Baby's Developmental Milestones - Six to Twelve Months

Gross Motor Skills - Baby's Movement Continues to Develop: Your baby is developing more ability to make purposeful movements with large, or gross, muscles. She will learn to roll from her back to her stomach and hold her own head up and sit with little or no support. While lying on her stomach, she will "creep" by pulling herself with her arms and pushing with her legs. She will learn to crawl and may pull herself up using furniture for support.

Fine Motor Skills - Baby's Hand-Eye Coordination Improves: Your baby is developing fine motor skills and will begin to hold objects in her hands. She may enjoy picking things up and handing them to you. She will reach for objects and may enjoy stacking objects or putting them into containers. She may begin to drink from a sippy cup

Communication Skills - Baby's Early Speech and Language Skills are Developing: Your baby is developing receptive language skills and early verbal reasoning ability. She is learning to recognize her name and names of other important adults such as Ma-ma and Da-da. She may begin to say these words. She may try to say bigger words by speaking their beginning sounds. For example, she may say "ba" for "bottle." She may understand the meaning of "no" and "yes."

Support Your Baby's Learning: Continue reading to your baby and sharing books with bright pictures and simple sentences. Repetition builds sound and word recognition. Warm snuggles while reading teach an appreciation for reading early in life. Respond to your baby's efforts to use expressive language to communicate with you, and show her that you're thrilled she is learning. Play favorite infant games, and continue to give her safe toys for her age level. She may also enjoy playing with pots and pans and other safe household objects such as unbreakable cups and bowls. Provide toys that make interesting sounds and movements.