How to Play with a 6 Month Old

Provide a clean and safe environment for play.

When baby reaches the age of 6 months, it is an exciting time for parents because there are many physical developments happening. Your baby becomes more mobile with the ability to roll to its sides, stand up and bounce with support and she begins to support herself sitting upright. She also is more vocal, practicing and imitating different sounds she hears. These developmental milestones mean you have more options on how to play with her.

Things You'll Need

• 2 empty plastic water bottles

Instructions

1. Create different noises with objects with your 6-month-old. By this age, your baby will want to grasp any object within her reach. Hand her an empty plastic water bottle and she will enjoy squeezing it and hearing the crinkling noises it makes. You can play with her by holding your own empty plastic water bottle and showing her how noise is created when you tap your bottle on hers. You also can tap a musical rhythm with the bottle against the floor and encourage her to do the same.

2. Play a game of peekaboo with your 6-month-old and he will laugh up a storm. At this age, he understands the concept of object permanence. He knows that even if he does not see you in the room that you still exist. Place your hands over your eyes and then ask, "Where's Mommy?" After a second, open your hands to reveal your face. Your baby will laugh and giggle. Continue hiding behind your hands and vary the amount of time before you reveal your face each time. You also can play the game by hiding other objects, such as a ball, underneath a blanket or pillow.

3. Enjoy some active play with your baby through bouncing. Sitting down on the couch or a chair, position your baby so that she faces you. Help her stand up on your lap by placing your hands underneath her arms to support her in the standing position. Bounce her up and down by lifting your heels off the floor. You can alternate between heels lifting up and down. Sing to her to create a rhythm to your heel lifts. For instance, sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with your heels enacting the spider crawling up the water spout and drop both heels down when you get to the lyric "down came the rain."

References

• What to Expect: Your 6-Month-Old Baby: Six Month Milestones
• Babies Today: Brain Builders: 6-Month-Old; Tammy Morey
• Parenting:Baby Milestones
• KIDiddles: Eensy-Weensy Spider (Itsy Bitsy Spider)