Milestones: 4 months old

 

Social/Emotional Milestones 
How babies interact with others

A typical 4-month-old baby...

  • Smiles on their own to get your attention
  • Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make them laugh
  • Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention

Language/Communication Milestones 
How babies learn to speak

A typical 4-month-old baby...

  • Makes sounds like “oooo”, “aahh” (cooing)
  • Makes sounds back when you talk to them
  • Turns head towards the sound of a voice

Cognitive Milestones 
How babies think, reason, understand and problem solve

4 month, opens their mouth when they see a breast or bottle

A typical 4-month-old baby...

  • If hungry, opens their mouth when they see a breast or bottle
  • Looks at their hands with interest

Movement/Physical Development  Milestones 
How babies learn to move

4 month, pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

A typical 4-month-old baby...

  • Holds head steady without support when they are being held
  • Holds a toy when you put it in their hand
  • Uses arms to swing at toys
  • Brings hands to mouth
  • Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

Most babies meet specific milestones in a certain order. By “typical,” we mean a baby that follows this common path of development.


On their own






Putting together sounds like a-da-da-da or a-ga-ba

With purpose or emotion