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List of Gross Motor Skills

Children develop at individual rates of speed that typically fall along a predictable range, to achieve what are called milestones, according to MentalHelp.net. As children gain strength and skill, they build upon previous milestones to reach new ones. The first several years of a child's life are when the ability to coordinate large muscle movements --- also called gross motor skills --- develops. Gross motor skills include crawling, sitting, standing and walking.

  1. Crawling

    • Crawling occurs in several stages. At approximately 3 months old, an infant lying on her stomach will begin to raise her head and chest, notes WebMD. Rolling over from stomach to back and the reverse is the next step. This occurs at roughly 6 months old. As a baby becomes stronger and more proficient at raising herself, she begins to put weight on her elbows, followed eventually by her knees.

    Sitting

    • Babies begin to sit independently for relatively long periods of time at around 8 months old, states MentalHealth.net. At around 9 months old, they can keep their balance well enough to grasp and play with a toy while they are sitting. The timing of the strength to sit for longer periods of time and balance coincides roughly with the timing of crawling, reports WebMD.

    Standing

    • Like other gross motor skills, the ability to stand develops in stages. As babies develop leg strength through kicking, crawling and sitting independently, they begin to bear weight on their legs as someone supports them upright. Soon after, they can pull up on objects and stand upright holding onto things. By approximately 9 months old, babies should be able to stand independently. MentalHealth.net cautions that the use of walkers may impede the development of this skill.

    Walking

    • WebMD indicates that a baby should be able to walk either with support or independently by the time he is 1 year old. The child begins to lift his feet in a walking motion while standing at around 10 months of age, and will soon progress to walking while holding on to furniture or some other solid form of support. He will be able to balance well enough at about 11 months old to walk while holding someone's hand, according to MentalHealth.net. He should be able to walk on his own by 18 months old.

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