Developmental Milestone: 6 Months
What Most Babies Do by this Age:
Social/Emotional:
Knows familiar faces and begins to know if someone is a stranger
Likes to play with others, especially parents
Responds to other people’s emotions and often seems happy
Likes to look at self in a mirror
Language/Communication:
Responds to sounds by making sounds
Strings vowels together when babbling (“ah,” “eh,” “oh”) and likes taking turns with parent while making sounds
Responds to own name
Makes sounds to show joy and displeasure
Begins to say consonant sounds (jabbering with “m,” “b”)
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving):
Looks around at things nearby
Brings things to mouth
Shows curiosity about things and tries to get things that are out of reach
Begins to pass things from one hand to the other
Movement/Physical Development:
Rolls over in both directions (front to back, back to front)
Begins to sit without support
When standing, supports weight on legs and might bounce
Rocks back and forth, sometimes crawling backward before moving forward
What You Can Do for Your 6-Month-Old:
Play on the floor with your baby every day.
Learn to read your baby’s moods. If he’s happy, keep doing what you are doing. If he’s upset, take a break and comfort your baby.
Show your baby how to comfort herself when she’s upset. She may suck on her fingers to self soothe.
Use “reciprocal” play—when he smiles, you smile; when he makes sounds, you copy them.
Repeat your child’s sounds and say simple words with those sounds. For example, if your child says “bah,” say “bottle” or “book.”
Read books to your child every day. Praise her when she babbles and “reads” too.
When your baby looks at something, point to it and talk about it.
When he drops a toy on the floor, pick it up and give it back. This game helps him learn cause and effect.
Read colorful picture books to your baby.
Point out new things to your baby and name them.
Show your baby bright pictures in a magazine and name them.
Hold your baby up while she sits or support her with pillows. Let her look around and give her toys to look at while she balances.
Put your baby on his tummy or back and put toys just out of reach. Encourage him to roll over to reach the toys.