Eight months is an exciting age for your baby as they continue to grow and develop at a rapid pace. By this age, your little one is likely already sitting up on their own and may even be crawling or starting to stand with support.

They’re also becoming more social and interactive with their environment and the people around them. Here’s what you can expect from your 8-month-old baby:.

Growing and Developing

Your baby’s physical growth and development continue to progress rapidly at this age. Here are some milestones to look out for:.

Motor Skills

By 8 months, your baby is likely:.

Sitting up without support: Your baby can sit upright for longer periods of time and is gaining better balance and coordination.
Crawling: Your baby may be starting to crawl, or at least moving around by pushing themselves backward or rolling over.
Standing with support: Your baby may enjoy standing up with support or may even begin to pull themselves up to standing position holding onto furniture or your hands.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Your baby is developing hand-eye coordination, which is essential for later physical and cognitive development. At this age, your baby may:.

Use their hands to explore: Your baby will use their hands to feel objects, explore textures and shapes, and pick up small items like cereal pieces.
Better control of objects in their hands: Your baby can hold objects with a better grip, transfer them from hand to hand and bang them together.

Speech and Language Skills

Your baby is also developing communication skills by babbling and using facial expressions to communicate. Here’s what you can expect:.

Babbling: Your baby may be babbling more, experimenting with sounds, and mimicking simple syllables like “ma” or “da”.
Understanding of words and commands: Your baby can react in response to simple commands like “no” and “come here”, and may recognize their name when called out.

Your baby is also gaining more personality and social skills at this age. Here’s what you can expect:.

Playing and Interacting with Others

Your baby is becoming more active and social, and may:.

Enjoy playing peek-a-boo and other games with you
Socialize with other babies: Your baby may like to play alongside other babies but still has not learned how to share toys
Recognize familiar faces: Your baby can recognize and prefer familiar faces, including family members and caregivers

Mood Swings

Your baby may have mood swings as they are adjusting to their growing brain, which is beginning to process and understand complex emotions. At this age, your baby might:.

Experience separation anxiety: Your baby may get upset when separating from you or caregivers and may cry or cling to you
Get fussy: Your baby can be more fussy and irritable, especially when facing unfamiliar situations or people

What You Can Do to Support Your 8-Month-Old

As a parent, you play an essential role in supporting your baby’s growth and development. Here are some things you can do to help your 8-month-old baby:.