As parents, watching your baby grow and develop is one of the most rewarding experiences. From the first lift of their head to taking those precious first steps, every milestone brings joy. Understanding and tracking your baby’s motor skills development can help you ensure they are on the right track while also allowing you to support their growth with the right activities and encouragement.
What Are Motor Skills?
Motor skills are the abilities that allow babies to move and control their muscles. These are divided into two categories:
- Gross motor skills: Involves large muscle groups and helps babies control movements like crawling, sitting, and walking.
- Fine motor skills: These focus on smaller muscle movements, particularly in the hands and fingers, allowing them to grasp objects, point, or manipulate toys.
In this article, we’ll cover the key milestones of motor skills development and how you can track your baby’s progress.
1. Head Control (0-3 Months)
Tracking your baby’s motor skills development starts with head control. During the first few weeks of life, babies have very little control over their neck muscles. By around 2 to 3 months, your baby should start being able to lift their head while lying on their stomach.
Signs of Progress:
- By 1 month, your baby might be able to turn their head from side to side.
- By 3 months, they should be able to lift their head to a 45-degree angle.
How to Encourage:
- Tummy time is crucial at this stage. Place your baby on their tummy for short periods while they are awake to strengthen their neck, shoulders, and back muscles.
2. Rolling Over (4-6 Months)
Rolling over is one of the first big gross motor milestones. Around 4 to 6 months, babies typically learn to roll from their tummy to their back, and then from back to tummy.
Signs of Progress:
- Around 4 months, most babies will first roll from their stomach to their back.
- By 6 months, they should be able to roll both ways.
How to Encourage:
- You can place toys slightly out of reach during tummy time to encourage your baby to roll towards them.
- Make sure to supervise closely to prevent any accidents.
3. Sitting Up (6-8 Months)
Sitting up is a significant milestone in tracking your baby’s motor skills development. Between 6 to 8 months, your baby should develop enough core strength to sit unassisted.
Signs of Progress:
- By 6 months, many babies can sit with support.
- By 8 months, they should be able to sit up on their own without help.
How to Encourage:
- Prop your baby up with pillows to give them practice sitting.
- Use toys to keep them engaged while sitting to improve their balance.
4. Crawling (8-10 Months)
Crawling is another exciting milestone, as it signifies growing independence. Babies typically start crawling between 8 and 10 months.
Signs of Progress:
- Some babies start by scooting or dragging themselves forward using their arms.
- By 10 months, they should be able to crawl on their hands and knees.
How to Encourage:
- Place toys just out of reach to motivate them to crawl.
- Create safe spaces for your baby to explore and practice their new skills.
5. Pulling Up and Standing (9-12 Months)
Around 9 to 12 months, many babies begin pulling themselves up to stand and even cruise along furniture.
Signs of Progress:
- By 9 months, your baby may start pulling themselves up to a standing position.
- By 12 months, they should be able to cruise while holding onto furniture.
How to Encourage:
- Create a safe environment where your baby can pull up and practice standing.
- Encourage standing by placing toys on low furniture they can reach.
6. Walking (12-15 Months)
One of the most significant milestones in tracking your baby’s motor skills development is walking. This usually happens between 12 and 15 months.
Signs of Progress:
- Your baby may first take a few steps with support.
- By 15 months, they should be walking independently, though they may still be wobbly.
How to Encourage:
- Hold your baby’s hands to guide them as they learn to walk.
- Provide sturdy furniture or push toys they can use for balance.
7. Fine Motor Skills Development (0-12 Months)
While gross motor skills are the big movements like sitting and walking, fine motor skills involve more precise actions. These include grasping, picking up small objects, and eventually, feeding themselves.
Key Milestones:
- Grasping objects (3-4 months): Babies start to reach for and grasp toys and objects.
- Transferring objects (6-8 months): Babies should be able to transfer objects from one hand to the other.
- Pincer grasp (9-12 months): The pincer grasp allows babies to pick up small objects using their thumb and forefinger.
How to Encourage:
- Provide a variety of age-appropriate toys that encourage grasping and manipulation.
- Finger foods are also excellent for developing the pincer grasp.
8. When to Seek Help
While tracking your baby’s motor skills development, it’s important to remember that every baby develops at their own pace. However, if your baby isn’t meeting milestones, it may be worth discussing with a pediatrician.
Signs to Watch For:
- Not showing head control by 3 months.
- Not rolling over by 6 months.
- Not sitting up by 9 months.
- Not crawling or attempting to stand by 12 months.
Early intervention can help address any potential issues and ensure your baby’s development stays on track.
Click here to read the CDC’s guide .
Tracking your baby’s motor skills development helps ensure they are reaching their physical milestones on time. Each milestone, from head control to walking, is a significant achievement for your little one. Encourage their growth with appropriate activities, plenty of tummy time, and lots of love. And remember, each baby is unique, so celebrate every bit of progress, no matter how small!
