A child will achieve many physical milestones within the first few years of his life. Physical milestones refer to the time in a child's life at which he develops the ability to apply certain motor skills or perform certain tasks. According to the University of Michigan Health Care System, each child is unique and can develop her physical skills slightly sooner or slightly later than expected, but the skills remain the same.
Moving, Crawling and Walking
Infants younger than 6 months can raise their head and chest when lying on their stomach, roll themselves over and use the edge of their crib to pull themselves up and push themselves forward. Between the age of six months and one year, a baby will explore his surroundings by crawling and develop the ability to sit and stand without aid. A one year-old may still require support when walking, but a 2-year-old has the ability to walk on his own. Two-year-olds still require support when walking up and down stairs and may walk stairs by setting both feet on a step before moving to the next step. By the ages of 4 and 5, a child can walk up and down stairs on his own, alternating feet with each step.
Handling Objects
Infants younger than six months can grasp objects using their entire hand and suck on whatever they find, according to The Whole Child at the PBS website. By the age of 1 year, babies will develop the ability to move objects from one hand to the other. Between the ages of 1 and 2, children will have the ability to pick up items when standing.
Coordination
A child between 1 and 2 years old can paint, draw or scribble using her entire arm to move a paintbrush or crayon she holds in her fist. By the age of 3, children have better coordination handling small objects and can hold a crayon using their thumb and fingers while using their wrist movement to draw pictures.
Playing
Children between 2 and 3 years old are more comfortable with their movements and coordination and will increase their speed in their activities. By the age of 4, children can walk or run around objects as well as follow a pattern such as a line when walking. A child can play in more elaborate ways such as balancing on one leg, riding a tricycle and using a slide without aid, according to The Whole Child. Children at 5 years old can develop skills necessary for school such as printing capital letters, drawing simple shapes and using safety scissors to cut along a pattern.
Developmental Screening
According to University of Michigan Health Services, you should contact your child's doctor for a developmental screening to establish your child's level of physical development if you feel your child is not progressing as expected for his age. Developmental screening involves questions and tasks to determine whether your child has the ability to achieve the necessary physical milestones for his age and how to assist him.
