Birth–3 months

Babies gradually gain control of their head and neck.

During tummy time, they strengthen their neck, shoulders, and upper back.

3–6 months

• They begin rolling over.
• They push up on their hands.
• Core muscles become stronger.

6–10 months

• Many babies start crawling.
• Some crawl on hands and knees, while others may army crawl, scoot, or even skip crawling entirely.

Why crawling matters

• Strengthens arms, legs, and core muscles.
• Improves balance and coordination.
• Helps the left and right sides of the brain work together.

2. Learning to walk

Walking develops step by step.

6–9 months

• Babies sit without support.
• They may pull themselves up to stand.

9–12 months

• They cruise by holding onto furniture.
• They practice balancing while standing.

9–18 months

• Most babies take their first independent steps.
• At first they walk with a wide stance and arms held out for balance.

How they improve

• Repeated practice strengthens muscles.
• The brain learns to coordinate balance, vision, and movement.
• Falling is a normal part of learning.

3. Learning to talk

Talking starts well before babies say their first word.

Birth

• Crying is their first way of communicating.

2–4 months

• They begin cooing and making vowel sounds.

4–8 months

• Babbling begins ("ba-ba," "da-da").

8–12 months

• They understand simple words like their name or "no."
• They may say their first meaningful word.

12–24 months

• Vocabulary grows quickly.
• They begin combining two words, such as "more milk" or "bye daddy."