During months 4 to 7, babies are learning so much. Their personalities are developing. You get so many laughs and smiles. They start to sit up and love to play. It is such a fun age. Enjoy your baby during this stage!
This is my Ultimate Guide to babies aged 4 to 7 months! Included in this post are developmental milestones, activities and play ideas, developmental toys, and products that I love during this time.
During this time, baby will also start eating solid food. If you want to check out how I make baby food and some great first food options, click here!
Developmental Milestones
Here is a list of things baby should be able to do by the end of month 7. This list is based on research I have done. Most information is from the book, “Caring For Your Baby and Young Child.” This is just a quick overview but the book goes in way more detail. If you would like to check out this book, I will link it below. I highly recommend it as a resource when you have young children.
By the end of month 7 baby can:
- Roll both ways (back to belly, belly to back)
- Sits with, then without, support of his hands
- Supports his weight on his legs
- Reaches with one hand
- Transfers objects from hand to hand
- Grasps objects
- Improved ability to track objects
- Respond to own name
- Begins to respond to “no”
- Responds to sounds by making sounds
- Uses voice to express joy and displeasure
- Babbles chain of consonants
- Strings vowels together when babbling
- Finds partially hidden objects
- Explores with hands and mouth
- Struggles to get objects out of reach
- Enjoys social play
- Interested in looking at self in mirror
- Recognizes familiar faces
- Responds to other’s emotions, often seems happy
Activities and Play Ideas
Play Area: Provide a stimulating, safe environment for baby to explore and play freely. I set up a little area for my baby to safely move around. I put some foam mats on our hardwood floor, along with a blanket, and a few toys. This is a great area for baby to roll around, learn to sit, play, and have room to learn to crawl.
Talk and Sing: Talk and sing to baby constantly! When you eat, change, play, all day long.
Face-to-Face Talk: Have conversations with baby. Encourage baby to babble, then mimic or repeat what he said.
Read Books Daily: I will link some of my favorite baby books below. My baby loves touch and feel books and crinkle books.
Dance Together to Music
Encourage baby to reach for toys: Hold toys in front of baby during tummy time or sitting to help encourage baby to reach.
Spend time playing on the floor with baby daily
Allow baby to explore spoons: Spoons are a great toy for baby and get them used to using them when starting solids.
Nature Walk/Sensory Bottle: Walk outside and enjoy nature. Collect natural items (grass, leaves, sticks, acorns, etc.). When you get home, place items in a plastic bottle for baby to explore. You could even poke holes in the bottle if the items smell.
Hide and Seek: Place three cups in front of your baby. Place a ball under one cup, make sure baby is watching which cup it goes under. Then, encourage baby grab or tap the cup the ball is under.
Photo Display: Display interesting pictures and pictures of family members around the house in areas where baby is. On the wall beside the play area, on the floor during tummy time, hanging over him during diaper changes.
Flashlight Fun: In a dark room, pull out a flashlight and tell baby to look at the light. Focus the light on various objects in the room and describe them to baby.
Sensory Bag: While baby is sitting or during tummy time, fill a plastic bag with something and let baby play. I put water beads in a bag, but you could use anything (water, cotton balls, beads, paint, gel, small items). Just make sure it is tightly closed or tape the opening shut.
Grab the Rings: This activity helps babies develop their motor skills and reaching/grabbing objects. Cut paper towel roll into a few rings and cover with tape. Then, set the rings up in a cupcake holder. Let baby explore and grab the rings.
Sticky Kicking: Put some loops of masking tape on a sheet pan. Put baby in front of the pan and let them kick to explore.
Animal Parade: During tummy time, show different animals to baby. You could sing a song or simply make the animal sounds. Lay them out in front of baby. This is also a great activity to have an older sibling help with, my toddler loved this!
Ribbon Pull: Cut a few pieces of ribbon. Put into an empty wipe bag. Let baby pull out ribbons.
Beach Ball Fun: Beach balls are a great way to play with baby. Lay baby on top of a beach ball and rock them gently. Sit baby on top of a beach ball and bounce gently. Use beach balls as a drum and encourage baby to tap along to music. Lay baby on the floor and throw a beach ball up and catch it above him.
Developmental Toys
Unbreakable Mirror: Include a mirror on the floor for baby to look at during tummy time!
Soft Ball: I love this Grab and Hide Ball. It is a great toy for pulling and grabbing objects and the different sections offer different textures and sounds. My son loves this!
Textured toys that make sounds: Any toy that has different textures and sounds are great. My son has this fox toy that has a rattle and different textures. He especially loves the ears!
Soft Books: Books that are soft and have crinkle pages are great. These are some of my son’s favorite books. These are great to read to baby and just let them play!
Musical Toys: Rattles, maracas, or anything that shakes and makes music is great for baby!
See-through rattles: Rattles that babies can see the inside pieces are great for exploration. This is one of my son’s favorite rattles.
Touch and Feel Books: At this age, baby is starting to explore things through touch so these books are great! These are a few of my son’s favorites!
Carseat Toys: If you spend a lot of time driving with baby, some carseat toys may be a great idea. My son loves to play in his carseat if he’s not sleeping during car rides. These are a few of my favorites. My son also loves links and I link a few together on his carseat and it’s one of his favorites!
Products I Love
Transition Swaddle: During these months, baby will start to roll and will need to stop being swaddled. Transitioning from the swaddle can be difficult. I found this Zipadee-Zip Sleep Sack that I loved! Baby can roll easily in it, but it still gives them a safe feeling to sleep better.
High Chair: During this time, baby will get to start eating solid food! A highchair is a great item to have to feed baby and include him in meal times. I love this high chair. It can easily be cleaned and converts to a booster seat and stool for later!
Stand In Activity Toy: Baby isn’t quite mobile yet and may not be able to sit up by themselves, so a stand in activity toy will keep baby entertained while letting him look around. My son loves this toy. It is a great place to put him to get something done. He loves to be up and look around, so this is great. It also converts into a table for table play when he is older.
Boppy: Not only will you need a Boppy for nursing, but I also love to use this when baby is learning how to sit. I put it around my baby while sitting and playing on the floor, just in case he decides to fall backwards.
I hope this developmental guide was beneficial for you and your baby!
Make sure to check out how I make baby food, here!
Check out my 0 to 3 month developmental guide here!
Thank you for Continually Learning with us!
Sarah
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