Activities to Do With a 6-Month-Old Baby
Your 6-month-old baby is in an exciting phase of development. They're becoming more aware of their surroundings, developing important motor skills, and showing increased curiosity about the world around them. This is the perfect time to initiate engaging activities that support their growth and strengthen your parent-child bond! But what are the best activities to do with a 6-month-old?
Let’s explore some fun, stimulating activities for every area of your baby’s development.
Sensory Play
Sensory play is crucial for your baby's growth, helping them explore and understand their environment through all five of their senses.
Explore Textures: Create a sensory board with various safe materials like soft fabric, crinkly paper, and smooth plastic. Let your baby touch and feel different textures, describing each one to them as they explore.
Make Sounds: Introduce simple musical instruments like rattles, shakers, or even pots and pans. Encourage your baby to make noise and respond to the sounds they create.
Play Visually-Stimulating Games: Play with high-contrast cards with your baby. Move colorful objects slowly across their field of vision to encourage tracking. Let them play with children’s picture books that have colorful illustrations for some visual stimulation.
Motor Skill Development
At 6 months, your baby is likely working on sitting up, rolling over, and maybe even starting to crawl. Any activity that involves movement can be helpful for your baby's motor skills.
Tummy Time: Place toys just out of your baby’s reach during tummy time to encourage them to stretch and reach. Use mirrors, plushies, or books to make tummy time more engaging and interesting.
Sitting Practice: Support your baby in a sitting position with pillows around them. Offer toys to reach for, helping them practice balance and core strength. Always supervise your baby and be ready to catch them if they lose balance.
Reaching and Grasping: Hang toys from a play gym or offer objects of various sizes and textures for your baby to grasp and explore.
Language and Communication
Even though your baby isn't talking yet, the language activity happening around them is a crucial time for language development. They learn a lot through hearing!
Reading and Storytelling: Read simple board books out loud to your baby daily, pointing to pictures and using animated voices to keep your baby engaged.
Singing and Music: Sing nursery rhymes and songs with hand motions. Play different types of music and dance with your baby—make it fun!
Simple Conversation: Respond to your baby's coos and babbles as if having a conversation. Name objects and actions throughout the day. This helps them grow used to human dialogue, making them feel included in family communication.
Cognitive Development
Your 6-month-old's brain is rapidly developing. Encourage cognitive growth with these activities for brain health!
Object Permanence Games: Play peekaboo with your face or with children’s objects, hiding them under a blanket and encouraging your baby to find them.
Cause and Effect Toys: Introduce toys that respond to your baby's actions, like push buttons that make sounds or light up.
Simple Problem-Solving Games: Help your baby play with stacking cups or nesting toys, demonstrating how they work and letting your baby explore.
Social and Emotional Growth
Support your baby's social and emotional development with interactive play. Here are a few examples.
Mirror Play: Place your baby in front of a mirror, pointing out their features and expressions. Make funny faces and let your other family members join in on the fun.
Peekaboo Variations: Play traditional peekaboo with your hands or use a scarf to hide and reveal your face, enthusiastically saying, “Peekaboo!” as your baby observes (and most likely giggles).
Interactive Imitation Games: Take turns imitating each other's sounds and facial expressions. Give your baby praise and attention when they try to repeat something you do.
Noticing Everyday Moments as Learning Opportunities
Because your baby is rapidly learning, every moment is an opportunity to support their development. You can turn daily routines and household activities into fun learning experiences!
Mealtime: Let your baby safely explore different textures of foods (always under supervision and following pediatrician advice).
Bath Time: Introduce floating toys, cups for pouring, and safe sponges for squeezing during bath time.
Family Chores: Narrate your family’s actions as you do chores, letting your baby watch or hold safe objects like soft socks while you fold laundry.
Outdoor and Nature Activities for Babies
One of the best teachers is the outdoors, and your baby’s health partially depends on outside playtime. You can introduce your little one to the wonders of nature, even in safe and fulfilling ways.
Interact With Nature: Let your baby feel grass, leaves, dirt, or sand. Let them have plenty of playtime at the park, exposing them to fresh air, other children, and a variety of experiences. Always supervise them closely so they don’t eat anything dirty or harmful.
Nature Sensory Bins: Create safe sensory bins with natural materials like large pinecones, smooth stones, fresh flowers, water, or fabric leaves. This encourages your baby to grow familiar with different elements outside the home.
Stroller Walks: Take walks and describe what you see, hear, and smell to your baby, making them feel engaged and observant.
Toys and Materials for 6-Month-Olds
Choose toys that support your baby's current developmental stage. These include toys and materials that are soft, safe, and interesting. For example:
Soft building blocks
Foam letters
Board books
Baby rattles
Teething toys
Plastic bucket and shovel
Foam balls
Rubber car toys
Fabric dolls
Wooden sensory figurines
You can also create sensory toys with every day (and safe) household items.
Guide Your Baby’s Development With the Baby Connect App
Engaging in these activities not only supports your baby's growth but also strengthens your bond. The time you spend playing and interacting with your 6-month-old is invaluable for their development and your family’s memories.
Remember, every baby develops at their own pace, so follow your little one's lead and be patient. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy this special quality time with your baby!
To help you keep up with your baby’s rapid growth, the Baby Connect app lets you conveniently track your baby's feeding schedule, milestones, sleep patterns, diaper changes, and even write down any notes for things you want to remember. To capture special moments as your baby develops, download the Baby Connect app for free today.
