Baby Milestone Tracker
Record the moments you notice with CDC milestone checklists. Keep dates and notes for your next conversation with your child's doctor.
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones are skills most children can do by a certain age. They include how children play, learn, communicate, and move. The CDC tracks milestones across four key areas: motor skills, language, cognitive development, and social and emotional skills.
These checklists support conversations with your child's doctor. They do not diagnose a delay or replace developmental screening. Read the CDC checklist guidance and the guidance on choosing a checklist age.
Looking for one milestone in particular? Our milestone guides cover individual milestones in depth, from first smiles to first words.
How to use this tracker
- Enter your baby's birthdate and, if born early, the expected due date.
- Choose a checklist using the younger age when your baby is between checklist ages.
- Record what you notice with an achieved date and optional notes. You can revisit an earlier checklist directly.
- Discuss any concerns with your child's doctor and ask about developmental screening.
Frequently asked questions
What are developmental milestones?
Developmental milestones describe how children play, learn, communicate, and move. CDC checklists include skills that at least 75% of children can do by the stated age. The checklists help you notice changes and talk with your child's doctor; they are not a developmental screening test or a diagnosis.
When should I be concerned about my baby's development?
Talk with your child's doctor if your child is missing one or more milestones, loses a skill, or you have any concern. Ask about developmental screening. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends general developmental screening at 9, 18, and 30 months and autism screening at 18 and 24 months, or whenever there is a concern.
Where do these milestone checklists come from?
The current checklists are based on the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone lists, reviewed on October 2, 2026. They are tools for developmental monitoring, not medical guidelines or a substitute for screening. Between checklist ages, use the younger checklist. Earlier records remain available separately because the checklist content has changed.
Can premature babies reach milestones at the same time?
If your baby was born more than three weeks early, CDC advises using corrected age for the checklist. During the first two years, this tracker can use the expected due date to calculate corrected age. Add that date in your baby's details and discuss development with your child's doctor.
When to talk to your doctor
Talk with your child's doctor if your child is missing one or more milestones, loses a skill, or you have any concern. Ask about developmental screening. See the CDC's next steps for families.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental screening at 9, 18, and 30 months and autism screening at 18 and 24 months. Screening is also appropriate whenever there is a concern. Read about monitoring and screening.