch the ball".
  • Can identify 1 object correctly when given a choice of 3 objects.
  • When eating with a spoon, tends to turn it upside down and lick it.
  • Aware of a dirty/wet nappy and can indicate discomfort to parent.
18 months old
  • Can squat to pick up objects from the floor, stand up and walk further.
  • When running, legs are wide apart and falls often.
  • Can push a ball along with a foot without losing balance.
  • Can catch a ball if thrown directly into arms.
  • Has mood swings.
  • ​Seems very interested in own image in a mirror.
Playing with Toys
Baby Crawling
24 months old
  • Can take a few steps backwards, starts to ride a tricycle.
  • Can run fast, rhythmically and change direction easily.
  • Can walk up-and-down stairs holding onto a rail and jumps down a step.
  • When drawing, uses lines and circular patterns.
  • Can leaf through a book, page by page.
  • Able to group objects of the same colour or the same type together (e.g. dogs, cats)
  • Has a strong will; uses "mine" a lot.
  • Understands time i.e. dinnertime, bedtime and lunchtime.
  • Asks for water of food when hungry or thirsty and feeds with a fork.​
  • can put his/her jacket or trousers on.
Juicy Bite

What can I expect of my 3 year old child?

uses hands and fingers for day-to-day task
  • Starts to colour and draws lines and circles.
  • Manages to cut paper into pieces, but struggles to stay on a straight line.
  • Can build a tower with 10 blocks stacked up on top of each other.
  • Threads at least 6 big beads onto shoelace.
  • Can make round balls with clay and also roll snakes if shown how to.
intellectual development
  • Name 8-10 different parts of the body.
  • Draw a man with 4 different body parts.
  • Show own age with fingers and can count up to 5.
  • Build puzzles with 3-10 pieces.
  • Name positions like behind, in front of, next to, under and on.
uses large muscles in the body
  • Can walk forwards, backwards and sideways.
  • Is able to walk heel-toe and up-and-down stairs with good balance.
  • Can ride tricycle.
  • Jumps forward with 2 feet simultaneously. Feet may be apart and barely leave the floor.
  • Stands on one leg for a few seconds.
  • Can catch a big ball, holding arms out straight waiting for the ball and then catching it against chest.
  • Runs and kicks a ball hard, without losing balance. 
Kid Cutting Paper With Scissor
Kid Standing on Bench
Girl with Drawing

What can I expect of my 4 year old child?

uses hands and fingers for day-to-day task
  • Can button and unbutton clothing.
  • Can cut out and paste simple shapes.
  • Builds a tower of 10 or more cubes and threads small beads on a lace.
  • Holds and uses a pencil in adult fashion.
uses large muscles in body
  • Can walk in a straight line.
  • Goes up-and-down stairs 1 foot per step.
  • Hops on 1 foot.
  • Can pedal and steer a tricycle confidently.
  • Can stand, walk and run on tiptoes.
  • Enjoys climbing trees and on frames.
  • Can run up and down stairs and make sharp turns easily.
  • Balances on one foot and jumps down from a step.
Kids Painting
Can also
  • Count up to 10.
  • Put together 12 piece puzzles.
  • Copy a cross, print a few letters and draw a simple house.
  • Draw a person with a head, trunk and legs.
  • Stand behind, inside, on, next to, under and in front of an object.
  • ​Identify a circle, square, triangle, star and moon.​
  • Name four different colours.
Balancing Beam

What can I expect of my 5 year old child?

Can perform fine-motor tasks...
  • Easily dresses and undresses.
  • Competently uses a knife and fork may still need to have meat cut up.
  • ​Forms letters and writes own name, good control over pencils and paintbrushes.
  • Colours pictures neatly and cuts out shapes using scissors quite accurately.
  • May be able to thread a large-eyed needle and sew with large stitches.
  • Can copy four-step models using blocks.
...and also 
  • Skips with rope, runs quickly and is able to avoid obstacles.
  • Is able to use a variety of large equipment (e.g. swings and slides) confidently.
  • Throws, bounces and catches a ball and also hits a ball with a bat or stick.
  • Shows good co-ordination playing ball games.
  • Climbs confidently and dances rhythmically to music.
  • Shows good balance, can stand on 1 foot for about 10 seconds and may ride a bike without stabilisers.
  • Can hop 2-3m on each foot separately.
Kids Playing
Intellectual Development
  • At least complete a 25-piece puzzle.
  • Draw a person with a head, body, legs, nose, mouth and eyes.
  • Draw a recognisable picture of trees, houses, people and animals.
  • Count up to 13 and name 6 different colours.
  • Name a circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star, cross, moon, oval and diamond.
Two Friends

What can I expect of my 6 year old child?

Fine Motor skills
  • Can build a tower of blocks that is virtually straight.
  • Is able to sew stitches.
  • Cuts accurately and neatly around curves.
  • Handwriting is evenly spaced.
  • Drawings are detailed and representative.
  • Makes a simple sandwich.
  • Ties and unties shoelaces.
  • Can hold a pencil in grip, similar to an adult (the dynamic tripod grip).
  • Able to write a number of letters of similar size and writes number's 1-10
  • Can write his/her last name as well as his/her first name.
Gross Motor skills
  • Runs fast, chases and dodges others.
  • Rides a bicycle without stabilisers.
  • Hops, skips and jumps confidently.
  • Plays ball games and starts to catch a tennis ball.
  • Balances on a beam or wall; gaining control in both strength and agility.
  • Can balance for 19 seconds on 1 leg.
  • Can skip in time to music, alternating the feet.
Friends on a Swing
Intellectual Development
  • Names all 2 dimensional shapes and all the different colours.
  • Counts up to 30 an can count 20 different objects.
  • Names left and right sides of own body and able to tell own birthday.
  • Can follow 3-4 instructions given at once.
  • Concentrates for at least 30 minutes on table activities.
Kids tying shoelaces
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