8-12 Months Milestones
Gross Motor
- Gets to sitting position without assistance
- Gets to hands-and-knees position independently
- Crawls
- Stands holding on with support
- Pulls self to stand
- Walks holding onto furniture
- Stands momentarily without support
- Possibly walks 2 or 3 steps without support
Fine Motor
- Uses pincer grasp
- Puts objects into container
- Takes objects out of container
- Lets go of objects voluntarily
- Pokes at things with index finger
- Independent wrist and finger movements
- Left or right hand preference observed
- Turns pages/pushes a toy car/stacks rings
Language/Oral Motor
- Pays increasing attention to spoken words of others
- Talks or “jabbers” all the time, usually with nonsensical sounds
- Responds to simple verbal requests
- Stops doing something if told “no”, but only momentarily
- Says “dada” and “mama”
- Uses exclamations such as “uh-oh”
- Tries to imitate words/indicates wants
- Cup drinking is unstable; jaw/tongue protrusion on swallow
- Some jaw separation from tongue and lip during bite
- Improved coordination to suck, swallow, and breathe (10–12 months)
Personal and Social
- Explores objects in different ways (shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
- Finds hidden objects easily
- Looks at correct picture when the image is named
- Begins to use objects correctly (drinking from cup, brushing hair, holding phone to ear)
- Imitates gestures
- Is shy or anxious with strangers
- Cries when mom or dad leaves
- Enjoys imitating people
- Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
- Tests parental responses to behaviors
- May be fearful in some situations
- Prefers primary caregiver over others
- Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
- Feeds self with fingers
- Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
Visual
- Improved eye hand coordination; shifts focus (5–8 months)
- Looks for hidden objects; imitates faces (8–15 months)
