All ages · 5 min read
Milestones: the wide range of normal (and when to check)
Rolling, sitting, crawling, walking: the honest ranges, why comparison is the thief of joy, and the signs that do deserve a look.
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The honest ranges
Rolling: often three to six months. Sitting without help: roughly six to nine months. Crawling: seven to ten months, and some skip it entirely. Pulling to stand: eight to twelve months. First steps: ten to eighteen months. Running and jumping: sometime in the second and third year, with huge variation.
Every one of those ranges is wide because children genuinely vary. The baby app on your phone tends to quote averages; an average is the middle of a range, not a deadline.
Patterns matter more than dates
More important than any single date: your child keeps gaining skills month on month; both sides of the body work similarly; movement looks comfortable rather than effortful; and skills, once gained, stick. A child two weeks 'late' on everything but progressing steadily is usually far less concerning than a child bang on time who uses only one hand.
Comparison with the baby next door is normal, human, and largely useless; siblings from the same family often hit milestones months apart.
The signs that do deserve a look
A strong hand preference before eighteen months. Persistent stiffness or floppiness. Not sitting by nine to ten months, not standing with support by twelve to fourteen months, not walking by eighteen months. Asymmetry: one side working noticeably harder than the other. And most importantly, loss of skills a child used to have, which always warrants a prompt GP visit.
Our free online checker (the 'Is my child on track?' page) walks you through the right questions for your child's age, and we're always happy to say 'this looks typical' when it does. That answer costs nothing and buys a lot of sleep.
This guide is general information written by a paediatric physiotherapist, not medical advice about your child. If you are worried, trust your instinct: speak to your GP or health visitor, or get in touch with us.
Written by Lucy Jolliffe BSc MSc, HCPC registered physiotherapist (PH142090).