All babies have their own timetable, but you can watch for certain developments in your 8-month-old. Celebrate with your baby as she reaches or nears these milestones.
Cognitive
- Recognizes people and objects at a distance
- Experiments with object permanence (objects and people that are out of sight still exist)
- Curious about objects just out of reach; reaches for them
- May look for dropped objects
- Attaches meaning to certain sights, sounds, and gestures; may be ready to learn baby sign language
- Begins to understand that objects and people have names
- Anticipates what comes next in familiar routines (running water means a bath)
Motor
- Practices using thumb and index finger to pick up small objects (pincer grasp)
- Passes objects from one hand to the other
- Holds a toy or object in each hand
- Bangs objects on a table, floor, or against each other
- May feed self, though messily
- Begins to drink from a cup
- Sits without support
- May reach for objects while sitting up
- May rock on knees, creep backward, scoot, or crawl
- Puts weight on legs when held in a standing position
Communication
- Looks for and reacts to sounds outside her line of vision
- Babbles echo actual words and include vowel and consonant sounds (“ba ba ba,” “da da,” “bah-dah”)
- Takes turns mimicking conversation (you talk, she babbles, you talk, she babbles)
- May be ready to learn some baby sign language
Social
- Distinguishes between strangers and family
- May show shyness or fear around strangers
- Enjoys peekaboo and other simple games
