Your baby is growing up!

At 6 months old, they’re half way through their first year and really kicking on (although not quite walking).

Talking to the baby is a key part of their language development. No matter how silly you might feel, try to keep up a running commentary on everything you’re doing with your baby – it’s a great way to encourage their language. Count the stairs as you climb, show them the leaves on the trees and give everything around you a name. Repetition is the key. It all gets stored away in their brain and it won’t be long before they’ll be able to use it and talk back to you.

Some babies choose to commando crawl across the room on their arms, others roll about, and some shuffle on their bottoms. Whatever method your baby chooses to take is normal, so don’t worry. However, the more tummy time your baby has, the stronger their arms and legs will be and the easier they may find moving. Some babies will take off at six months, others won’t move until 10 months and some will skip crawling all together.

How you can help your baby develop:

• Babies of this age absolutely love animal noises and they are beginning to understand that different creatures make different sounds. Show him pictures of animals in a book and make all the noises, one by one. He will love it (as will the neighbours)
• Your baby needs plenty of stimulation but don’t think you have to be madly waving toys and making realistic animal noises all day long. They also need quieter periods – a few minutes at a time - when they can play on their own with no prompts. It’s great practice for later if they can learn now to amuse themselves a bit
• Your baby may also like repeating one syllable, such as "ba", "ma", "ga", or other consonant-vowel combinations, over and over. He may even add another syllable or two, making their sounds more complex
• Stacking blocks and cups are going to have a bit of a moment now. Developing hand-to-eye coordination is one of the biggest challenges for your baby, and these are a great way to learn

Make funny photos with your active baby, upload to the App. Write about his/her current development.