Learning Curve · Synthesis

The Universal Development Map

One map of how children grow — synthesised from the agreement of 10 developmental frameworks.

Every other page here shows a single framework's view of childhood. This one shows what they agree on. Where 10 independent frameworks — from clinical screens to national curricula — recognise the same milestone, we surface it once, note who recognises it, and place it along the pathway children actually grow through. It is the clearest picture of what is universal in early development.

248
Milestones
67
Pathways
10
Frameworks

Frameworks synthesised: Australia RACGP · Bayley-4 · CDC · CREDI · Denver II · EYFS · NHS (UK) · Singapore HPB · Stanford SHQ · WHO GSED v2

How to read this map

Milestones are grouped into pathways — ordered steps children move through, like lifting the head, then propping on forearms, then sitting. Open any milestone to see the agreement card: which frameworks recognise it, the age range each one gives, and their own wording. Where frameworks agree we show consensus; where their ages differ we show the spread rather than hiding it.

The whole map at a glance

All 248 milestones on one age axis, sorted by when they begin and coloured by area — Body, Mind, Heart. The band that emerges shows where development concentrates. Hover a pathway, click to zoom, tap empty space to reset.

Colour:BodyMindHeartHover a milestone to see its pathway · click to zoom in
birth1y2y3y4y5y6yAgeSeeks caregiver comfort — 0m–12m — Attachment and stranger differentiationShows stranger wariness — 5m–12m — Attachment and stranger differentiationResponds differently to family and strangers — 6m–14m — Attachment and stranger differentiationShows preference for familiar people — 6m–18m — Attachment and stranger differentiationReacts to caregiver leaving — 7m–10m — Attachment and stranger differentiationReacts to loud or sudden sound — 0m–3m — Auditory attention and sound responseAlerts or calms to speech — 0m–4m — Auditory attention and sound responseLooks at a speaking caregiver — 1m–6m — Auditory attention and sound responseTurns toward and locates a sound — 1m–11m — Auditory attention and sound responseRecognizes familiar environmental sounds — 12m–2y — Auditory attention and sound responseAttends to faces — 0m–12m — Early visual attention and trackingWatches a caregiver move — 1m–2m — Early visual attention and trackingSustains visual attention briefly — 1m–4m — Early visual attention and trackingTracks a moving object across midline — 2m–5m — Early visual attention and trackingSustains attention on an object or person for at least a minute — 2m–14m — Early visual attention and trackingCalms with caregiver soothing — 0m–3m — Emotional self-regulationProtests frustration or interruption — 8m–2y — Emotional self-regulationUses simple self-calming strategies — 20m–3.2y — Emotional self-regulationTurns head while supine — 0m–2m — Head controlSupported upright head control — 2m–6m — Head controlKeeps head steady — 5m–10m — Head controlReflexive finger grasp — 0m–2m — Newborn reflexes and spontaneous movementBriefly opens hands — 0m–3m — Newborn reflexes and spontaneous movementRooting response to cheek touch — 0m–4m — Newborn reflexes and spontaneous movementSpontaneous limb movement — 0m–4m — Newborn reflexes and spontaneous movementCries to communicate needs — 0m–2m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Makes early non-cry sounds — 0m–3m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Laughs or chuckles aloud — 0m–5m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Makes vowel-like cooing sounds — 2m–4m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Produces reduplicated babble — 5m–10m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Uses varied babble strings — 7m–9m — Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)Brief prone head lift — 0m–4m — Prone postural control (tummy time)Prone head lift with turning — 1m–3m — Prone postural control (tummy time)Prone forearm support — 2m–6m — Prone postural control (tummy time)Prone head and chest lift — 3m–8m — Prone postural control (tummy time)Prone straight-arm push-up — 5m–8m — Prone postural control (tummy time)Recognizes familiar caregiver — 0m–10m — Recognizing familiar peopleRecognizes familiar people — 4m–7m — Recognizing familiar peopleResponds to a speaking person — 0m–14m — Responding to voice and own nameResponds to own name — 6m–10m — Responding to voice and own nameReciprocal social smile — 1m–4m — Social smiling and attention-seekingUses smile to invite attention — 2m–4m — Social smiling and attention-seekingBids to keep adult attention — 2m–20m — Social smiling and attention-seekingBrings hands