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