Steps&Play: Supporting Your Baby’s Development 7–9Months

Between 7 and 9 months, your baby is likely to start crawling or even climbing, opening up new opportunities for exploration. The first signs of independence are beginning to appear: they may now be able to reach for their toys on their own. These movements reflect the development of the nervous system and help improve the coordination and dexterity of their hands and fingers. At this stage, your baby is probably grabbing everything and putting it in their mouth. This is how they explore the size, shape, and texture of objects, a key part of learning about the world around them. It’s important to let your baby explore and play independently during these months. Talk to them often so they can see your mouth move, as this helps them recognize sounds and begin to understand words. When you're out walking, try positioning the pushchair so your baby can see you. This encourages social interaction and connection.

When your child is lying or sitting on the play mat, hold up a toy and shake it to grab their attention. Once they look at it, drop the toy next to you. Repeat this once or twice so they can follow the toy with their gaze as it falls. If they enjoy the game, bring them into your lap and play together. This activity introduces your child to basic physics concepts, like how objects fall to the ground and how gravity works. As they watch the toy fall and attempt to grab or touch it, they develop their hand-eye coordination and perception. Additionally, this game can boost their self-confidence. As they successfully follow the toy, they begin to understand and manipulate their surroundings, fostering a sense of independence.

Sit comfortably and place your child on your lap or rest them on your forearm so you can engage closely in the next activity. Show them a toy, like a colorful ball or a plushie, and encourage them to take it from you. Smile and gently guide them to bring it closer, allowing them to feel the material and observe the colors. This is a great opportunity for them to explore their surroundings. Be patient and support their curiosity! The toy provides a tactile experience while helping them gain confidence in exploring the world around them.

Make yourself comfortable on the carpet and place some noisy toys next to you. Start by making some noise with a toy on one side so that your child can't see it. When they start looking and turning toward the sound, let them have the toy. Encourage them by saying, "Look, here it is! Do you want it? You can have it!" If they reach for it, give them time to explore. Then, make some noise with another toy on the other side, prompting them to look in that direction. Let them have this one too. Through this game, your child will begin to recognize the source of the sound and learn to reach for the toys. This will encourage gross motor movements, such as crawling, rolling, or climbing, as they try to grab the objects.

Sit comfortably with your child on your lap or facing each other. Give them a spoon or rattle, along with a box or a baby drum if you have one. Encourage your child to bang the box with the spoon or use the drumstick to tap on the drum, or maybe just play with their hands. This game not only provides the excitement of sound and movement but also helps develop a sense of rhythm. As you both drum and bang the drum or box together, enjoy the joy of making music and creating sound. It’s a wonderful way to build a connection with your child, filled with laughter and fun as you explore rythm and music together.

Use a toy that grabs your child’s attention and place it under a baby blanket. Lay your child on their tummy, or if they are able to sit, you can sit next to them. Position the toy in front of them, wait for them to spot it, then cover the toy with the baby blanket, making sure they can still see the toy beneath. Ask your child, “Where did the ball go?” and give them time to process and try to remove the blanket to retrieve the toy. If they don’t seem to notice, you can give a small hint by leaving a part of the toy sticking out from under the blanket, then gradually cover it completely. At this stage, your child is beginning to understand the concept of object permanence—recognizing that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. This discovery supports their development of memory, observation, and problem-solving skills. It is an important step toward feeling secure in the world around them.

When your child is holding two toys, add a third and watch how they handle it. Do they toss one aside or find a way to hold all three? They might drop one to make room or adjust their grip to keep them all. Encourage them to try different strategies and praise their efforts. This activity helps with both their fine motor skills and problem-solving.

Hold your child upright in your arms and look around the room together. As you spot different objects, name them out loud: "This is a bookshelf, look how big it is," or "Here's a flower, the leaves are green." After you've pointed out a few things, switch it up by lying your child across your arm and pretend you're taking them on a ride: "Whoosh! The airplane's moving!" Go around the room again, pointing out the same objects. By naming things in your environment, you're helping your child build their vocabulary and understand different concepts. Switching from a vertical to a horizontal position adds another opportunity to look at the same objects again and helps them remember them better.

Now you can have a unique experience in which you can explore toys from two different perspectives. First, stand up while holding your child so they can watch as the toy in your hand moves toward them. This gives them a new perspective and lets them notice different details of the toy. But the fun doesn’t stop here! You can also lie down next to your child on the carpet and explore the toys together from a new angle. This change in perspective adds another layer of fun, letting you both fully dive into the experience.

