What To Expect Birth To Age 3

ChildFind (1)At three months of age, most babies:

  • turn their head toward bright colors and lights
  • no longer "cross their eyes" while trying to focus. They move both their eyes in the same direction at one time.
  • recognize bottle or breast
  • respond to their mother's voice
  • make cooing sounds
  • bring their hands together
  • wiggle and kick with arms and legs
  • lift their head while lying on their stomach
  • become quiet in response to sound, especially to speech
  • smile
At six months of age, most babies:

  • follow moving objects with their eyes
  • turn toward the source of normal sound
  • reach for objects and pick them up
  • switch toys from one hand to the other
  • play with their toes
  • help hold the bottle during feeding
  • recognize familiar faces
  • imitate speech sounds
  • respond to soft sounds, especially talking
  • roll over

At 12 months of age, most babies:

  • get to a sitting position
  • pull to a standing position
  • stand briefly without support
  • crawl
  • imitate adults using a cup or telephone
  • play peek-a-boo and patty cake
  • wave bye-bye
  • put objects in a container
  • say at least one word
  • make "ma-ma" or "da-da" sounds

At 18 months of age, most children:

  • like to push and pull objects
  • say at least six words
  • follow simple directions ("Bring the ball")
  • pull off their shoes, socks and mittens
  • can point to a picture that you name in a book
  • feed themselves
  • make marks on paper with crayons
  • walk without help
  • walk backwards
  • point, make sounds, or try to use words to ask for things
  • say "no," shake their head or push away things they don't want

At two years of age, most children:

  • use two- to three-word sentences
  • say about 50 words
  • recognize familiar pictures
  • kick a ball forward
  • feed themselves with a spoon
  • demand a lot of your attention
  • turn two or three pages together
  • like to imitate their parent
  • identify hair, eyes, ears, and nose by pointing
  • build a tower of four blocks
  • show affection

At three years of age, most children:

  • throw a ball overhand
  • ride a tricycle
  • put on their shoes
  • open the door
  • turn one page at a time
  • play with other children for a few minutes
  • repeat common rhymes
  • use three- to five-word sentences
  • name at least one color correctly

If your child is having trouble doing some of these things, it may put your mind at ease to talk to someone. Early help makes a difference!

Talk with your doctor or call the Niagara County Health Department Early Intervention Program at 278-1691.

For Referrals to Early Intervention (if you are a resident of Niagara County), please contact:   

Niagara County Department of Health - Early Intervention Program
Trott Access Center 1001 11th Street
Niagara  Falls,  New York 14301
Referral Number: 716-278-1691 (716-278-8180 if unable to get through)
Fax: 716-278-8288

The New York State Department of Health has produced a helpful booklet for parents:

The Early Intervention Program: A Parent's Guide, is also available here in Adobe Portable Document format. (PDF)

For information on how to become an approved New York State Early Intervention Service Provider click here, call 518-473-7016 or write to bei@health.state.ny.us

Links to our programs:
EarlyIntervention  CWSNLogo  CSHCN (3)  Family-Resources-logo (1)