Which developmental milestone typically occurs first in infants?

Grasping objects is one of the earliest developmental milestones that infants achieve. Around 2 to 3 months of age, babies begin to develop the reflex to grasp items placed in their hands, known as the palmar grasp reflex. This skill evolves as they grow, with infants gradually gaining more control over their hand movements, leading to intentional grasping of toys and other objects by around 4 to 5 months.

This milestone is significant because it lays the foundation for further motor and cognitive development. Grasping objects not only helps infants explore their environment but is also crucial for later skills such as self-feeding and manipulating toys, fostering both physical and cognitive growth.

While rolling over, walking, and talking are also important milestones, they occur later in an infant's development. Rolling over typically happens between 4 to 6 months, walking usually occurs closer to 12 months, and spoken language development begins around the end of the first year. Therefore, grasping objects is the earliest among these options.