Here’s a fun new challenge: the task is to find an object high up in the sky, like the lamp. Ask your child, “Where’s the lamp? Show me!” This game helps develop their perception and understanding of directions, while also encouraging communication skills. Around this age, children start to learn how to point, so be patient and encourage them to express themselves as they explore their surroundings. Praise their efforts and share in the excitement of discovery together. This kind of exploration boosts your child’s confidence and curiosity.

When your child is playing on the carpet, roll a ball in front of them and see if they follow it with their eyes. If not, try again, but this time, get their attention first! After the ball rolls, you can ask, “Which way did the ball go?” This game helps develop their attention and observation skills, while also giving them a chance to communicate and share their observations with you.

Give your child two of the same toy, like two building blocks. Show them how to put the pieces together and encourage them to try it themselves. As they bang the blocks together, they’ll learn to move their hands and fingers in a coordinated way. They'll also explore the sounds and textures of the toys, helping to develop their senses and fine motor skills. By encouraging them to imitate you, you're teaching them the concept of imitation and promoting mutual learning and cooperation.

When your child is lying on their tummy, place a favorite toy nearby to grab their attention. Gently move the toy a little and encourage them to reach for it. You can cheer them on by saying, "Come on, crawl here for the toy!" At this age, their motor development is progressing rapidly. They are becoming more aware of their body and learning to change positions, which helps them build independence as they realize they can reach the things they want on their own. Scooting and crawling are important milestones, strengthening muscles needed for standing and walking. These activities also support their nervous system, balance, and coordination. Make sure to give them plenty of space and time for exercise.

When your child is lying on their stomach on the floor, place a toy next to them at a 90-degree angle. They'll be intrigued by the object and try to turn sideways to reach it. This movement challenge is exciting because it encourages them to turn in a new direction, which is a fun and engaging experience. Offering positive reinforcement and support will help them approach this challenge with more confidence and success.

Rolling is an important milestone in your baby’s motor development. When your child makes their first attempt to roll, be sure to praise them! Positive reinforcement will help boost their confidence and encourage them to keep practicing. Surround them with toys that motivate them to move around, such as toys that roll, toys they can chase or reach for. Keep in mind that every child develops at their own pace, so don’t worry if rolling doesn’t happen immediately. Be patient and give them plenty of time and opportunities to practice. With your support, they’ll feel encouraged to keep trying.

Create a safe space for your baby to practice crawling. Place a favorite toy just out of reach. If needed, gently bend one of their legs to help encourage movement. When your baby notices something they want, encourage them to reach for it by praising each attempt. Crawling requires your baby to move their opposite arm and leg forward simultaneously, known as alternating movement. This coordination helps both hemispheres of the brain work together, laying the groundwork for future gross motor skills like walking. Regular practice will support their physical development and confidence.

Getting your between 7 and 9 month old on all fours is a great way to prepare them for scooting and crawling. Set up a soft, safe space around them so they can move freely. Hold out a toy just out of reach to encourage them to move toward it, offering gentle support with one hand if needed. Be patient and give them plenty of time and opportunities to try. You can also demonstrate how to move on all fours, then let them explore and imitate your movements at their own pace.

Place your child on their stomach on a large ball, holding them securely. Start by extending their hands out in front of them, then gently roll the ball forward, supporting their torso so their palms touch the floor. Roll back and forth, and try gently moving them side to side as well. This will help your child experience movement in different directions, which promotes balance and motor skill development. Always keep an eye on how they're responding—if they seem tired or uncomfortable, stop and give them a break. Remember, every child develops at their own pace, so be patient and consistent with practice!

Rocking back and forth is important for preparing your child to stand on all fours and eventually crawl. Place a soft mat on the floor and position your child on all fours. Gently rock them back and forth, supporting them securely as they feel the movement. Make sure you're close enough to prevent them from falling while still giving them the space to explore the rocking motion. This kind of exercise helps them build balance and coordination in preparation for crawling.

Place a ball in front of your child, just within reach. Slowly roll it a little further away, encouraging them to follow it. Many children are drawn to rolling objects, so they will likely be curious and try to chase after it. If needed, gently guide the ball or help them change direction to make it easier to follow. This activity helps develop balance, coordination, and spatial awareness.

