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
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Shows interest in more complex patterns
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Is more interested in studying objects visually
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Focuses on small objects
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Smoothly tracks quickly moving objects
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Has increased attention span
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Experiments with cause and effect
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Discovers object permanence (an object is still there even when she can’t see it)
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Understands some sequencing (setting up a high chair means it’s time to eat)
Motor
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Holds head steady without support when upright
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When on stomach, pushes up to elbows and arches her back
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Rocks on stomach, waving arms and legs
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Rolls from stomach to back, then back to stomach
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May sit in frog- or tripod-like position without support
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Coordinates hands and eyes (seeing an object, then reaching for it)
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Rakes objects toward her and grasps them
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Brings objects to mouth with good accuracy
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Uses hands to explore body; grabs feet when lying on back
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Will stand on your lap or a firm surface and bounce
Communications
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Uses different cries to express hunger, pain, sleepiness, or boredom
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Listens to your language patterns and copies those sounds
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Makes more complex, two-syllable babbles that combine vowels and consonants (“ah-goo,” “bah-bah”)
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Babbling begins to sound like the intonation used in real language
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Squeals, giggles, and laughs to draw attention
Social
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Begins to distinguish emotions from your tone of voice and expressions
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Uses voice and facial expressions to convey emotions
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Watches faces closely; makes and maintains eye contact
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Copies facial expressions and movements
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Expresses emotions more distinctly
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Is soothed by your presence and voice when upset
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Personality becoming more apparent
