At what age do most developmental milestones begin to emerge?

Developmental milestones typically begin to emerge during the period of 6 to 12 months. During this age range, infants often show significant growth in various areas, including gross motor skills such as crawling and sitting independently, as well as fine motor skills like grasping objects. This is also a critical period for cognitive development, where infants start to explore their surroundings and engage in social interactions, such as smiling and responding to their names.

In contrast, while some milestones do exist in the earlier months (0-3 months) such as reflexive movements and basic visual tracking, they are less complex and not as varied in scope. The stages from 1-2 years and 3-5 years see the continuation and advancement of these milestones, including walking, talking, and social play, but the fundamental emergence of those skills typically starts within the 6-12 month window. Thus, recognizing this time frame is essential for understanding early child development.