Milestones

• turn their head and eyes towards light 
• watch your face and try to respond to speech 
• make cooing sounds 
• quieten at sound of your voice 
• smile at you 
• lift their head briefly without wobbling, when placed on their tummy 
• jump or blink if there is sudden loud noise, or stir in their sleep 

You can encourage their development by 

• holding objects close (20-35cm) from their face, and they will stare intently as they try to focus 
• letting them study your face as you talk to them, that will become their favourite object to look at! 
• hanging large black and white images, with stripes or circles to look at, eg. posters 
• singing, reading, playing music quietly to them while you feed them or are working round the house. Babies learn through hearing speech, when people talk to them during the first year 
• cuddling them 
• hanging toys, mobiles, musical toys, rattles strung over the bassinet 

At about 2 months old your baby may:

• start to hold onto a rattle.
• have more control over jerky body movements.
• focus on objects 17-20cm away.
• enjoy watching mobiles.
• respond to noises nearby.

At about 3 months old they may:

• bring their hands together.
• laugh out loud.
• coo or smile at you when you talk.
• kick with more control and more forcefully.
• lift their head 45-90 degrees when lying on their tummy.
• stare at people’s faces when they are up close.
• turn their eyes towards voices.
• seem to know your voice.

You can encourage development by:

• interacting with them.
• holding out a toy and moving it up and down.
• playing “pat a cake” holding their hands.
• playing with rattles and bright coloured soft toys.
• laying him on a rug on the floor under a frame with dangling toys.
• reading to them, singing to them (time for those nursery rhymes!).
• putting them on their tummy to play.

• grab at a toy if it is held close.
• smile at everyone, coo, laugh, especially for their parents.
• squeal happily.
• hold their head steadily when pulled into sitting position.

You can encourage development by:

• propping them up to see what is going on.
• sitting him in a bouncinette (not on a table or high surface).
• giving them tummy time on the floor.
• placing a plastic mirror in front of them.
• talking to them while you are feeding and changing them.

Your baby may:

• roll from front to back.
• do “press-ups” (pushing head and shoulders off the floor).
• bounce up and down on your lap, starting to weight bear.
• chew everything they can put in their mouth.
• make da, ba sounds.
• babble.
• grizzle when you take a toy away from them.

• grasp and hold toy in one hands
• transfer toy to other hand
• raise rattle to mouth
• sit with support for a short time
• roll over and back
• bear weight and bounce when held in standing position
• hold on to cup handles and attempt to drink
• make lots of new noises, click their tongue, blow raspberries.
• imitate a cough
• copy poked tongue
• laugh or squeal in annoyance
• use double syllable sounds (adah, ahgoo)
• turn to direction of parents voice

You can encourage development by

• playing interactive games – peek a boo
• offering more floor play with large, brightly coloured balls. Soft washable ones are best
• introducing toys such as a teddy bear or rag doll, squeaky animals (without removable parts), floating bath toys.
• giving her empty plastic containers, with lids to put on and off
• reading to her from brightly coloured, large books

• sit unsupported
• bottom shuffle or crawl
• clap hands together
• poke at objects to make them move
• pick up tiny bits of fluff or small objects with a “pincer grip”, using finger and thumb
• pull to standing position in their cot or with chair support
• react to familiar faces, and act warily to new ones
• blow kisses
• look for dropped toys
• babble tunefully

You can encourage development by

• playing with building blocks, and interlocking toys, first books, activity centres
• giving her saucepans, lids and a wooden spoon to play with
• playing music and singing nursery rhymes
• pretend to have a conversation with them on the phone

• sit for an indefinite time without support 
• crawl on hands and knees 
• walk while holding on to the furniture 
• wave bye-bye 
• understand several words, respond to simple commands 
• may point at something they wants 
• say mama, dada, repeat simple sounds 
• respond to their name 
• point to their nose, tummy or the dog, when asked to 

You can encourage development by 

• lots of interaction - point out animals, colours, shapes 
• giving him shape sorter toys, push along toys, building blocks, pegboards with large, coloured pegs 
• talking to them - they’ll try and join in conversation 
• praising them - they’ll love to show off new skills (like waving) 

By now you will enjoy seeing the real person emerging. If they likes something they can be happy and sunny, but if something frustrates them they may fly into a rage!

• start climbing.
• fetch something when asked.
• know names of body parts.
• join words together.
• become easily frustrated
• refuse to do what they is asked.
• “No” is the favourite word.

You can encourage development by

• giving lots of cuddles and hugs.
• being pleased when they learns a new skill.
• notice them when they is good.
• praising them will make them want to do things that please you.
• listening to them.
• talking to then.
• letting them help you cook.
• giving them clothes to dress up in.
• making a “house” out of cardboard cartons, stretching their imagination.