Seven months

Go, go, go, non-stop- Seven months is a very busy month. Movement and physical activity are the primary objectives of most 7-month olds. This is a time when baby’s individuality comes to the fore and the time when your baby will start veering from the norms and doing their own thing. Quiet babies may watch until they are ready and then take off. More active babies may practice motor skills, perhaps with minor mishaps, until they can be perfected. Some babies will move and progress in motor skills, others will be more interested in language games or social interactions. In other words, from now on, the milestones vary greatly from child to child. Many 7 month olds can move forward with some control and often head for just that which is dangerous. I warned you last month to baby-proof the house!

MILESTONES (Milestones are averages and, at best, rough guidelines. Half of babies will achieve milestones earlier than noted and half will reach them later. As babies get older, they become more diverse in their development and milestones become less reliable.)

How your 7-month old moves:

1.       He can turn and move his head in sitting and on tummy with good control

2.       Can sit with very little support. Some babies can sit alone and can free their hands

3.       Can bend over in sitting and get back up.

4.       Moves forward with some control on tummy. Some babies move forward in sitting.

5.       May get up on hands and knees and rock back and forth.

6.       Helps a lot when being pulled up to a standing position. May do all the work herself

7.       When held in standing, will take all weight, may bounce and will look at feet.

8.       May still need help to go between sitting, and tummy or back

How your 7- month old uses hands:

        1.       Can hold an object in each hand and bang them together.

2.       Can put an object from one hand into the other.

3.       Reaches for toys with one hand only

4.       Uses thumb and index and middle finger to hold objects of the right size.

5.       May bang objects and toys against the floor or the table.

6.       Still does not have control of letting go of objects.

7.       Can feed self with hands, crackers or soft pieces of banana, for example.

Your 7-month old’s senses

1.       Is able to focus on small objects

2.       Begins to understand near and far

3.       Begins to be aware of differences in shape and size and texture and weight of different objects. Experiments with these ideas a lot.

4.       Balance is improved in sitting and on hands and knees.

5.       Experiments with right and left by comparing action on one side with action on other side of own body.

Thinking and learning

1.       Really starts experimenting with objects. Tries squeezing, turning, banging with same object to see how it reacts.

2.       Begins to expect routines and to indicate readiness on schedule

3.       Begins to be interested in consequences of his actions after the action.

7- month old language skills:

1.       Recognizes own name and stops to listen when she hears it.

2.       Starts making language like sounds. May say mama or dada but not really with meaning.

3.       Can say several sounds in one breath.

4.       Vocalizes when others are talking.

Social skills at 7 months

1.       Begins to show preferences

2.       May be shy with unfamiliar people, which means that he knows who are familiar.

3.       She will hang onto a toy if you are trying to take it away.

4.       Tries to participate in social interactions of those around him.  If you are talking to a friend or family member, baby will start making noises.

ACTIVITIES FOR 7 MONTH OLDS

Motor

1.       Moving around is a very exciting thing. Placing toys at a little distance away will encourage baby to move towards toys. A good game to play with siblings.

2.       A tray table (high chair with tray) can be used for play with objects. Place shapes from a shape sorter or bean bags (see 6 months) on tray. Baby will pick up and bang toys or turn them or bring them to mouth.

3.       A medium sized lightweight ball can be introduced at this time and will produce diversion. Especially when baby begins to move, a game of chase the ball will encourage movement.

4.       Be sure house is baby-proofed. Keep small things off the floor. Cover electric outlets. Be especially careful of cords (electric, drapery and even loose ropes or strings or gift ribbons left on the floor). Babies can get wrapped up in them and hurt themselves. There are many websites that will help you understand things that could be dangerous for an active curious baby. Many from companies that sell babyproofing products. This is one from Dr. MOM, who is not a selling things and there are others. http://www.babycenter.com/0_childproofing-around-the-house_460.bc

Sensory, thinking and learning

1.       Paper play, Paper can be schrunched into balls and crinkled for baby to play with. Supervise this activity as paper can be put in mouth. It is something to do together.

2.       Offer toys of different shapes, sizes and weights at the same time. Different rattles or shapes from a shape sorter, for example.

3.       Watch small objects very closely. Babies are able to focus on small objects and are fascinated by them. They begin to try to pick them up with the whole hand (raking). They will put the object in the mouth and there is a danger of choking.

4.       Water play, again with supervision, in a bowl on the high chair tray will be interesting for the baby.

5.       Play with a cardboard tube (such as that from a kitchen paper towel roll) offers a variety or experiences from looking through it to making sounds through it to rolling it and trying to catch it.

6.       You can make a “texture box”. Use a square shaped box roughly 10-15 cm by 10-15cm (4-6 inches) each side, the kind that gift cups or vases often come in. A rectangle shaped box is also ok. Use a box that has a flap opening at one end and you can open it to put different things inside to make noise or to play hide and seek or release the object in the next few months. Find 6 pieces of fabric, each with a different texture and a different color. If you use the basic colors, black, white, red, green, yellow and blue you can use it for a color game with matching poker chips when baby is older. You can use corduroy, cotton, fake fur, velveteen, silky or satiny fabric to name a few. You may be able to use old fabric that you have such as from clothes that you were going to throw out. Cut a square of each fabric to fit each side of the box and glue a different color and texture to each side of the box. Finish with colored duct tape along all the corners. If you want to use it later for the color game, make a slit in each side large enough to put a poker chip through. At this age, put 3 or 4 of each color poker chip inside the box and shake it or let baby roll it and turn it. You can put bells or small rattles inside at different times.

Language and Social

1.       Peek-a-boo can become a turn-taking game. Take your turn first. Help baby cover her eyes and say peek-a-boo as you help her take her hands away.

2.       Make noises with your tongue and waggle it back and forth in front of baby. He may start imitating these activities and they help him learn to use his mouth for speech.

3.       “Read” books with pictures with a few details in them. Big colorful pictures are still favored.

4.       Cover a small familiar object with a cloth and say “Where is the…?” Help baby uncover it and express excitement saying “There is the …!” Soon baby will start to uncover the object himself as he learns about the permanence of out of sight objects over the next months. It will also help associate names with objects as you name it repeatedly during this activity. Change up the objects that are used but stick with favorite and familiar toys or objects.