to mouth — 2m–4m — Body awareness and self-discoveryLooks at own hands — 2m–5m — Body awareness and self-discoveryMirror interest — 4m–8m — Body awareness and self-discoveryPlays with feet while supine — 4m–14m — Body awareness and self-discoveryHands together at midline — 2m–6m — Bimanual coordinationHolds one object in each hand — 4m–10m — Bimanual coordinationBangs two held objects together — 8m–12m — Bimanual coordinationClaps hands — 9m–17m — Bimanual coordinationVocalizes back during interaction — 2m–8m — Conversational turn-takingTakes turns making sounds — 4m–8m — Conversational turn-takingBabbles conversationally — 8m–15m — Conversational turn-takingCopies sounds or words — 10m–20m — Conversational turn-takingCopies familiar expressions — 10m–22m — Conversational turn-takingImitates animal or environmental sounds — 18m–2.3y — Conversational turn-takingSustains back-and-forth conversation — 3.3y–5y — Conversational turn-takingTalks about own interests and ideas — 4y–5y — Conversational turn-takingShows varied emotions — 2m–8m — Emotional expression and awarenessExpresses own feelings — 18m–4y — Emotional expression and awarenessHolds placed toy or rattle — 2m–6m — Reaching and grasping objectsSwats or bats at objects — 3m–5m — Reaching and grasping objectsReaches for nearby objects — 4m–11m — Reaching and grasping objectsTransfers object between hands — 6m–12m — Reaching and grasping objectsLaughs during social play — 3m–6m — Social laughterLaughs spontaneously — 4m–9m — Social laughterImitates facial movements — 4m–8m — Imitation of gestures and actionsCopies simple gestures or actions — 6m–2.3y — Imitation of gestures and actionsImitates everyday adult actions — 12m–20m — Imitation of gestures and actionsExplores objects by mouthing — 4m–8m — Object manipulation and explorationBangs two objects together to make noise — 4m–12m — Object manipulation and explorationExplores or responds to textures — 6m–12m — Object manipulation and explorationRolls tummy to back — 4m–6m — Rolling overRolls over independently — 5m–10m — Rolling overSits with hand support — 5m–7m — SittingSits without support — 6m–9m — SittingGets into sitting independently — 6m–12m — SittingBears weight on supported legs — 5m–9m — Standing, walking and runningCrawls or scoots for floor mobility — 7m–12m — Standing, walking and runningPulls to stand — 8m–13m — Standing, walking and runningStands while holding support — 9m–18m — Standing, walking and runningCruises along furniture — 10m–15m — Standing, walking and runningStands alone briefly — 11m–15m — Standing, walking and runningTakes first independent steps — 12m–15m — Standing, walking and runningRuns — 14m–2.2y — Standing, walking and runningStoops or squats and stands again — 15m–18m — Standing, walking and runningWalks independently — 15m–20m — Standing, walking and runningWalks with good balance — 15m–22m — Standing, walking and runningRuns with fewer falls — 22m–3y — Standing, walking and runningWalks backward — 2.5y–4y — Standing, walking and runningRuns around obstacles — 2.7y–3.7y — Standing, walking and runningMakes sharp turns while running — 3.3y–5y — Standing, walking and runningNegotiates space while moving — 3.3y–5y — Standing, walking and runningRaises arms to be picked up — 6m–9m — Gestural and joint-attention communicationUses intentional gestures to communicate — 10m–2.3y — Gestural and joint-attention communicationRaking grasp — 6m–9m — Grasp refinement (raking to fine pincer)Pincer grasp for small objects — 8m–12m — Grasp refinement (raking to fine pincer)Fine pincer grip for tiny pieces — 9m–16m — Grasp refinement (raking to fine pincer)Looks for a dropped object — 6m–9m — Object permanence and searchSearches for a hidden toy — 7m–14m — Object permanence and searchMoves obstacle to get object — 8m–12m — Object permanence and searchResponds to peek-a-boo — 6m–10m — Social turn-taking gamesPlays simple back-and-forth games — 6m–14m — Social turn-taking gamesHandles or attends to books — 6m–12m — Story and book engagementAttends to Shared Book Reading — 18m–2.7y — Story and book engagementCompletes Familiar Story or Rhyme Phrases — 20m–2.7y — Story and book engagementDescribes Story Characters — 20m–4.2y — Story and book engagementListens to Stories with Increasing Attention and Recall — 2.3y–3.3y — Story and book engagementRecalls or responds to story content — 3y–5y — Story and book engagementUnderstands familiar single words — 7m–14m — Receptive vocabulary and word understandingUnderstands no or prohibitive words — 9m–18m — Receptive vocabulary and word understandingUnderstands familiar object names — 10m–18m — Receptive vocabulary and word understandingIdentifies named pictures or objects — 