Place a climbing tunnel in front of your child and peek through from the other side. Gently call their name to make them feel comfortable and not scared. As they start to walk or crawl through, keep encouraging them. If they’re getting more confident or if they’re feeling a bit shy, you can motivate them by rolling a ball through the tunnel for them to follow. You can also stabilize the tunnel to prevent it from wobbling, so it feels more secure. This activity helps them build stability while crawling, improve their body awareness, and understand their physical limits. Crawling through tunnels, navigating small spaces, and crawling all contribute to the development of balance, coordination, and strength.

As your child becomes more stable, create a smaller obstacle course. Place cushions of different sizes on the floor for them to climb over or crawl through, such as under your outstretched legs. If they need more motivation, you can hide a toy under the cushions to encourage them. You can also try setting up the course outdoors on the grass for an exciting, new experience. Crawling through the course will help strengthen their muscles and improve balance, especially on the more unstable surfaces. It also sparks curiosity and encourages exploration.

If your child isn't sitting steadily yet, you can support them in your lap. If they are able to sit unassisted, let them play independently. Place some toys and a box in front of them. Show how you can put the toys into the box one by one, and then take them out. Alternatively, you can tip the box over to dump the toys out. Let your child spend time exploring this activity. Putting toys in the box and dumping them is a great way to develop fine motor and cognitive skills. As they grasp and manipulate the toys, they build fine motor skills, as well as eye-hand coordination—essential skills for future tasks like writing and drawing.

When your child spots something interesting sitting lower on a piece of furniture and tries to reach it by getting up on their knees or even both feet, it's a significant milestone in their motor development. Kneeling or standing on both feet helps build muscle strength and coordination, laying the foundation for walking. The effort to grasp and reach also enhances hand-eye coordination, a crucial skill for fine motor activities and object manipulation. The toy itself encourages multiple attempts, helping to build your child's self-confidence and sense of accomplishment as they work to complete the action on their own.

Crawling practice shouldn't be limited to flat surfaces. You can create platforms using larger cushions or even a bathroom stepstools or a balance board. Start by encouraging your child to climb onto the platform. To make it more challenging, sit on the platform so you are higher, and then encourage them to climb up onto your lap or feet. Ensure they feel safe throughout the process, offering support if needed. As they climb small platforms, they strengthen their muscles, improve their balance, and develop coordination and motor skills.

Grasping and holding small objects is a key milestone in developing fine motor skills. At this stage, your child can hold things for longer periods, allowing them to observe and transfer objects between hands. Small, easy-to-hold toys are perfect for supporting this development, helping them learn to manipulate objects safely and effectively. As they grasp and hold toys, they strengthen the muscles in their fingers and hands. Following the object with their eyes also helps improve concentration and stamina, allowing them to focus for longer periods of time.

Give your child a small bath toy or building block in one hand, then offer another in the same hand. At this point, your child has to decide what to do with the toy they already have—hold onto it, or let it go to grab the new one. This is a great way for them to practice decision-making and learn how to evaluate options. Through these experiences, they begin to understand cause and effect, which helps them make sense of the world around them and handle similar situations in the future with confidence.

Cut holes in a box and insert ribbons, or use a box of tissues. Ask your child to pull them out. You can tie the ribbons together to prevent them from being pulled out completely. This game helps develop fine motor skills, as your child needs to grasp and pull the ribbons accurately. It strengthens the fingers and hand muscles, improving dexterity. The activity also encourages concentration and perseverance, as they need to stay focused to complete the task. It improves hand-eye coordination and enhances their ability to control their movements.

At this stage, your child’s hand and finger movements are becoming more precise. They are starting to notice small objects, trying to pick them up, and using two or three fingers to grasp and manipulate things for longer periods. They can hold items without dropping them and may even focus their attention on their hand movements for a while. Place cooked carrots and baby crackers on a plate, and sit across from your child. Show them how to pick up an item between their fingers and invite them to try. Encourage them to choose the food they want to pick up and offer help if needed. When they succeed, praise their efforts and celebrate together! Always supervise during this activity to ensure safety. This activity not only improves fine motor skills but also gives your child the chance to explore new food textures and flavors. It’s a wonderful opportunity to bond, and with patience and encouragement, you’ll support their development every step of the way.

Sit facing each other and show your child how you roll the ball toward them. Then, encourage them to try rolling it back to you. Gently guide them in learning the correct technique and praise them for each successful roll. As they catch and roll the ball, they are using fine motor skills and it helps strengthen their hand-eye coordination. Additionally, observing the ball’s movement and their surroundings supports cognitive development and helps them recognize the connection between cause and effect.

