Understanding and Supporting

Your Child’s Development Age 6–12 Months

Developed by Informed Parents—Successful Children (IPSC)

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Overview

The mission of Informed Parents—Successful Children (IPSC) is to provide non-English-speaking parents and caregivers with tools to promote early childhood development and success. IPSC is funded by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

IPSC has prepared this booklet to help parents understand the learning and development process of infants and what they as parents can do to encourage their infants’ learning.

What follows is a brief description of four areas of development: cognitive, physical, social-emotional, and language and literacy; along with overviews of developmental milestones; inexpensive activities you can do at home to encourage your child’s healthy development; and health and safety guidelines.

Children do not reach developmental milestones at the exact same age. Variations are expected from child to child. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the development of your child, please contact us (see contact information on back cover).

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Developmental Areas

Child development is commonly divided into four developmental areas: physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language and literacy. These four areas are closely related and often overlap.

Physical development refers to the development of large muscles (gross motor) and small muscles (fine motor). Gross motor includes balance, stability and a child’s ability to control large muscles in the body, especially the arms and legs. Fine motor includes using and coordinating small muscles in the hands and wrists.

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Cognitive development refers to the development of children’s thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Children develop their thinking from the simple to the complex and from the concrete to the abstract.

Social-emotional development refers to the process by which children learn to interact with others, communicate and express their feelings and develop their identity and self-esteem.

Language development refers to the process by which children learn to use symbols and sounds to communicate. Literacy development refers to the process by which children learn to read and write.

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Physical Development

This is a very exciting time in a baby’s physical development. Infants are starting to strengthen their gross- and fine-motor abilities and are becoming more mobile.

They start to be able to hold a crayon, pick up Cheerios, etc. They can point to objects and are able to pick up finger food. At first, they try to pick up food with their whole hand, but with practice they find out that the thumb and two fingers are best for picking up small items.

Around six months, babies begin to sit up on their own and as they gain strength, try to reach for things just out of their reach.

During this time, infants become more mobile. A baby may roll across the room to get a favorite toy or get up on his/her arms and legs and try to crawl.

Around eight to 12 months, infants also pull themselves to a standing position. A small table provides them the support they need to pull themselves up and develop the balance and coordination they need to start walking. Around nine or 10 months, they are able to lower themselves back down from a standing position.

Between six and 12 months, a baby develops into an active explorer. Therefore, a safe environment and interactive adults are important to help the child learn new physical skills.

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What Babies Can Do

How Parents Can Help

Sit up and pull themselves to a standing position.

(6–12 months)

Be sure to have a safe environment with furniture secured by an anti-tipping brace and small objects or toys out of reach.

Try to grab objects that are out of reach.

(6–12 months)

Be sure to watch the infant carefully and always seat him/her on the floor. Do not leave the baby unattended while he/she is on high surfaces (bed, changing table, etc.)

Pick up finger food.

(6–12 months)

Be sure to monitor your child at all times. Cheerios are a great way for him/her to practice this new skill because they dissolve in the mouth if not chewed.

Become more mobile, moving around the room.

(8–12 months)

Place cushions and roll up blankets on the floor or carpet to create some new challenges for your baby to move around.

Climb steps.

(8–12 months)

Help him/her go up the steps carefully. Talk about what he/she is doing while climbing (e.g., “Wow! Look at you go! Let’s go slowly.”)

Be sure never to let an infant climb up or down the stairs alone.

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Cognitive Development

During these six months, infants start to use more sophisticated learning behaviors. They repeat the same action to compare results and learn to make sense of the world around them.

At this age, infants are beginning to learn they can cause things to happen. They learn that some objects, like keys and rattles, make interesting sounds, so the next time they want to reproduce the same sound they shake or move these objects. Infants also learn that their actions cause reactions in other people. For example, when they drop something on the floor, adults pick it up or say something.

Infants continue to explore things with their hands, banging, and putting things in their mouths. Make sure to wash toys after your baby plays with them and to provide other safe materials.

They also learn that they can use their bodies to get what they want. As they age, infants realize they can also use adults as tools to reach an object, open a container, etc.

Around seven or eight months, babies begin to realize that things exist even if they are gone. While they may not actively look for something that is missing, they continue to keep an eye on the place where they saw it before it disappeared.

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What Babies Can Do

How Parents Can Help

Understand that their actions they can cause reactions.

(6–12 months)

Provide different materials that may have different results (things that pop up when buttons are pushed, toys that make different sounds when shaken, cars that move when pushed, etc.)

Explore things by putting them in their mouths.

(6–12 months)

Do not try to stop babies from putting things in their mouths. Instead provide safe materials for your baby to explore and take the time to wash them after he/she is finished playing with them.

Learn they can use adults to get what they want (e.g., intentionally dropping things to see if an adult will pick them up).

(8–12 months)

Respond to these requests with excitement. At this point, responding to your baby’s needs is still an important developmental step, so do not worry about spoiling your baby.

Realize that things exist even if they are no longer visible.

(8–12 months)

Play peek-a-boo games, hiding objects.

Place a blanket in front of your face and then quickly remove it saying “peek-a-boo.”

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Social-Emotional Development

During this time, parents may notice that their babies are beginning to withdraw from strangers and clinging to them or a familiar caregiver. It is not uncommon for infants to feel anxious and upset when they are around strangers. This is called separation anxiety.

