Gross Motor Milestones: What to Expect in Your Child's First 3 Years

The Amazing Journey of Movement

Watching your child go from a tiny newborn who can barely lift their head to a running, jumping, climbing toddler is one of the most remarkable things you'll ever witness. Every roll, sit, crawl, and step represents thousands of connections forming in their brain.

Understanding the typical timeline of gross motor development helps you celebrate milestones, know what's coming next, and identify when early support might be beneficial. This guide is based on the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and CDC developmental milestone guidelines (2022 revision).

What Are Gross Motor Skills?

Gross motor skills involve the large muscles of the body — the ones used for crawling, walking, jumping, climbing, throwing, and balancing. They're the foundation for everything from playground play to classroom participation.

Timeline of Gross Motor Milestones

0–3 Months

• Lifts head during tummy time
• Pushes up on forearms when on tummy
• Moves arms and legs actively
• Holds head steady when held upright

What you can do: Lots of supervised tummy time (start with short bursts!), floor time on their back, and holding them upright against your shoulder.

4–6 Months

• Rolls from tummy to back (and eventually back to tummy)
• Pushes up with straight arms during tummy time
• Sits with support, then briefly without
• Reaches for and grabs objects
• Bears weight on legs when held standing

What you can do: Provide varied surfaces and positions. Let them practice sitting with pillows around them for support. Offer toys in different positions to encourage reaching and weight shifting.

7–9 Months

• Sits independently and plays in sitting
• Crawls on hands and knees (some babies scoot, roll, or army-crawl — all count!)
• Pulls to standing at furniture
• Begins to cruise along furniture

What you can do: Create a safe space for exploration. Put motivating toys on low furniture to encourage pulling up. Let them practice getting in and out of sitting on their own.

10–12 Months

• Cruises well along furniture
• Stands alone briefly
• May take first independent steps
• Squats to pick up a toy and stands back up
• Climbs up stairs on hands and knees

What you can do: Hold their hands for walking practice (but don't rush it!). Set up safe "obstacle courses" with cushions. Let them climb stairs with close supervision.

13–18 Months

• Walks independently
• Begins to run (adorable toddler run!)
• Walks up stairs with hand held
• Carries toys while walking
• Pushes and pulls toys
• Kicks a ball forward

What you can do: Take walks together outside on different surfaces (grass, sidewalk, sand). Provide push toys, pull toys, and balls. Let them climb at the playground with your support.

19–24 Months

• Runs more coordinated
• Kicks a ball
• Walks up and down stairs with railing
• Throws a ball overhand
• Begins to jump with both feet leaving the ground
• Climbs on furniture independently

What you can do: Playground time! Dancing, jumping in puddles, throwing and kicking balls, and running games like chase are perfect.

2–3 Years

• Runs well without falling
• Jumps off low steps
• Pedals a tricycle
• Walks up stairs alternating feet
• Catches a large ball (with body, not just hands)
• Climbs playground equipment
• Hops on one foot (emerging by 3)

What you can do: Tricycle riding, catching and throwing, hopscotch, balance beams (curb walking!), and obstacle courses.

Important: Every Child Has Their Own Timeline

These milestones represent averages. There's a wide range of normal. Some perfectly healthy children walk at 9 months; others take their first steps at 18 months. Some skip crawling entirely.

What matters more than hitting an exact date is seeing continued progress. If your child is consistently gaining skills — even if on the slower end — that's usually reassuring.

When to Talk to a Physical Therapist

Consider a PT evaluation if:

• Your child isn't walking by 18 months
• They consistently prefer one side of their body over the other
• They seem very stiff or very floppy compared to peers
• They lose skills they previously had
• They avoid movement or seem fearful of physical activities
• They fall significantly more than other children their age
• They W-sit exclusively and refuse other sitting positions
• You notice persistent toe walking after age 2

Early identification and intervention lead to the best outcomes. Pediatric PT is gentle, play-based, and focused on making movement fun — not stressful.

Celebrate Every Milestone

Every new movement your child masters is worth celebrating. That first roll, that proud moment of sitting alone, those wobbly first steps — these are incredible achievements of coordination, strength, and bravery.

Your child is doing exactly what they're supposed to do: growing at their own beautiful pace.

Check in on your child's development with our free Little Leaps Milestone Checker, or contact us for a free physical therapy screening.

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This article reflects current guidelines from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the CDC's "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program. For more resources, visit apta.org.