15m–2y — Receptive vocabulary and word understandingPoints to named body parts — 18m–2y — Receptive vocabulary and word understandingResponds emotionally to others' cues — 8m–16m — Empathy and concern for othersShows concern and comforts others — 18m–4y — Empathy and concern for othersUses single meaningful words — 8m–20m — Expressive words and sentence lengthCombines two words — 14m–3y — Expressive words and sentence lengthUses several meaningful words — 15m–22m — Expressive words and sentence lengthUses three- to five-word sentences — 2y–4y — Expressive words and sentence lengthSpeaks in longer sentences — 3.3y–5y — Expressive words and sentence lengthMoves to music or rhythm — 8m–18m — Rhythmic movement to musicRythmic movement and early dancing to music. — 18m–3.3y — Rhythmic movement to musicPoints and gazes to share attention — 8m–2y — Sharing attention (pointing and showing)Shows object to caregiver — 11m–15m — Sharing attention (pointing and showing)Explores with caregiver as secure base — 10m–20m — Caregiver as secure base and social referencingUses familiar adult support in new situations — 10m–22m — Caregiver as secure base and social referencingWaves bye-bye — 10m–12m — Conventional social gesturesClaps as a social gesture — 11m–15m — Conventional social gesturesShows interest in making marks — 10m–18m — Mark-making → drawing → writingScribbles or makes marks — 12m–22m — Mark-making → drawing → writingUses mark-making tools — 22m–2.8y — Mark-making → drawing → writingCopies a circle — 2.2y–4.2y — Mark-making → drawing → writingGives meaning to own drawings or marks — 2.8y–3.8y — Mark-making → drawing → writingCopies and forms recognisable letters — 3y–5y — Mark-making → drawing → writingWrites name-related letters — 3.3y–5y — Mark-making → drawing → writingCopy a square — 4.2y–5y — Mark-making → drawing → writingUses parent-specific name — 10m–15m — Naming and labeling vocabularystarts identifying things and actions — 15m–2.3y — Naming and labeling vocabularyUses descriptive words for object properties — 2.5y–3y — Naming and labeling vocabularyNames Familiar Objects — 2.5y–3.8y — Naming and labeling vocabularynames and identifies 1-2 colours — 2.5y–4y — Naming and labeling vocabularynames and identifies 3 or more colours — 4y–5.3y — Naming and labeling vocabularyUses objects functionally — 10m–15m — Object function understandingKnows object functions — 2.7y–5y — Object function understandingPlays alongside other children — 10m–18m — Peer playWatches and imitates other children — 12m–20m — Peer playInteracts with peers during play — 14m–2y — Peer playJoins other children in play — 2.3y–3.2y — Peer playCooperative peer play — 2.7y–3.8y — Peer playSeeks play with other children — 3y–4y — Peer playForms friendships with specific children — 3.8y–5y — Peer playPrefers playing with peers — 4y–5y — Peer playPalmar grasp on writing tool — 10m–22m — Pencil graspUses finger-thumb pencil grasp — 2.8y–4y — Pencil graspUses sounds in pretend play — 10m–2y — Pretend and symbolic playSimple pretend play — 14m–2.2y — Pretend and symbolic playUses symbolic substitution (objects and words) in play — 20m–3y — Pretend and symbolic playPretends in make-believe play — 2y–3y — Pretend and symbolic playRole-plays familiar family experiences — 2.2y–3.8y — Pretend and symbolic playCreates pretend small world stories with toys — 3y–4y — Pretend and symbolic playUses role play in pretend play — 3y–5y — Pretend and symbolic playAdds a storyline to pretend play — 3.3y–5y — Pretend and symbolic playBegins stair climbing with support — 10m–18m — Stair climbingWalks upstairs with support — 18m–2.3y — Stair climbingWalks down stairs with support — 2y–3y — Stair climbingWalks down stairs using alternate feet — 4y–5y — Stair climbingFeeds self with fingers — 11m–16m — Self-feedingFeeds self with spoon — 12m–2.1y — Self-feedingFeeds self with utensil (spoon/fork) without spilling — 22m–3y — Self-feedingPours or serves food or drink with supervision — 3y–5y — Self-feedingFollows a request with words and gesture — 12m–15m — Following spoken instructionsUnderstands simple spoken instructions — 14m–18m — Following spoken instructionsFollows Two-Step or More Complex Directions — 18m–2.3y — Following spoken instructionsFollows instructions with several steps or actions — 3.3y–4y — Following spoken instructionsFollows multi-step sequential instructions — 4y–5.6y — Following spoken instructionsShows affection to familiar people — 12m–2y — Giving and receiving affectionShows affection to familiar people or friends — 22m–4y — Giving and receiving affectionStacks two blocks — 14m–18m — Block building and constructionBuilds a small tower of three or more blocks — 19m–2.6y — Block