6-Month-Old Baby: Development, Schedule & Toys

In the sixth month of life, the baby has long periods of tummy time, the 6-month-old baby leans on his forearms with confidence and holds his head straight.

Physical Development

As a rule, during this month the little one gains about 1.4-1.6 pounds of body weight and approximately 1.2 inches in height. The head circumference increases by 0.4 inches and chest volume – by 0.6-0.8 inches.

Lying on the back, the baby can look at the toys in front of him with interest and even try to reach one of them with his hand. The baby endeavors to crawl on his stomach back and forth can turn over. He sits, leaning on some bearing – in a baby’s armchair or on a pillow, not so confident and not for long yet.

A sitting position gives the baby new possibilities for exploring objects and playing with them. The baby is shaking a rattle for a long time, listening to the sounds produced by it, very attentively, examining the toy, and taking it into his mouth. If the baby drops the rattle, he is trying to look for it.

Main Showings of the 6-Month-Old Baby

Height – 25.2-26.3 inches – Weight – 16.4-17.4 pounds

Head circumference – 16.5-16.9 inches – Chest girth – 15.7-16.1 inches

Too Young for Crawling?

Let’s try to teach him. So, the baby is lying on his stomach. Put one or two toys, familiar to it, in such a way that the fingertips of the baby are touching one of them just a little. Sit opposite on the floor and encourage his attempts to reach the toy. It is possible that it “floundering” with his arms and legs will move the little one forward a bit and it will touch or grab the toy.

Baby-boy-smiling

Make the task easier for the baby! Put him on his stomach in such a way that his feet can set against the wall when he starts to “flounder” to reach the toy. Maybe not on the first try, but he will succeed! You may also your hand near the baby’s feet so that he can push at it when trying to reach for the toy. You may shove your baby slightly, urging him on with your hand at his feet, and he will move forward a bit. Be glad for the baby’s sake and, of course, praise him!

Psychical Development of the 6-Month-Old Baby

Being in the same room with the adults, the baby is trying to take an active part in events that happen around him. He makes an effort to draw the adults’ attention, calling for them with different sounds. The baby is babbling, and it is increasing if the adult talks to the little one or smiles at him. At the sight of his parents, the baby can produce the so-called “yells” of joy. When alone, the little one can also pronounce different sounds and series of sounds, and if an adult enters his field of vision, he starts to babble more actively.

He can express pleasure or a good state of health with the sounds. The little one listens to the sounds he pronounces very attentively and is pleased of hearing them.

The baby’s hearing and vision have improved. He begins to notice color differences (yellow and blue colors), concentrates his sight on the parents, explores his mother’s face with his hands, touches her nose, her eyes, pulls her hair and pokes his fingers in his parents’ mouths when they are speaking with their baby.

Now the baby is able to notice changes in the environment (for example, when the parents change the toys over the cradle, make any movements with the toys) and reacts emotionally to these changes. The little one starts to listen to the sounds of the environment – a phone call or rumbling of domestic appliances working is trying to search for the source of these sounds with his eyes. The distance, at which the baby reacts to remote sounds, has increased up to 8.2-9.8 feet.

The baby is laughing aloud when something is done to him, for example, when his father raises and lowers him, tickles him, and blows at his stomach or hair. Such games become a favorite pastime of the growing baby and his parents. You can make your baby laugh by putting his hands on your lips or cheeks and pronouncing a series of sounds with different intonation and facial expressions, for example, “ba-ba-ba”, “ma-ma-ma”, etc.

6-month-baby-playing-with-toys

Which Games and Exercises are Good for the Baby at this Age?

Take the baby into your arms, bring him to the mirror and attract his attention to the reflection (tap at the mirror with your finger, ring a bell behind it). At first, wave your hand in front of the mirror and say: “Hello!” Then take your baby’s hand and wave it too. When you are standing in front of the mirror, make different movements: clap your hands, shake your head, wave your hand, pout your lips, stick out your tongue to the baby, etc.

The baby is learning to reach for the objects. He improves his grabbing movements and hands coordination. Hang some toys of different sizes on a string in front of the baby at such a distance that it could reach them. Don’t hang them too far, because if the little one can’t reach and grab them it will lose all interest in the task.

Put a toy into the baby’s hand (a rattle, a small brick, or a soft toy). The baby will learn to put the toy from one hand into the other, knock with the toy, or throw it in front of himself. Lay a number of toys before him, so that the little one could learn to reach and grab the toys on his own. Don’t forget to praise the baby for his effort!

Turn on the music, but not too loud. After a few seconds turn the sound off and then turn it on again. You will see that the baby is noticing, when the sound is on and when it’s off. Don’t leave the recorder on for a long time. The constant acoustic effect isn’t so good for the baby: soon he’ll start to get tired, can start yawning or crying. Let the child listen to different kinds of music: slow, calm, and rhythmic.

Don’t forget to talk to your baby about the music he’s listening to (sad or cheerful). You can take the baby into your arms and dance with him, moving in together with the music. Smile and encourage your baby to laugh. Children like to move together with the beat of the music, together with their mothers!

The Baby Continues to Explore

He is not only listening to the sounds but is also looking around. Especially it likes to take different objects into its mouth. Its mouth is the best means of exploring the objects so far. The baby bites the objects, and licks them, trying to sense them in different ways. Don’t interfere with the baby taking toys into his mouth, just make sure the items are clean and the baby won’t be able to swallow the small parts.

When your baby grows older and learns how to explore the toys in other ways, he won’t take everything into his mouth. But now give the little one toys different in shape, size, and weight, made of different materials (wood, rubber, plastic, textile).

6-month-baby

The main condition is that the materials all the toys are made of are safe for the child. And the toys shouldn’t be too small or sharp. It’s good for the baby to take toys into the mouth not only because it enables the little one to better explore them. It’s also useful for the later learning of the skill of eating on his own.

In the future, you can give the baby a cracker or a bun and help him to put the food into his mouth. The baby will learn to take bites of food and chew them. Make different tastes familiar to the baby, but do it carefully, so as not to cause allergy. You can put some honey on the baby’s fingers and bring them to his mouth it doesn’t do it on his own. On the other attempt, you may use a little jam or a couple of drops of lemon juice.

Learning New Smells

It will make the baby’s life safer in the future. Let it sense different scents, pleasant and unpleasant: the smell of your perfume, the smell of milk, melon, garlic, vanilla, etc. Roll up a few cotton balls. Dampen one of them with perfume, another – with the juice of some fresh berry, and bring them to the baby’s nose one after the other.

Remember, that the children who have allergies can’t take such experiments. Watch your baby’s reaction and you’ll understand which smell he likes best. The baby will turn away from the unpleasant smells and frown. After a few days make your baby familiar with other scents (yogurt, baby’s shampoo or soap, etc.). Don’t bring the cotton balls with very strong smells too close to your baby’s nose.

6-Month-Old Baby Pictures

Check out what a 6-month-old baby looks like.

6-month-baby-near-gifts
6-month-baby-smiling