At between 7 and 9 months, playing with balloons can be a fun and engaging activity that helps develop a variety of important skills. It encourages your child to explore their surroundings, stimulating their senses of sight and hearing. Punching or holding the balloon strengthens their arm and hand muscles while also improving coordination. As they reach for or try to grab the balloon, they enhance their fine motor skills. Always ensure safety by never leaving them alone with the balloon, as small pieces can pose a choking hazard.

Build a tall tower or pyramid together using plastic cups. Start with a base on the floor and carefully stack the cups to create a stable structure. You can also experiment with different shapes and patterns. Observe how the tower or pyramid changes as you add or remove cups. At this age, your child might be more interested in knocking down or destroying the tower rather than building it. If that's the case, make it a fun, interactive experience where you build, and they get to knock it down.

Set up a ring stacker and encourage your child to take off and then stack the pieces back together. This activity helps develop important skills, as it requires precise hand movements and focus. As your child guides their hands to fit the pieces, they work on their focus and coordination. The process also teaches perseverance—if something doesn’t work the first time, they learn to keep trying until they succeed.

Place a variety of small or large boxes, squares, circles, or other shapes in front of your baby. Put interesting toys inside, like hoops or rattles. Move the toys freely from one box to another while you play. Talk to your baby, explaining what you're doing and encourage them to imitate. This not only supports language development, but also strengthens your bond and encourages interactive play.

Place some toys in a box in front of your child and cover them with a cloth. Ask, "Where are the toys? Can you find them?" or say, "Now it's your turn! Come on, take the towel off!" Removing the cloth helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Each time your child successfully uncovers the toys, offer praise to boost their confidence and motivation. This playful activity adds excitement while supporting development. Always ensure safety and supervise them, adjusting the game to your child's reactions and needs as you play together.

Sit across from each other, grab a ball, and roll it back and forth. First, roll it to your child, then encourage them to roll it back to you. Playing with a ball is not only fun, but it also helps develop important skills. It promotes hand-eye coordination and strengthens motor skills. This activity also helps your child understand spatial relationships. As they focus on the ball, their attention and reactions are constantly engaged and developed. Together, you create a fun learning environment where play and growth go hand in hand.

Create a small ball course using balls of different sizes. Start with the smaller balls and encourage your child to crawl to follow and hit them. Once they're comfortable, introduce the larger balls and observe how they react to the different sounds these balls make. You can also toss the balls in the air, noticing how they land with varying speeds and sounds. The main goal of this game is to have fun together. Crawling and hitting/bouncing the balls help develop coordinated movement, improving motor skills and balance. Responding to the balls’ movement and moving with them also strengthens hand-eye coordination, a crucial skill for writing, drawing, and other fine motor activities.

Sit together on the carpet with rolling animal toys or larger cars. Push the toys around and encourage your child to follow along. You can also create a small zig-zag track to guide the toys through. This activity helps improve balance and control as your child pushes the toys, while navigating the track promotes coordination and aiming. Plus, playing together strengthens your bond and communication.

Sit your child on your lap and look at a soft book or a bath book together. Choose one with animals, every day objects, or simple shapes. At this age, it's best to keep the stories short or have simple pictures, as their attention span is still developing. Show them how to turn the pages and let them try themselves. The sturdy pages make these books perfect for playtime on the carpet or even in the bath. Children love looking at the colorful pictures, and this helps develop their vocabulary, especially understanding and contextualizing words. You can also use the images to tell simple, rhythmic stories, which will support their visual perception and vocabulary development.

Wrinkling different materials can be a fun and stimulating experience for your between 7 and 9 month old. Try giving them soft textiles or plush toys to explore. If you're introducing different textures, always be cautious. Materials like foil or plastic bags can break into small pieces and pose a choking hazard, so never leave them unattended. Always ensure the materials you provide are safe. Wrinkling and touching various textures helps your child explore and perceive different sensations, which supports their sensory development and fine motor skills.

Sit across from your child and sing a song together. You can clap along or play an instrument to go with the rhythm. Pick simple, familiar, and rhythmic songs, singing slowly and clearly so that your child can follow along with the melody and words. To make it even more engaging, add hand movements or gestures to accompany the singing. This activity is a wonderful way to bond and support your child's language development, as they can observe your mouth movements.

Nursery rhymes or songs are a wonderful way to encourage language development and enhance the quality of your time together. As you start the song/rhyme show your child how to move their fingers and encourage them to make sounds to join in. You can also associate gestures with the words, like smoothing their finger at a specific time. This activity is not only enjoyable, but it also supports motor skill development, listening and speaking comprehension, and helps expand both active and passive vocabulary.

