By the time your baby is 6 months old, they are likely spending more time awake during the daytime hours and becoming aware of what is around them.
At this age, they can sit, look for things that drop, and probably love the game peek-a-boo.
Play is an important part of your baby’s life.
- Learning to think. Through play, children learn about themselves and their world. Children are natural scientists as they have a strong desire to find out what things are and what makes things work. This curiosity helps build their ability to be able to think critically and make decisions later in life.
- Relationships. Through play, children learn about relationships. As you play with your child, you are teaching them how to engage in friendships.
- Self-confidence. Through play, children learn “I can do it.” Watch your child’s excitement when they accomplish knocking over a stack of blocks.
- Language development. With play comes conversation, which encourages a child’s language development.
Bring the world of play to your baby.
Six-month-old babies are not crawling yet, so the world of play needs to be brought to them. Some tips for bringing play to your baby’s world:
- Give them a couple of toys at a time. Too many toys at one time can overstimulate a child’s ability to play.
- Allow them to discover and play with safe household items. Let them explore with pots and pans, wooden spoons and plastic containers.
- Babies enjoy objects of different textures and sizes. Provide toys and household items that provide them with the ability to explore with their sense of touch.
- When they are holding one toy, put another one next to them. They may not have the skills to pick it up with their empty hand but will drop their current toy for the new one. This helps to teach the developmental skill of hand-eye coordination.
- Let them experiment with the sense of touch. Put your baby in their highchair and give them purees (i.e. applesauce or pudding) on their tray. Let them spread the food around on the tray, touch it, rub their fingers together. Watch their thoughtfulness and excitement as they explore how things feel.
- Stack blocks with your baby. At this age, your baby can’t stack the blocks, but they can enjoy you building the stack and then knocking them over themselves. They are learning about cause and effect and their ability to make things happen.
- As you pick up your child’s toys, call them by name. Soon your baby will recognize the names of their favorite toys, such as “ball.”
Games to play with your baby
Playing games with your baby requires very few toys. The main toy your baby enjoys playing with is you.
- What is this? Hold two objects in front of them and call out the name of one of the toys. They may point or try to grab it. When they correctly identify the item, clap and cheer.
- Pat-a-cake. Show your baby how to play pat-a-cake. Start by performing the hand motions as they watch. Then help your baby use their hands to make the same motions. Enjoy the giggles and laughs that follow.
- Follow me. By the age of 6 months, many babies enjoy imitating or being imitated. When playing with your baby, follow their lead. If they make a noise, repeat it back to them. If they grab a toy, you grab a toy too. Repeat their facial expressions back to them. It may take time for them to catch on that they lead and you follow, but in time, this will be a game filled with smiles and excitement for both of you.
- You can do it. Place a favorite toy out of reach and encourage your baby to move toward it. Provide cheers of “you can do it” as your baby works to get the toy.
Enjoy playing with your baby. These memories will last a lifetime.
Learn more
- Why your baby needs to play and explore
- Play games to boost your baby’s brain development
- Baby shots: What do they need and when?
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Posted In Children's, Family Medicine, Parenting
