Babies from 4-8 months may explore objects with their mouth and by kicking, reaching, grasping, pulling, and letting go. They delight in discovering new skills. Babies at this age can smile, laugh, coo, and reach out to engage their parents and other caregivers. They love to listen and respond to language by imitating the sounds and rhythms of what they hear.
4-8 MONTHS
Babies from 4-8 months may explore objects with their mouth and by kicking, reaching, grasping, pulling, and letting go. They delight in discovering new skills.
Hey there! I’m Stephen Brackett, bringing you the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines’ Parent Experience video for caregivers of infants 4-8 months old.
As you begin your parenting experience, the most important thing for you to remember is that in the same way every child is different… every “parent experience” is different as well.
4-8 months can be a time of great change in your baby. He or she may be settling into a more regular eating and sleeping pattern and trying to interact with you more and more. It can be funny and nerve-wracking all at the same time. But, here’s the thing… you aren’t alone! Let’s hear from some parents who know exactly what you’re going through!
Hey there! I’m Stephen Brackett, bringing you the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines’ video for 4-8 months… How they think and learn!
Some of the milestones you may be seeing at this age center around memory and learning!
Your little one may start:
- Repeating actions and sounds over and over… and over
- Recognizing people he sees on a regular basis and reacting to their presence
- Remembering and predicting results of his actions, like… “If I cry, someone will come”
- And, responding when he hears his name
He may also…
- Start looking for things he sees you hide
- Become even more interested in his surroundings, especially things that are out of reach
- And learn how to wave hello, good-bye … and maybe even blow kisses
If you want to help your child thrive at this age, here are some tips…
Start by getting involved!
- Set up daily routines, so he knows what to expect. Knowing what comes next will help him face his day with confidence.
- Play games like peek-a-boo and hide things close by for him to find. He’s starting to remember things and is quietly learning that things still exist, even when he can’t see them…
- And finally, lead by example! Play with familiar toys and allow him to imitate your actions.
And remember… all children learn, grow and develop differently. What works for one child, may not work for another. But, that’s okay! Just follow his lead and you guys will be fine.
To learn more about what most kids are doing from 4-8 months old, check out the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines at: www.earlylearningco.org.
Hey there! I’m Stephen Brackett, bringing you the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines’ video for 4-8 months… Learning and Interaction!
Some of the milestones you may be seeing at this age center around exploring!
Your little one may start:
- Putting things in his mouth
- Staring at himself in the mirror
- Playing with his hands, fingers and toes, and, touching and reaching for things he wants.
- He’s also beginning to realize that he has the power to make things happen!
He’s learning that:
- If I drop it, it will bang
- If I shake it, it will rattle
- And, if I cry, someone will come
If you want to help your child thrive at this age, here are some tips…
Start by getting involved!
- Encourage his sense of discovery and curiosity
- Give him toys that make sounds or do something unexpected when he plays with them.
- Sit on the floor with him and respond to his noises and facial expressions. Let him take the lead and follow his actions… and remember to make eye contact!
- Talk about what you’re seeing and doing. Remember, he’s learning to communicate, so lead by example!
- And, don’t forget to play with him! You are his favorite toy right now.
To learn more about what most kids are doing from 4-8 months, check out the Colorado Early
Learning Development Guidelines at: www.earlylearningco.org. Most importantly, if you feel you child isn’t hitting some of these goals then please… call your pediatrician. By working as a team, you can help your child can get all the support he or she needs.
Hey there! I’m Stephen Brackett, bringing you the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines’ video for 4-8 months… Communication!
Some of the milestones you may be seeing at this age center around communicating with his caregivers!
Your little one may start:
- Responding to his name and other familiar words
- Mimicking conversation…
- Repeating familiar sounds over and over… and over!
- And maybe even waving hello and goodbye!
- He’s also beginning to realize that he has the power to make things happen!
He’s learning cause and effect by…
- Pointing at things he wants
- Babbling and playing with the volume of his voice
- And crying, just to get your attention
Now, believe it or not, crying is one of his most important skills. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, think of this as one of his ways of communicating with you… and a demonstration of the bond you share. He’s telling you something. Support him in a calming and comforting way as you figure out what it is.
If you want to help your child thrive at this age, here are some tips…
Start by getting involved!
- Make eye contact with him when you speak
- Talk about what you’re doing as you bathe him or change his diaper and wait for a response
- And set up daily routines, so he knows what to expect. Knowing what comes next will allow him to face his day with confidence.
And remember… all children learn, grow and develop differently. What works for one child, may not work for another. But, that’s okay! Just follow his lead and you will both be fine.
To watch the rest of this video series and learn more about the Colorado early learning and
development guidelines, check out our website at www.earlylearningco.org.
Hey there! I’m Stephen Brackett, bringing you the Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines’ video for 4-8 months… Growing up!
Babies at this age are fascinated with what’s going on with their body and trying to gain a little control over it.