building and constructionBuilds a tall tower of 6 or more blocks — 2.3y–3.2y — Block building and constructionBuilds block structures (vertical, walls, enclosures) — 2.5y–4.2y — Block building and constructionBuilds with non-block construction pieces — 2.5y–4.2y — Block building and constructionCooperates with dressing — 14m–18m — Dressing and undressingHelps manage clothing — 21m–3y — Dressing and undressingPuts on simple clothing — 2.5y–3y — Dressing and undressingUnbuttons clothing — 2.7y–3.7y — Dressing and undressingButtons buttons — 4y–5y — Dressing and undressingDresses self independently — 4.2y–5y — Dressing and undressingParticipates in songs and rhymes — 14m–2.3y — Singing songs and rhymesJoins in Singing Familiar Songs — 2y–3y — Singing songs and rhymesSings familiar songs or dances — 3.3y–5y — Singing songs and rhymesTurns book pages — 14m–2y — Turning book pagesTurns pages one at a time — 2y–2.5y — Turning book pagesUnderstands simple questions — 14m–2.2y — Understanding and asking questionsAsks Wh-Questions — 2.3y–3.2y — Understanding and asking questionsAsks why questions — 2.5y–3y — Understanding and asking questionsClimbs onto furniture — 15m–2.5y — ClimbingClimbs playground equipment — 3.3y–5y — ClimbingParticipates in hygiene routines — 15m–2.3y — Hygiene and self-care routinesBegins self-care independence — 22m–3y — Hygiene and self-care routinesWashes and dries hands independently — 2.5y–3.3y — Hygiene and self-care routinesDrinks from cup — 15m–19m — Independent cup drinkingDrinks well without spilling — 22m–3y — Independent cup drinkingImitates household routines — 16m–2y — Helping with household tasksHelps with simple household tasks — 18m–3y — Helping with household tasksLikes helping with tasks — 2.5y–3.5y — Helping with household tasksThrows a ball forward — 18m–2y — Ball skills (throwing and catching)Catches a large ball — 2.7y–3.8y — Ball skills (throwing and catching)Kicks a ball — 18m–2.2y — Kicking a ballKicks a ball forward — 2.2y–3y — Kicking a ballShares or offers objects to peers — 22m–3y — Sharing, cooperation and conflict resolution with peersCooperates and shares with peers — 3y–5y — Sharing, cooperation and conflict resolution with peersCooperative turn-taking play with peers — 4y–5y — Sharing, cooperation and conflict resolution with peersNegotiates peer conflicts — 4y–5y — Sharing, cooperation and conflict resolution with peersFine motor control: twisting and button pressing — 2y–2.5y — Advanced fine-motor manipulation (fasteners and tools)Uses child scissors — 2.9y–5y — Advanced fine-motor manipulation (fasteners and tools)Jumps with both feet leaving the ground — 2y–2.8y — JumpingJumps down from a raised object — 3.2y–4.2y — JumpingHops on one foot — 4y–5y — JumpingSkips with alternating feet — 4y–5y — JumpingUnderstands Basic Size Concepts — 2.2y–3y — Comparative conceptsSorts Objects by Attribute — 2.3y–3.2y — Comparative conceptsUnderstands Location or Preposition Words — 2.7y–3.2y — Comparative conceptsUnderstands opposite concepts — 4y–5y — Comparative conceptsUses basic time concepts — 4y–5y — Comparative conceptsRetells Recent or Past Events — 2.3y–3.2y — Recounting events and storytellingTalks About Past and Future Events — 2.5y–3y — Recounting events and storytellingTells a simple story — 4y–5y — Recounting events and storytellingcounts up to 5 — 2.5y–3.3y — Counting sets of objectsNames written numbers — 4y–5y — Counting sets of objectscounts up to 10 — 4y–5y — Counting sets of objectsAdapts behaviour to the social setting — 2.5y–3.7y — Following social rules and limitsUnderstands and follows safety limits — 2.5y–4y — Following social rules and limitsUses Intonation and Rhythm to Clarify Meaning — 2.5y–4y — Pragmatic and non-literal language (intonation and humor)Understands jokes and humorous language — 3y–5y — Pragmatic and non-literal language (intonation and humor)Balances briefly on one foot — 2.7y–3.5y — One-foot balanceBalances on one foot for two seconds — 3.5y–4.2y — One-foot balanceBalance on one foot for five seconds — 4.6y–5y — One-foot balanceProduces or copies simple rhythms — 2.8y–3y — Musical rhythm and sound perceptionDiscriminates musical instrument sounds — 3.3y–4y — Musical rhythm and sound perceptionNames letters — 3.3y–5y — Early literacy (rhyme and letter awareness)Produces or recognizes rhymes — 3.3y–5y — Early literacy (rhyme and letter awareness)Draws a person with multiple body parts — 3.5y–4.5y — Drawing a personDraw a detailed person — 4.5y–5.3y — Drawing a personAnticipates feeding cue — 1m–6m — Other milestonesPedals a tricycle — 3.2y–3.7y — Other milestones
Hover a milestone to see the pathway it belongs to, in sequence. Click to zoom into that pathway.

