From 6 to 12 months old, your baby is growing fast.
This is the phase of development when your baby really begins to move. Your baby will learn to creep, crawl, pull themselves up and cruise along furniture. Some babies learn to walk by 12 months, while others may begin to walk after their first birthday. They will also learn to play with toys appropriately, wave good-bye, and begin to babble simple words like “Mama” and “Dada.”
Hand-eye coordination
Your baby’s hand-eye coordination is also improving, which means playtime will look a little different and become noisier. When your baby picks up a spoon, they’ll bang it against their highchair. They may be able to grab two toys at once and slam them together. Your baby loves to see what they can make happen.
But it’s not all crashing and banging. Your baby’s movements are also becoming more precise. Thanks to their growing dexterity, before they’re a year old they may be able to pick up a piece of cereal from the highchair tray.
Curiosity
As your baby grows, they will become more interested in the world and things around them. Your baby’s natural curiosity will encourage them to learn and discover. Your baby will start using objects as tools, pushing a ball with a stick, or chasing the carrots around their plate with a spoon. They’ll become more and more interested in interactive games of hide-and-seek and peek-a-boo.
Communication
Communication will continue to develop as your baby starts to talk by using lots of babbling and gurgling sounds. Enjoy these early conversations. Talk on a play phone and then pass it over to them so they can babble, then hand it back to you for another round. They’re beginning to understand words, and they recognize the names of familiar objects.
Problem solving
Learning to solve problems is also emerging during these months. This learning comes as your baby starts to experiment with objects in their world to figure things out. Closing doors repeatedly to learn how to open things and learning to take the lid off a clear container to get the toy they see inside, rather than trying to reach through it, are signs your baby is developing problem solving skills.
Mobility and safety
Children during this phase of development become mobile and very busy. Safe proofing your home is very important. If you really want to know what your baby sees from their view of the world, get down on the floor, and look around at their eye level. You may be surprised at what you will see that they can get into.
Have fun with this great stage of your baby’s development. Watch your baby learn new things every day and encourage that learning by spending time with your baby and delighting in their new skills. For more information on how to encourage your baby’s learning, check out the class “How I Learn.”
Learn more
- Why your baby needs to play and explore
- Take steps to keep your little explorer safe
- Baby’s 1st birthday: Your child’s 12-month checkup
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Posted In Children's, Family Medicine, Parenting
