Your 8-month-old baby is growing by leaps and bounds. He’s working on improving his motor skills (he’s going mobile!) and his vocalizations — you’ll hear the first of many “mamas” and “dadas,” if you haven’t already. These new skills will give your baby his first real taste of independence, but he still needs you for most things.
“Babies of this age spend a lot of their time crawling and exploring and then refueling with a caregiver,” says Dr. Amelia Miller, a pediatrician at La Rabida Children’s Hospital. In fact, he’ll probably start feeling a little uneasy about anyone besides his primary caregiver. “Babies start to realize that they rely on their caregiver to keep them emotionally stable and feeling safe,” says Miller. You might notice your baby is more anxious when a stranger smiles and waves in the grocery store and is starting to have difficulty separating from loved ones.
According to Dr. Rahil Briggs, a pediatric psychologist at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, babies at this age really explode in terms of receptive and expressive language and social skills. “They really enjoy serve-and-return games, such as you sticking out your tongue, then sticking out theirs,” says Briggs. Games like peekaboo and pat-a-cake are perennial favorites. He’ll also take more interest in reading. “Reading books becomes much more exciting at this age,” says Briggs. Your little one’s receptive language has grown so much that he can pinpoint the correct picture when you name the image.
Here are some amazing milestones that will catapult your little one’s independence to new levels before he reaches his first birthday, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics:
And read our guide to developmental milestones for kids.
Physical milestones
- Sits and gets from a sitting to a crawling position without assistance.
- Crawls forward (or backward!) around 10 months.
- Pulls himself up to stand.
- Walks holding onto furniture.
- Can stand momentarily without support.
- May begin to walk.
- Uses a pincer grasp (using his thumb and first finger) to pick up small objects.
Read more about physical milestones for 8 to 12 month olds.
Cognitive milestones
- Understands how to use objects correctly (such as holding a phone to his ear or driving a toy car).
- Explores objects by shaking, banging, throwing or dropping.
- Points to the correct picture in a book when you name the image.
- Can find objects when hidden from sight.
Check out these cognitive milestones for 8 to 12 month olds.
Language milestones
- Follows simple directions.
- Imitates words.
- Uses simple gestures, such as waving goodbye, pointing and shaking his head “no.”
- Says a few early words, such as “dada” or “mama.”
Learn more about language milestones for 8 to 12 month olds.
Social milestones
- Shows a strong preference for his primary caregiver.
- Has stranger anxiety and experiences difficultly separating from loved ones.
- Can feed himself finger foods.
- Enjoys imitating people in play.
- Tests parents’ reactions to certain behaviors.
For more, read about these social milestones for 8 to 12 month olds.
Your 8-month-old baby has been learning and advancing since birth — and now you’re finally starting to see it all come together. “Babies at this age are really known for putting things together,” says Miller. As his first year comes to a close, your little one will enter toddlerhood with most of his basics behind him and a lot more milestones to conquer.
Remember, all babies reach these milestones at their own pace. Always speak with your pediatrician if you have any questions about your baby’s growth and development.
* This article is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be providing medical advice and is not a substitute for such advice. The reader should always consult a health care provider concerning any medical condition or treatment plan. Neither Care.com nor the author assumes any responsibility or liability with respect to use of any information contained herein.
