Developmental Milestones for Physical Therapy

(From www.childdevelopment.com)

Age	Developmental Milestone	Possible implications if milestones not achieved
0 - 6 Months	Rolls over front to back and back to front Sits with support and then independently	Poor muscle development for locomotion Delayed ability to play independently
6 - 12 Months	Crawls forwards on belly Assumes a seated position unaided Creeps on hands and knees Transitions into different positions: sitting, all fours, lying on tummy Pulls self to stand Walks while holding onto furniture Takes 2-3 steps without support Rolls a ball in imitation of an adult	Delayed sensory development due to delayed interaction with toys and other sensory objects Poor muscle development Delayed play skills
18 months	Sits, crawls, walks Still has wide gait but walking/running is less clumsy Pushes against a ball (does not actually kick it)	Delayed play skills Difficulty interacting with the environment due to delayed ability to mobilize effectively Poor muscle development
2 years	Walks smoothly and turns corners Begins running Is able to pull or carry a toy while walking Climbs onto/down from furniture without assistance Walks up and down steps with support Picks up toys from the floor without falling over	Poor muscle development for running and jumping Delayed ability to play independently and interact with the environment Decreased ability to interact socially
3 years	Imitates standing on one foot Imitates simple bilateral movements of limbs (e.g., arms up together) Climbs jungle gym and ladders Pedals on tricycle Walks up/down stairs alternating feet Jumps in place with two feet together Able to walk on tip toes Catches using body	Decreased opportunities for social interaction Poor development of body awareness and movement planning skills Difficulties using playground equipment Difficulties or lack of confidence Difficulties or lack of confidence interacting with other children in active environments (e.g. play cafes, playgrounds)
4 years	Stands on one foot for up to 5 seconds Kicks a ball forwards Throws a ball overarm Catches a ball that has been bounced Runs around obstacles Able to walk on a line Able to hop on one foot Jumps over an object and lands with both feet together	Lack of confidence in movement based activities Difficulties using playground equipment Difficulties or lack of confidence interacting with other children in active environments (e.g. play cafes, playgrounds)
5 years	Able to walk up stairs while holding an object Walks backward toe-heel Jumps forward 10 times without falling Skips forwards after demonstration Hangs from a bar for at least 5 seconds Steps forward with leg on same side as throwing arm when throwing a ball Catches a small ball using hands only	May result in poor self-esteem when comparing self to peers Lack of confidence in movement based activities Difficulties participating in sporting activities Difficulties playing with moving toys such as bikes and scooters
6 years	Runs lightly on toes Able to walk on a balance beam Able to skip using a skipping rope Can cover 2 meters hopping Demonstrates mature throwing and catching patterns Mature jumping	Difficulty participating in sporting activities May result in poor self-esteem when comparing self to peers Lack of confidence in movement based activities

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