While babies are feeling anxious when they separate from their parents, they are also becoming much more social. They can be seen playing next to other babies. Between eight and 12 months, babies smile at their face in the mirror.

By 10 months of age, babies become more independent and want to be held less. They like to explore toys and objects and figure out how they work. They begin using toys to represent real objects, and show their displeasure at the loss of a toy. Infants also imitate simple actions of others, beginning to display their parents’ styles and mannerisms.

When babies approach 12 months of age, parents may notice them becoming increasingly social as if performing for an audience. Many babies show enthusiastic responses to the attention given to them. It is important that you respond to them with smiles, laughs, talking, and cuddling to encourage them to repeat these actions.

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What Babies Can Do

How Parents Can Help

Realize that their parents exist even though they cannot see them.

(6 months)

Always say goodbye to your child when you leave.

Do not make the goodbye process longer because it does not help your child.

Get upset when adults they do not know very well try to hold them.

(6–8 months)

Understand that this is a developmental stage. Let your baby wave to the unfamiliar adult while you hold him/her to help him/her feel more secure.

Imitate faces, sounds and/or actions.

(8–12 months)

Play games where they copy sounds, wave “bye bye.”

Place a mirror where your child can easily see him/herself.

Touch his/her mouth and say “mouth.”

Do the same with different parts of their body or with objects.

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Language and Literacy Development

Babies learn language with every interaction. They are beginning to understand how a conversation works, the meaning of words and may begin to speak their first words.

Between six and 12 months of age, infants begin to understand words. Usually the first words they can understand are labels for familiar objects (e.g., mom, dad, dog, cat, etc.).

Babbling continues throughout the first year of life. The baby’s babbles have the rhythm of the speech he/she hears and start to sound more like the language the family uses.

Between eight and 18 months, babies begin to speak their first words. However, it is important to remember that just because a baby can say a word does not mean he/she understands what it means.

At this age, babies enjoy playing with books. You can encourage your baby’s new interest by providing brightly colored picture books, rhyming books, etc. When reading to your child, you can read the book as your child wishes. You may skip pages or words, add words, or ignore the words and just comment on the pictures, etc.

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What Babies Can Do

How Parents Can Help

Understand the meaning of words.

(6–12 months)

Continue to talk to your baby and tell him/her what is happening around him/her.

Recognize familiar objects.

(6–12 months)

Tell the baby the name of the objects to help him/her make connections between objects and words.

Use a small photo album to create a book to share with your baby. The book can be about family members, caregivers, household items, or favorite toys.

Play with books.

(6–12 months)

Provide brightly colored picture books, rhyming books, etc.

Keep books in a basket on the floor so your baby can find them on his/her own.

Enjoy hearing you read a story.

(6–12 months)

Read the book as your child wishes. You may skip pages or words, add words or ignore the words and just comment on the pictures, etc.

Visit the library. Check out times when the librarians have reading times for infants.

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Health and Safety

There are many health and safety concerns when a family has a baby age six to 12 months. During this time, infants become more active and adults must become more vigilant about safety hazards.

You should never smoke, drink hot liquids, cook by a stove or oven, or try to carry anything hot while you hold a baby. The baby can reach out to touch or fall into or onto those things and get burned.

When putting a baby down for a nap, lay the baby on his/her back to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). You should also put the baby to sleep in a bassinet or a crib and be sure that no blankets or other soft materials can interfere with his/her breathing.

At this age, babies start exploring new foods and textures. Children under one year old should not drink regular milk. If your doctor approves, you can give your child infant cereal, mashed fruit or vegetables, etc. By 10 to12 months, your baby may be able to eat small pieces of fruit, vegetables or meat. You should continue to check with your doctor to determine what types and consistency of food your baby should be given.

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Expected Behaviors

and Common Situations

What Parents Should Do

Your baby should always be placed in a car seat.

(6–12 months)

Use an approved car seat that has been installed correctly.

Make sure the car seat is appropriate for your child’s height and weight.

Place the car seat in the backseat facing the rear.

Your baby is more mobile and can reach more objects.

(6–12 months)

Be vigilant about where you place burning and hot objects, such as candles, cigarettes, etc.

Your baby is ready to start eating new foods with new textures.

(6–12 months)

Consult your pediatrician to determine when your baby is ready to start eating solid food.

Be sure to give your baby mashed or ground up food that he/she will not choke on.

Katie Farbry Research and Technology Specialist

katie@maec.org 301.657.7741 ext. 114

General Information/

Referral Services info@informedparents.org

301.657.7741 ext. 122

Informed Parents—Successful Children (IPSC) www.informedparents.org

5272 River Road Suite 340

Bethesda, MD 20816 Phone: 301.657.7741

Fax: 301.657.8782

IPSC is funded by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).

Additional MAC Parent Information Website: Maryland Parental Information Resource Center

www.mdpirc.org

IPSC Staff

María del Rosario (Charo) Basterra Director

basterra@maec.org 301.657.7741 ext. 124

Leonor Guillén Senior Parent Training Specialist

(Spanish) leonor@maec.org

301.657.7741 ext. 122

Special thanks to Paloma Panesi and Chris Chen; and to the following organizations for allowing us to publish and disseminate photos of the children portrayed in the

pamphlets. Organizations: Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC), Montgomery County Child Care Resource Center (MCCCR&RC), and the Spanish Education Development (SED) Center. Individuals: Carol Chen and Isela Khouri.

© 2008 Informed Parents―Successful Children (IPSC), Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium, Inc.