Infant and Toddler Milestones Practice Questions
10 free Infant and Toddler Milestones practice questions for the NCLEX Exam. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
By around 12 months, a normal milestone is:
- A Walking well unsupported and speaking in full sentences
- B Taking a few steps, saying simple words, understanding “no”
- C Running and jumping consistently and climbing stairs
- D Speaking in 10-word sentences and counting to ten
Correct answer: Taking a few steps, saying simple words, understanding “no”
Around 1 year old children begin to walk a few steps, say simple words and understand simple commands like “no.”
A 15-month-old toddler who only says “mama” and “dada” but doesn’t use other words or gestures, this is concerning because by this age one would expect:
- A No more than the words “mama” and “dada”
- B Use of several words plus some meaningful gestures
- C Naming colours and following two-step commands
- D Speaking in short, grammatically complete sentences
Correct answer: Use of several words plus some meaningful gestures
By around 15 months toddlers typically use more than just “mama”/“dada” and begin meaningful gestures and extra words; delay may signal concern.
What is a typical milestone for a 2-month-old infant?
- A Pulls to stand and cruises along the furniture
- B Smiles responsively, coos and follows objects with the eyes
- C Says three to five words and uses two-word phrases
- D Runs steadily and kicks a ball forward
Correct answer: Smiles responsively, coos and follows objects with the eyes
By about 2 months, infants typically begin to smile responsively, coo and follow moving objects with their eyes.
At approximately 6 months of age, an infant is expected to:
- A Walks alone and climbs onto low furniture
- B Sits with little support, transfers objects, babbles
- C Combines words into simple two-word sentences
- D Stands briefly without support and uses a pincer grasp
Correct answer: Sits with little support, transfers objects, babbles
By 6 months infants typically can sit with minimal support, transfer objects hand-to-hand and begin babbling.
An infant of 8 months who cannot sit with support and shows no attempt to pull up to stand may indicate:
- A Normal variation for the age
- B Delay in gross-motor development
- C Unusually advanced development
- D Expected fine-motor regression
Correct answer: Delay in gross-motor development
By 8 months infants commonly can sit with support, and beginning to pull up; lacking these may indicate gross motor delay.
A 3-month-old infant beginning to coo and make vowel sounds exemplifies which developmental domain?
- A Gross motor only
- B Language/communication
- C Abstract cognition
- D Moral reasoning
Correct answer: Language/communication
Cooing and vowel sounds are part of early language/communication development.
At about 10 months, one might expect a baby to:
- A Climb stairs and run a few steps unaided
- B Stand briefly, say “mama/dada”, use a pincer grasp
- C Speak in short sentences of about five words
- D Stack several blocks into a small tower
Correct answer: Stand briefly, say “mama/dada”, use a pincer grasp
Around 10 months babies often stand briefly, say “mama/dada” and begin to develop a pincer grasp.
Which developmental milestone is typical by 24 months in terms of language?
- A Speaking mostly in abstract metaphors and idioms
- B Producing 50+ words and combining two-word phrases
- C Reading short printed words fluently and aloud
- D Reciting the full alphabet and counting to twenty
Correct answer: Producing 50+ words and combining two-word phrases
At two years many children speak 50+ words, combine two-word phrases and begin using pronouns; advanced skills come later.
Feeding self with a spoon and building a tower of 2-4 blocks are typical fine-motor/self-help milestones by about:
- A 4 months
- B 12-15 months
- C 30 months
- D 6 weeks
Correct answer: 12-15 months
Around 12–15 months toddlers begin self-feeding with spoon and building simple towers of blocks, reflecting fine motor/self-help progress.
Gross motor progression in infants typically follows which pattern?
- A Legs first, then arms, then head (caudocephalic)
- B Arms first, then trunk, then legs (proximodistal)
- C Head first, then trunk, then legs (cephalocaudal)
- D Extremities first, then trunk, then head (distoproximal)
Correct answer: Head first, then trunk, then legs (cephalocaudal)
Motor development proceeds from head down to trunk and legs (cephalocaudal) in infants.