These months are full of big changes. Babies become mobile, more expressive, and more curious. But remember: every baby develops on their own timeline. These are common patterns, not deadlines.

Month 6–7: Early Mobility & Stronger Social Skills

Social & Emotional

• Smiles and laughs during play
• Shows excitement when seeing familiar people
• May cling or lean toward caregivers
• Enjoys games like peek-a-boo or songs with actions
• Can express joy and frustration more clearly

Communication

• Babbling grows (“ba,” “da,” “ma”)
• Uses sounds to get your attention
• Responds to name more often
• Watches your mouth when you talk
• May imitate simple sounds

Movement / Motor

• Rolls both ways (back ↔ tummy) confidently
• Sits with minimal or no support
• Pushes up on hands with straight arms
• Rocks on hands and knees (early pre-crawling)
• Reaches and grabs with accuracy
• Transfers objects between hands
• Begins picking up small items with a whole-hand grasp

Thinking / Cognitive

• Explores everything by touching and mouthing
• Looks for a dropped toy
• Shows curiosity about cause and effect (shake the rattle → sound!)
• Recognizes familiar routines (feeding, bath, bedtime)
• Pays attention longer during play

Month 7–8: Communication Bursts & Early Problem-Solving

Social & Emotional

• Strong attachment to caregivers
• May show early separation anxiety
• Uses facial expressions to communicate (surprise, excitement)
• Enjoys simple back-and-forth play
• Shows preferences for certain toys or people

Communication

• Babbling becomes more complex (consonant-vowel patterns)
• Responds to “no” or changes tone
• May copy gestures like waving, clapping, or lifting arms
• Uses different sounds for different needs
• Tries to “talk” during play or mealtime

Movement / Motor

• Sits independently for longer periods
• Begins scooting, army crawling, or rocking on knees
• May start to crawl
• Reaches in all directions to grab toys
• Uses both hands to explore objects
• Picks up small items with improved control (raking grasp)

Thinking / Cognitive

• Understands “in/out” concepts during play
• Bangs toys together
• Tries to solve simple problems (pulls blanket to get hidden toy)
• Looks at you after doing something—checking for your reaction (social referencing)

Month 8–9: Personality, Mobility, and Early Independence

Social & Emotional

• Stronger sense of “my person”—prefers favorite caregivers
• May cry when you leave the room (separation anxiety is normal)
• Shows humor—laughs at silly faces or games
• Shows more emotion: joy, frustration, eagerness
• Begins understanding “back-and-forth” social play

Communication

• Babbling becomes speech-like (“mamama,” “bababa”)
• Imitates sounds more frequently
• Understands simple words (“no,” “bye-bye,” “milk”)
• Uses gestures like reaching, pointing, lifting arms to be picked up
• Responds to their name consistently

Movement / Motor

• Crawls or works hard to move in their unique style
• Pulls to stand while holding furniture (late 8–9 months for some)
• Sits steadily while playing with toys
• Uses pincer grasp (thumb + finger) to pick up small soft foods
• Transfers objects smoothly between hands
• Bounces while supported standing

Thinking / Cognitive

• Looks for hidden objects stronger object permanence
• Explores how things work (push/pull, open/close, drop and watch fall)
• Notices when objects change or disappear
• Begins early problem-solving with toys
• Understands familiar people, pets, and places

Between 6–9 months, babies become:

• More mobile (crawling, scooting, pulling up)
• More social (laughing, babbling, separation anxiety)
• More coordinated (pincer grasp, transferring objects)
• More curious (cause and effect, hidden objects, routines)

Your responsiveness, play, and daily interactions help their brain grow.

Citations:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Important milestones: Your baby at six months. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Important milestones: Your baby at nine months. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Developmental milestones: Baby 6–9 months.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Baby’s first year: Development and growth.

World Health Organization. (2023). Infant development and early learning.

Zerotothree. (2023). Baby development: 6–9 months.

Johnson, S., & Marlow, N. (2011). Early developmental milestones and later development. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 96(7), 641–648.