Play with the tone and volume of your voice while singing or speaking. Change the pitch or tone by raising your voice during happy parts and lowering it for calmer or more intense moments. Sing softly for quieter sections and louder as the song picks up. If it's hard to keep it fun at first, try shorter phrases—just two or three lines—and adjust them to fit the moment. Changing your voice in this way not only makes the activity more engaging, but it also helps capture your child’s attention. This encourages the development of auditory focus, sound differentiation, musical sense, and sound recognition.

Ask, "Do you want me to pick you up?" and then wait to see how your child responds. If they reach for you, that's a fantastic reaction! It's a great sign that they are listening and engaged with you. This shows they understand communication and are actively participating in a reciprocal relationship. It's a wonderful opportunity to connect further and strengthen your bond. Keep these interactions going, as they play an important role in developing both communication skills and emotional growth.

Saying your child’s name often is important for strengthening your bond and communication. It helps them feel heard and connected to you. When they notice you and look at you, they start to recognize their name and respond to your call. They might stop what they're doing, come closer, or wait for you to speak. They may even respond with excitement or movement, especially if you say their name in a fun or playful way. These interactions are key to building their confidence, sense of security, and communication skills. Do this regularly—it will help them understand and express their feelings, and deepen your connection. If your child has a middle name too, use only their first name when talking to them, and avoid using too many nicknames so they can learn and recognize their own name easier.

At this age, babbling starts to evolve into more recognizable sounds that resemble their native language. Your baby is becoming more skilled at imitating the sounds you make. They can now combine sounds into syllables, and some may even start to resemble words. Repeating what the child "says" in a playful way can help language development and establish healthy communication patterns. It's important to give your child enough time to respond or react, which will make them feel heard and understood. While speaking, encourage them to touch your mouth so they can see how sounds are made. As a parent, your speech should be rhythmic, with clear articulation, expressive facial expressions, and a strong model for your child to follow.

Choose a picture book specifically designed for babies, with a maximum of two or three pictures per page. Sit next to each other or hold your child on your lap and look at the book together. Name the objects or animals you see in the pictures, slowly, almost syllable by syllable, you can even use a sing-songy voice. This will help your child recognize the images and concepts, building both their passive and later active vocabulary. If the pictures feature animals, vehicles, or objects that make sounds, imitate those sounds. The use of sound-imitating words will be an important milestone in speech development. These interactions foster language and cognitive growth while also creating quality bonding time, helping to build a positive relationship and shared experiences.

It helps your child's social development if they have the opportunity to meet new people, in addition to family. Spending time with friends and participating in children's activities are great ways to encourage social interaction. This is important for both children and adults, as it fosters emotional well-being, enhances social skills, and improves overall quality of life.

When meeting or saying goodbye to others, always greet and farewell confidently. Set an example by saying "Hi" or “Bye" clearly while waving. Your child will listen to you and soon start to imitate your behavior. Learning to say hello and goodbye is an important part of developing social skills. Encourage and praise them when they use these greetings correctly.

Join mommy and baby groups, playdates, or library story times where you can meet other children. These spaces provide a great opportunity to develop social skills and learn how to cooperate. Show your child how to make friends and engage with others. When meeting a new child, be a calm and supportive presence: give your child time and space to explore, but be there for them when they need you.

Prepare a box and two objects to use as drumsticks. Choose objects made from different materials so they produce different sounds. Show your child how to play the drums and encourage them to imitate you. Always praise and support their efforts . At this age, it's a great idea to explore different objects together, but be sure to also give time for independent play. Your child is developing a sense of individuality, but still relies on you as their safe, comforting base to return to.

Place the child on a sturdy blanket and have two adults gently hold the corners to lift it up. Then, slowly rock the child back and forth while singing or saying a nursery rhyme. Always ensure that the child is safe and not lifted too high or rocked too vigorously. This rocking motion helps stimulate the vestibular system, which is essential for developing their sense of balance and spatial awareness.

Place a toy or book next to your child. Point to it, look at it, or reach your hand toward it. Encourage them to pick it up or take a closer look. If something interesting is happening around you, gesture for them to look, like if a plane is flying in the sky. These simple gestures not only help focus their attention but also strengthen your connection and enhance the quality of your time together.

