Gross Motor Skills To Expect
Rolling.
Expected Age Range: 4-5 months, or so.
Rolling develops in a “top down” manner, from the head down to the feet. Your baby’s ability to roll starts with visual tracking of a toy, turning their head, and their body follows. These are the micro-milestones you can expect to see around the time that rolling emerges:
On Their Back:
Your baby will be able to visually track a toy up to a 10 or 2 o’clock position by turning their head, looking up, and elongating their trunk in an arching. Soon after, they will be able to then reach for and grab that toy.
Your baby will begin lifting their feet from the floor and grasping them with both hands. Soon after, they will start rocking side to side while grasping their feet.
Your baby will begin rolling from their back to side lying position.
Later they will begin rolling from their back to tummy.
They hold onto a toy with both hands in midline, bringing to the toy.
They easily bring their hands to their mouth and hold a toy with both hands in midline.
When you grasp your baby’s hands and wrists and pull up to sit, they engage their trunk and hold their head up every time.
On Their Side:
Your baby can roll from side-lying position to their tummy to reach a toy.
On Their Tummy
Your baby may begin rolling from tummy to back. Sometimes this comes before rolling onto their tummy, but not always.
They should be able to lift and hold their head steadily to 90 degrees.
They can press up through their forearms to lift their upper chest.
Their chest remains lifted as they look down at their hands.
They may lift their arms and legs off the floor and appear to be swimming or flying.
They happily play with a toy with both hands.
They weight shift to either side to reach toy, and they can comfortably look both directions.
In Supported Sitting:
Your baby should be able to hold their head up when sitting on the floor with support from you at their trunk and hips.