At about 3 months of age, which social milestone is typically observed?

• A. Social smile
• B. Stranger anxiety
• C. Crying
• D. Rolling over

Answer: (A)

At about three months, infants start showing purposeful social engagement. The social smile is when a baby smiles back at a caregiver’s face or voice, signaling a shift from reflexive or purely internal smiles to intentional interaction. This early social response supports bonding and communication and fits the typical developmental timeline for this age. Stranger anxiety usually appears later, around six to nine months, as babies become more wary of unfamiliar people. Crying is a basic form of newborn communication and is present from birth, not a three-month-specific milestone. Rolling over is a gross motor skill that develops a little later, typically around four to six months, as trunk and arm strength improve. So the expected social milestone at this age is the social smile.