Play a game of peek-a-boo with your child! There are many fun ways to do this. You can hide behind something, cover your face with your hands, or drape a scarf over your face. Then, pop out and say "peek-a-boo!" This game and the laughter it brings help ease any emotional tension when you're apart, whether for a short or longer time. For children, even small events that might seem insignificant to adults—like a phone call, running to the kitchen, or sleeping in a separate room—can feel like separation. Object permanence applies to people too: children gradually learn that their parents exist even when they can’t see or hear them. By turning this mix of closeness and distance into a playful experience, you can reassure them that you'll always return and will notice and listen to them when separation is hard for them.

Get a shirt or bodysuit and say, "Come on, let me help you put this shirt on." At this age, they understand daily routines. You might notice them holding their head and hands, making it easier for you to dress them. Asking for their help at this stage encourages independence and active participation. While they may not be dressing independently yet, they begin to recognize the process and help things go more smoothly with small gestures and movements. These moments can help them become more involved in dressing. When your child puts their hands into the sleeves, be patient and understanding if they struggle or resist. It’s a gradual but important learning process, so praise and encourage them whenever you can.

Allow your child to take part in the diapering process as much as possible. For example, let them hold the wipes or give them toys to play with. Allowing them to explore the environment and tools around them helps foster their sense of discovery and promotes independence. Be sure the changing area is safe, keeping dangerous objects out of reach and making sure everything around them is properly secured.

Before you start feeding your child, show them the spoon and bowl to get them ready, and talk about how they’re going to eat independently. Teach them how to hold the spoon, dip it into the food, and bring it to their mouth. Be patient and offer lots of encouragement. It’s completely normal for them to get messy—this is all part of learning and gaining independence. This process helps build their motor skills and confidence. So, be supportive and enjoy the mealtime together—eat together!

Practice drinking from an open cup with your child. Choose a cup that’s the right size and shape, one that’s easy for them to hold and not too heavy. Show them how to drink slowly from it. First, help them hold and lift the cup, and guide their lips to the rim. Encourage and praise them for every attempt, no matter how much they manage to drink. This will help build their confidence.

Show your child how to turn the light switch on and off. Talk about how the light turns on when you flip the switch and goes off when you flip it back. Let them imitate you and try it themselves. Offer help if needed, but encourage them to explore on their own. Praise every successful attempt and let them try it several times. The more they practice, the more confident they’ll become with this activity. This activity helps them understand cause and effect.

Fill an empty bottle with small pom-poms and water, then seal the top tightly so your child cannot accidentally open it. In another bottle, add cornflakes. Place the bottles in front of your child—shake them or stand them up, and show them how they can knock them over. These sensory bottles provide an engaging visual effect and are great tools to support sensory development.

Show your child how to gently stroke and cuddle a stuffed animal. This will help them understand the importance of caring for animals. Along with the sensory experience of feeling the softness of the stuffed animal, this activity will also help develop their empathy and nurturing skills.

Fill a small bucket with water or prepare your baby's bath, and show your child how to dip the sponge in and squeeze it out. Let them try, and celebrate together when they succeed. You can use sponges in different colors and shapes. Let them feel the temperature of the water and the softness of the sponge. As they play, the water stimulates their senses, and squeezing the sponge helps strengthen the muscles in their hands.

Get outdoors whenever you can. Listen to the sounds around you—the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, or the noise of traffic. Take a walk in the park, the woods, or the garden. Sit on the grass or on a bench and enjoy the fresh air. You can bring home pine cones, acorns, or leaves you collect in nature to play with, but be sure to keep them child-safe to avoid accidents! If the weather isn't ideal for being outside, hold your child in your arms and look out the window together. Observe what's happening outside. Exploring the sights and sounds of nature is a wonderful way to stimulate the senses and create new experiences.

Show your child different instruments, like drums, rattles, xylophones, and whistles. Let them touch, feel, and explore these instruments, and make music together. If you don’t have a variety of instruments at home, a mommy and baby music group can be a great opportunity for exposure. You can also listen to recordings of classical instruments. This kind of play helps develop your child’s interest in music and musical instruments, while also allowing them to discover and understand different sounds and rhythms. At this age, children really enjoy playing instruments—they can already recognize where a sound is coming from and will look for its source when they hear it.

For the next game, get three plastic cups that aren’t see through and three small toys that fit underneath. Sit down together on the mat and place the toys in front of them. Once you have their attention, cover each toy with a cup. Ask them where the toys have gone and wait patiently for them to respond. If a toy is uncovered, celebrate together when it's found. If they don't start looking, help guide their attention by pointing to the cup or peeking underneath. This game helps develop object permanence. Over time, your child will get better at understanding that objects still exist even when they can’t see them. They will begin to realize that you’ve hidden the toys under the cups and be motivated to search for them.