Here's what you might see your baby doing between 6 and 9 months of age.

Daily Activities

• Adores playing with balls, rattles, and squeaky toys.
• Usually sleeps through the night.
• Usually begins teething.
• May prefer some foods to others.
• May enjoy playing with food.
• Loves games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.

Language Development

• Babbles and squeals using single syllables.
• Loves to jabber.
• May recognize own name.

Emotional Development

• May show sharp mood changes.
• Displays especially strong attachment to mother.
• Develops deeper attachment to father, siblings, and other familiar people.
• Distinguishes children from adults.
• Smiles at other children.
• May show fear of strangers.
• Continues to be intrigued with mirror image.

Motor Skills

• Rests on elbows.
• Begins to sit alone.
• Sits in high chair.
• Continues to use motions leading to crawling.
• Makes jumping motions when held in standing position.
• Reaches with one hand.
• Bats and grasps dangling objects.
• Holds objects between thumb and forefinger.
• Passes objects from one hand to another.

Each child is unique. It is therefore difficult to describe exactly what should be expected at each stage of a child's development. While certain attitudes, behaviors, and physical milestones tend to occur at certain ages, a wide spectrum of growth and behavior for each age is normal. These guidelines are offered as a way of showing a general progression through the developmental stages rather than as fixed requirements for normal development at specific ages. It is perfectly natural for a child to attain some milestones earlier and other milestones later than the general trend.

If you have any concerns related to your child's own pattern of development, check with your health care provider.

Pediatric Advisor 2006.4; Copyright © 2006 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Written by Donna Warner Manczak, PhD, MPH and Robert Brayden, MD. This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.