Some of the milestones you may be seeing at this age are all about movement!
Your little one might start:
- Lifting up his head
- Stretching and…
- Ta Da! Rolling over!
- He may even start scooting
- Or even crawling!
He may also be trying to show a little independence by:
- Sitting up by himself
- Reaching for things he wants
- And using specific sounds to let you know how he’s feeling!
If you want to help your child thrive at this age, here are some tips…
Start by getting involved!
- Talk or coo and repeat the sounds he’s making
- Give him lots of room to move and wiggle
- and cheer him on as he discovers new ways to get around.
Speaking of getting around… even though your child is still just a few months old, you never know what he’ll do next! This would be a great time to make sure that the places he spends most of his time are child-proof!
If you’d like more information on what to expect from your 4-8 month old, check out the
Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines website at www.earlylearningco.org, where you
can download the guidelines, find links to more resources and watch more of our
videos. And remember… all children learn, grow and develop differently. If you’re concerned about
your child, talk to your pediatrician.
Kids This Age May:
How You Can Help Them Develop:
- Look at an object in their hand, mouth it, and then take it out to look at it again.
- Expose them to a variety of sensory experiences — like sights, sounds, tastes, textures, movements, smells — both indoors and outdoors.
- Listen to the sounds that people use while talking in the language they use at home, and use these same sounds while babbling.
- Provide infants with both calming and exciting experiences depending on their signals.
- Kick feet while lying in the crib, feel the crib shake, and then kick feet again.
- Show they enjoy physically active play by repeating actions (e.g., kick, wave arms, roll over).
- Gently turn, roll, bounce, and sway them to increase their muscle strength and help develop important connections between the brain and muscles.
- Provide periods of unstructured movement every day, allowing the infants to move freely on the floor.
- Hold head, roll from back to stomach and from stomach to back.
- Sit without support.
- Move from a sitting position onto hands and knees.
- Provide opportunities for them to move and engage in a variety of physical activities, such as lying on a blanket on the floor in a safe area.
- Reach for and grasp an object, using one hand.
- Provide safe (i.e., no small parts or pieces) objects and toys and play games to encourage the infants to move and do things for themselves.
- Give infants appropriate finger foods to eat when they are ready (e.g., dry cereal, cooked vegetables).
- Place objects of interest just beyond their reach to encourage stretching and coordination.
Kids This Age May:
How You Can Help Them Develop:
- Engage in playful, face-to-face interactions with an adult, such as taking turns vocalizing and then smiling or laughing.
- Provide regular interactions with them.
- Make eye contact with them during routine activities such as feeding, diaper changing.
- Talk and coo during interactions with them; imitate their sounds.
- Show interest in familiar and unfamiliar children.
- Provide them with opportunities to be around and observe other children, including those slightly older.
- Allow older children to talk, smile and laugh with the babies.
- Cry when hearing another baby cry.
- Stop playing and look at a child who is crying.
- Talk to them about what other children are feeling or expressing with their sounds, gestures, or facial expressions.
- Turn excitedly and raise his arms to greet a family member at pick-up time.
- Respond consistently to them, using warm facial expressions and words.
Kids This Age May:
How You Can Help Them Develop:
- Repeat sounds when babbling, such as “da dadada” or “babababa.”
- Respond to their cooing and babbling as if they understand everything you are saying.
- Imitate sounds or gestures that babies make and allow time for them to imitate you.
- Respond to a wave by waving and saying, “Bye-bye.”
- Use every day routines to play games, like waving goodbye or blowing kisses.
- Look at pictures that a parent or caregiver points to while reading a storybook or hold a book and try to turn the pages.
- Read to babies and provide cloth or cardboard picture books for them to hold.
Kids This Age May:
How You Can Help Them Develop:
- Shake a toy, hear the sound it makes, and then shake it again.
- Loudly bang a spoon on the table, notice the loud sound, and do it again.
- Allow babies time to explore and examine objects and new things.
- Offer toys that they can grasp and explore.
- Shake sound toys so babies can hear and respond.
- Respond to them, pointing out the effects of their actions on toys. For example, say, “Look how you made the ball move!”
- Imitate a familiar gesture, such as clapping hands together or patting a doll’s back, after seeing someone else do it.
- Play with familiar toys, such as shaking a rattle or patting a soft toy, and allow time for babies to imitate your actions.
Kids This Age May:
How You Can Help Them Develop:
- Start to remember things. For example, they may turn toward the front door when hearing the doorbell ring or toward the phone when hearing the phone ring or they may look for their parents after they briefly step out of the room.
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Guidelines
The early years of a child's life — from birth to age eight — are critically important for learning and development.
The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines provide practical tips and points of reference that anyone can use to help kids grow.
Whether we're experts, early childhood teachers, first-time parents, or involved friends and neighbors, we all play a role in giving kids a strong, healthy start.
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