Development pathways

67 pathways · 248 milestones

Attachment and stranger differentiation

Pathway0–18 mo · 5 milestones

Auditory attention and sound response

Pathway0 mo–2 yr · 5 milestones

Early visual attention and tracking

Pathway0–14 mo · 5 milestones

Emotional self-regulation

Pathway0 mo–3.2 yr · 3 milestones

Head control

Pathway2–10 mo · 3 milestones

Newborn reflexes and spontaneous movement

Pathway0–4 mo · 4 milestones

Prelinguistic vocalization (cooing to babble)

Pathway0–10 mo · 6 milestones

Prone postural control (tummy time)

Pathway0–8 mo · 5 milestones

Recognizing familiar people

Pathway0–10 mo · 2 milestones

Responding to voice and own name

Pathway0–14 mo · 2 milestones

Social smiling and attention-seeking

Pathway1–20 mo · 3 milestones

Body awareness and self-discovery

Pathway1.5–14 mo · 4 milestones

Bimanual coordination

Pathway2–17 mo · 4 milestones

Conversational turn-taking

Pathway2 mo–5 yr · 8 milestones

Emotional expression and awareness

Pathway2 mo–4 yr · 2 milestones

Reaching and grasping objects

Pathway2–12 mo · 4 milestones

Social laughter

Pathway3–9 mo · 2 milestones

Imitation of gestures and actions

Pathway4 mo–2.3 yr · 3 milestones

Object manipulation and exploration

Pathway4–12 mo · 3 milestones

Rolling over

Pathway4–10 mo · 2 milestones

Sitting

Pathway5–12 mo · 3 milestones

Standing, walking and running

Pathway5 mo–5 yr · 16 milestones

Gestural and joint-attention communication

Pathway6 mo–2.3 yr · 2 milestones

Grasp refinement (raking to fine pincer)

