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Birth–11 monthsGross Motor Skills

Turns head in response to sounds and sights.

Observe whether the child: turns head in response to sounds and sights.

What it looks like

Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.

Emerging

Just starting

Sometimes turns head partway toward a sound or moving sight, especially when close and clear, but responses are inconsistent or slow. May orient in one position (e.g., lying) but not in others.

What you might see

  • A sound made to one side (e.g., gentle rattle) does not lead to a head turn; the child keeps the head in the same position.
  • A brightly coloured toy moved slowly across view does not produce a consistent head-and-eye turn to follow.
  • Turns head slightly toward a sound on some attempts but not others.
  • Looks toward a moving toy only when it is very close, then loses interest quickly.
  • Turns head toward a voice when very near, but does not re-orient when the voice moves to the other side.

Expected

On track

Turns head toward familiar sounds (voice, rattle) and toward salient sights (face, toy), increasingly across positions. Can follow a moving object with head and eyes for a short distance and re-orient when attention is gained.

What you might see

  • Turns head toward a caregiver’s voice from one side and pauses to look/listen.
  • Tracks a toy moving from the centre toward one side with head and eyes.
  • Turns head to re-find a toy when it briefly stops and starts again.

Exceeding

Going further

Turns head promptly and consistently to locate sounds and sights in everyday contexts, and sustains orientation long enough to look/listen. Uses head-turning to search for the source (looks around if the source changes).

What you might see

  • Turns head quickly to locate a sound source (e.g., door knock, dropped object) and looks toward it.
  • Follows a moving toy across the midline with head-and-eye movement (left to right or right to left).
  • Turns head toward a person entering the room and maintains gaze for several seconds.
  • Shifts attention between two different stimuli (e.g., parent voice then toy) by turning head back and forth appropriately.
  • Turns head to search when a sound occurs out of sight, then looks toward the likely source area.
  • Anticipates a familiar routine sound (e.g., bath running, music starting) by turning head toward it before seeing the source.

Try this at home

Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.

  • Daily routine: Call your baby’s name softly from one side (then the other) and notice whether they turn their head to look for you.

  • Play: Move a bright toy slowly from the middle to one side and observe whether your baby turns head and eyes to follow.

  • Story/song time: Make a gentle sound with a toy (rattle/bell) just out of view and see whether your baby turns their head to search for the sound.

  • Transitions: When a new sight appears (e.g., sibling enters, curtain opens), notice whether your baby turns head toward it rather than staying fixed in one direction.

Connected behaviours

Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.

Where this comes from

The framework source and supporting developmental research.

Framework source

  • Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (DfE, 2012).

    This construct is a verbatim Development Matters (2012) observable behaviour statement describing early head control and orientation to sensory stimuli.

Other sources

  • Folio, M. R., & Fewell, R. R. (2000). Peabody Developmental Motor Scales–Second Edition (PDMS-2). PRO-ED.

    PDMS-2 early motor development observations provide clinical context for head control and orientation behaviours within typical developmental ranges.

Five-level rubric (detailed)Show

The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.

Not Yet
Does not reliably turn head toward sounds or sights; responses may be limited to startle, blinking, or brief stilling without clear head orientation. Visual/auditory stimuli do not consistently change head direction.
  • A sound made to one side (e.g., gentle rattle) does not lead to a head turn; the child keeps the head in the same position.
  • A brightly coloured toy moved slowly across view does not produce a consistent head-and-eye turn to follow.
Emerging
Sometimes turns head partway toward a sound or moving sight, especially when close and clear, but responses are inconsistent or slow. May orient in one position (e.g., lying) but not in others.
  • Turns head slightly toward a sound on some attempts but not others.
  • Looks toward a moving toy only when it is very close, then loses interest quickly.
  • Turns head toward a voice when very near, but does not re-orient when the voice moves to the other side.
Developing
Turns head toward familiar sounds (voice, rattle) and toward salient sights (face, toy), increasingly across positions. Can follow a moving object with head and eyes for a short distance and re-orient when attention is gained.
  • Turns head toward a caregiver’s voice from one side and pauses to look/listen.
  • Tracks a toy moving from the centre toward one side with head and eyes.
  • Turns head to re-find a toy when it briefly stops and starts again.
Secure
Turns head promptly and consistently to locate sounds and sights in everyday contexts, and sustains orientation long enough to look/listen. Uses head-turning to search for the source (looks around if the source changes).
  • Turns head quickly to locate a sound source (e.g., door knock, dropped object) and looks toward it.
  • Follows a moving toy across the midline with head-and-eye movement (left to right or right to left).
  • Turns head toward a person entering the room and maintains gaze for several seconds.
Reflexive
Uses head turning flexibly to coordinate attention: shifts between different sights and sounds, locates sources further away, and anticipates interesting events (turns toward a familiar sound pattern or person entering).
  • Shifts attention between two different stimuli (e.g., parent voice then toy) by turning head back and forth appropriately.
  • Turns head to search when a sound occurs out of sight, then looks toward the likely source area.
  • Anticipates a familiar routine sound (e.g., bath running, music starting) by turning head toward it before seeing the source.