All babies have their own timetable, but you can watch for certain developments in your 6-month-old. Celebrate with your baby as she reaches or nears these milestones.

Cognitive

  • Shows interest in more complex patterns

  • Is more interested in studying objects visually

  • Focuses on small objects

  • Smoothly tracks quickly moving objects

  • Has increased attention span

  • Experiments with cause and effect

  • Discovers object permanence (an object is still there even when she can’t see it)

  • Understands some sequencing (setting up a high chair means it’s time to eat) 

Motor

  • Holds head steady without support when upright 

  • When on stomach, pushes up to elbows and arches her back 

  • Rocks on stomach, waving arms and legs 

  • Rolls from stomach to back, then back to stomach 

  • May sit in frog- or tripod-like position without support 

  • Coordinates hands and eyes (seeing an object, then reaching for it)

  • Rakes objects toward her and grasps them

  • Brings objects to mouth with good accuracy 

  • Uses hands to explore body; grabs feet when lying on back

  • Will stand on your lap or a firm surface and bounce 

Communications

  • Uses different cries to express hunger, pain, sleepiness, or boredom 

  • Listens to your language patterns and copies those sounds 

  • Makes more complex, two-syllable babbles that combine vowels and consonants (“ah-goo,” “bah-bah”) 

  • Babbling begins to sound like the intonation used in real language 

  • Squeals, giggles, and laughs to draw attention 

Social

  • Begins to distinguish emotions from your tone of voice and expressions 

  • Uses voice and facial expressions to convey emotions 

  • Watches faces closely; makes and maintains eye contact  

  • Copies facial expressions and movements 

  • Expresses emotions more distinctly 

  • Is soothed by your presence and voice when upset 

  • Personality becoming more apparent