Pathway6–16 mo · 3 milestones

Object permanence and search

Pathway6–14 mo · 3 milestones

Social turn-taking games

Pathway6–14 mo · 2 milestones

Story and book engagement

Pathway6 mo–5 yr · 6 milestones

Receptive vocabulary and word understanding

Pathway7 mo–2 yr · 5 milestones

Empathy and concern for others

Pathway8 mo–4 yr · 2 milestones

Expressive words and sentence length

Pathway8 mo–5 yr · 5 milestones

Rhythmic movement to music

Pathway8 mo–3.3 yr · 2 milestones

Sharing attention (pointing and showing)

Pathway9–20 mo · 2 milestones

Caregiver as secure base and social referencing

Pathway10–22 mo · 2 milestones

Conventional social gestures

Pathway10–15 mo · 2 milestones

Mark-making → drawing → writing

Pathway10 mo–5 yr · 8 milestones

Naming and labeling vocabulary

Pathway10 mo–5.3 yr · 6 milestones

Object function understanding

Pathway10 mo–5 yr · 2 milestones

Peer play

Pathway10 mo–5 yr · 8 milestones

Pencil grasp

Pathway10 mo–4 yr · 2 milestones

Pretend and symbolic play

Pathway10 mo–5 yr · 8 milestones

Stair climbing

Pathway10 mo–5 yr · 4 milestones

Self-feeding

Pathway11 mo–3 yr · 4 milestones

Following spoken instructions

Pathway1–5.6 yr · 5 milestones

Giving and receiving affection

Pathway0 mo–4 yr · 2 milestones

Block building and construction

Pathway1.2–4.2 yr · 5 milestones

Dressing and undressing

Pathway1.2–5 yr · 6 milestones

Singing songs and rhymes

Pathway1.2–5 yr · 3 milestones

Turning book pages

Pathway1.2–2.5 yr · 2 milestones

Understanding and asking questions

Pathway1.2–3 yr · 3 milestones

Climbing

Pathway1.3–5 yr · 2 milestones

Hygiene and self-care routines

Pathway1.3–3.3 yr · 3 milestones

Independent cup drinking

Pathway1.2–3 yr · 2 milestones

Helping with household tasks

Pathway1.3–3.5 yr · 3 milestones

Ball skills (throwing and catching)

Pathway1.5–3.8 yr · 2 milestones

Kicking a ball

Pathway1.5–3 yr · 2 milestones

Sharing, cooperation and conflict resolution with peers

Pathway1.8–5 yr · 4 milestones

Advanced fine-motor manipulation (fasteners and tools)

Pathway2–5 yr · 2 milestones

Jumping

Pathway2–4.2 yr · 4 milestones

Comparative concepts

Pathway2.2–5 yr · 5 milestones

Recounting events and storytelling

Pathway2.3–5 yr · 3 milestones

Counting sets of objects

Pathway2.5–5 yr · 3 milestones

Following social rules and limits

Pathway2.5–4 yr · 2 milestones

Pragmatic and non-literal language (intonation and humor)

Pathway2.5–5 yr · 2 milestones

One-foot balance

Pathway2.7–5 yr · 3 milestones

Musical rhythm and sound perception

Pathway2.8–4 yr · 2 milestones

Early literacy (rhyme and letter awareness)

Pathway3.3–5 yr · 2 milestones

Drawing a person

Pathway3.5–5.3 yr · 2 milestones

Single milestones

2 not yet part of a pathway

How the synthesis works

This map synthesises 10 developmental frameworks. When several frameworks describe the same behaviour, that agreement is the signal: a milestone recognised by many independent frameworks is one we can place with confidence. The milestone wording is Learning Curve's own; each framework's wording and age range are shown alongside it, attributed to the framework that gives them.

Age ranges resolve to the most authoritative normative source where one exists, and to the middle of the range otherwise — never by stretching to the widest extremes. The map is grounded in these frameworks; it is not endorsed by them.

Read the full methodology