Gross Motor development Gross motor development focuses on the big muscles in the body, like those in the legs, arms, and torso. As infants grow, these muscles allow them to achieve key physical milestones, starting with head control, progressing to sitting, crawling, and eventually walking, running, and other active movements.

Between the ages 3 – 6 months, your child should:

• Randomly move arms and legs
• Put hands near eyes and touch mouth
• Be able to lift his/her head up when on stomach
• Be able to put weight on arms when on stomach
• Move head from side to side while lying on back
• Hold head steady when held in sitting position
• Sit with little support at the waist
• Turn him/herself from back to side and tries to roll over
• Reach out for toys, using left or right hand and puts toys in mouth
• When on stomach, is able to keep head up, putting weight on arms and turn head from side to side
• Stand when held, bend knees and support weight with legs
• Touch knees and feet with hands when lying on back

Between the ages of 6 – 9 months, your child should:

• Start rolling back to front and visa versa
• Be able to sit by her/himself
• Be able to pivot and creep on stomach
• Start standing stiff legged while holding onto furniture

Between the ages of 9 – 12 months, your child should:

• Be able to crawl over and around objects
• Start to cruise around furniture
• Move from sitting to lying down
• Pull to stand while holding onto furniture
• Walk with 2 hands held

Red Flags for Gross Motor Development (0-12 months)

If you notice or are concerned about some of the following things about your baby, you may want to talk to your physician or another health professional.

• Baby’s head is flat Baby doesn’t turn his/her head to both sides
• Baby feels stiff
• Baby is not meeting developmental milestones
• Baby uses one side of his/her body more than the other
• Baby’s skills are regressing
• Something appears wrong with baby’s legs and/or feet

If you have concerns about your child, please feel free to contact us to speak to a professional. You can also make a referral to our program at anytime.