It’s very exciting for parents to see their children grow into more social beings as babies begin to experiment with and recognize sounds. Your baby will use sounds to express emotion. They may mimic sounds they hear, like “Ma, Da, Ba, Ah, Oh,” and even “No!” At 6 months, your baby will begin to recognize familiar faces, reach and grasp for toys, and will soon be crawling.
What your baby is learning now
While babies may progress at different rates, the following are some of the common milestones your baby may reach in this age group:
- Looks at objects as they move across the room
- Recognizes familiar faces
- Likes to look in the mirror
- Sits w/o support and rolls over in both directions
- Reaches and grasps toys
- Begins to pass objects from one hand to another
- Shakes and bangs rattles
- Reaches for a book
- Makes sounds to express emotion
- Turns head toward sounds
- Responds to own name
What your baby is learning next
- Stands by holding on to things
- Crawls
- Waves bye-bye and uses other gestures
- Plays peek-a-book and pat-a-cake
- Enjoys looking at books with an adult
- Enjoys dump and fill toys
- Enjoys push-and-pull toys
- Grasps small objects with thumb and finger
- Continues to shake, bang, throw, and drop rattles
- Imitates and enjoys making different sounds
What you can do to encourage your baby’s development
- Share books together.
- Point and name pictures.
- Talk and sing to your child.
- Play with your child on the floor.
- Make music part of each day.
- Create a safe environment.
- Use big smiles and gestures.
- Praise your baby.
Games and activities
- Rattles
- Mirrors
- Activity centers
- Soft or board books
- Squeaky toys
