Gross Motor Milestone (7-12 months)

7 months old

Sitting balance is improving. The child will be able to sit momentarily without arm support. In prone, the trunk extensors and upper limbs are strong enough to allow child to push his chest off the floor. He will be able to reach for objects with one hand, while supporting the weight of the upper body with the other.

9 months old

By 9 months old, the child will be able to sit independently on the floor for about 10 minutes or longer. Trunk control developed over months of practice enabled the child to reach for toys in sitting without toppling over. The baby will find transiting from lying to sitting a breeze. There will be repeated failed attempts to pull himself to standing. At this stage, the child may start to crawl, although some children do skip this milestone.

12 months old

Pulling furniture to standing and crawling are no longer a problem for a 12-month-old child. Other alternate ways to move around are by bottom shuffle or bear walk. The child will be perfecting his walking skills at this age. He will be able to walk with one handhold. The base of support may be large due to poor hip strength and balance. However, as the child practices, walking will be faster and steadier. This is the stage that parents will not want to miss as the child may initiate their first independent step at any moment.

– 7-12 months Gross motor milestone pamphlet

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