What to Expect at 4-6 months old?
Your baby’s development at 4 to 6 months takes some giant leaps! The milestones between 4 and 6 months are pretty significant. Your baby will increase in mobility and physical development as well as language, social, and emotional development! So, what can you do during these crucial months to promote your baby’s development? How can you ensure they hit the mark on the motor milestones and that their speech and language skills are progressing as they should? We have the details parents need to know about major milestones from 4 to 6 months old and plenty of activities to foster development!
Developmental Milestones from 4 to 6 Months
At four months old, your baby no longer resembles a newborn and has probably gained a few pounds to give it that chunky baby look! They spend a little less time sleeping and eating and more time alert and playing!
Your baby’s development at 4-6 months changes rapidly as they grow, and you won’t want to miss a thing. The Baby Daybook Development Tracker allows you to track every major milestone, including growth, teething, and memorable moments! All babies develop and grow at a unique pace, so don’t worry if your baby falls behind on a few developmental milestones between 4 and 6 months; the ages and milestones listed should be a guideline, not an exact timeline.
Milestones at Month 4
Your baby’s fourth month is a pretty big month for development! They’ll begin interacting and responding more to you, siblings, and other familiar adults like grandparents or caregivers. They may even begin to recognize the family pet!
- Smiling at familiar faces.
- Recognizing familiar objects: favorite toy, pet dog.
- Increased hand-eye coordination reaching for and grabbing toys.
- Possibly showing frustration when it’s time to stop playing.
- Babbling and imitating sounds.
- Imitating facial expressions.
- Can hold their head steady without support.
- Can push their upper body up onto elbows during tummy time.
Milestones at Month 5
Month five will continue the major milestones reached at four months. Some babies may not hit the fourth month milestone until now, and that’s OK! These are typical milestones between 4 and 6 months. Remember to track your baby’s development with the Baby Daybook App!
- They may roll over from back to tummy (bigger babies sometimes take longer to roll over)
- They enjoy playing games like “peek-a-boo” or listening to songs and nursery rhymes.
- They will purposefully pick up objects with their hands and move them.
- They might be able to sit when propped up with pillows or a Boppy chair.
- They begin to understand cause and effect, for example, that shaking a rattle makes noise.
Milestones at Month 6
Month six is another big one for milestones, especially physical development! Your baby will be preparing to move, and they may even begin crawling this month! Not all babies crawl, however. Some scoot, roll, bear crawl, or go straight to walking!
- They recognize familiar people and themselves (they will enjoy looking in a mirror or at picture books with faces).
- They like playing games like patty-cake.
- They will engage in babbling back and forth with you like a conversation.
- They can say consonant sounds like “m” and “b.”
- They will respond to their name.
- Their first tooth may appear.
- Enjoys exploring objects using their mouth (make sure all small pieces and choking hazards are out of reach).
- Passes toys between hands.
- Can roll from tummy to back and back to tummy.
- May attempt to get up on hands and knees and rock back and forth.
- They might be able to sit without support.
- They enjoy observing the world around them.
- They are ready to start solids!
Ways to Boost Development
Your baby is born hardwired to learn, so you can do many simple things as a parent to promote your baby’s development between 4 and 6 months. Playing games, talking to them, and going on walks and outings benefit developing crucial milestones from 4 to 6 months.
Speech & Language
- Talk and sing to your baby.
- Read to your baby.
- Imitate their babbling sounds.
- Make faces together.
- Give them books to explore.
- Imitate conversation, pausing to allow them to babble.
Physical Development
- Tummy time.
- Provide easy-to-grasp toys.
- Move objects in front of them for them to reach.
- Use supports or pillows to help them sit.
Social and Emotional Development
- Smile and talk to your baby.
- Provide affection like hugs.
- Demonstrate waving hello and goodbye.
- Comfort them when upset.
- Celebrate their successes, like picking up a toy!
Cognitive Development
- Give them time for independent play.
- Don’t rush to them every time they fuss (if it is not a cry of pain, fear, or acute distress, allow them time to problem solve).
- Allow them opportunities to experiment and explore with toys, and avoid showing them “how to” play with them.
- Play games like Peek-a-Boo or Where Is It? (covering a toy with a cloth).
- Play different types of music for them.
- Take them places so they can experience multiple environments and people.
The development occurring at 4 to 6 months is significant as you watch your newborn transition into a full-grown baby! Major development occurs as they interact more with the world around them and become mobile, meaning your life is really about to change! Your baby is hitting all areas of developmental milestones between 4 and 6 months, including speech and language, physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development.
When to be Concerned
Most children hit their development milestones right on track with a few weeks or months on either side. However, if you are concerned about your baby’s development, take notes using the Baby Daybook app and speak with your pediatrician at their next check-up.
There are a few situations in which you should contact your provider:
- Your baby doesn’t or has stopped responding to sounds or noises.
- By 5 months, is not holding their head up without support.
- By 5 months, is not grasping toys.
- By 5 months, they cannot push up onto their elbows during tummy time.
- By 6 months, they are not responding to their name.
- By 6 months, they are not smiling and do not seem to recognize familiar people or objects.
- By 6 months, they cannot roll from their back to their tummy.
- By 6 months is not babbling.
These signs may be related to a cognitive or developmental disorder, or it may mean your baby is developing slower than their peers (which usually isn’t cause for concern). However, it is always best to speak with your pediatrician if you have any concerns, even if it is just to put your mind at ease!
Takeaway
Months 4 to 6 are huge developmental months for you both in all areas! Their cognitive, speech and language, physical, social, and emotional development skyrockets as they show more interest in the world and engage with you more! Use this time to interact with your baby by talking, singing, and playing together and encouraging them to problem-solve by playing independently. Track each memorable moment as you observe their development soar!
Sources
Stewart, D.H. (2022). Your child’s talking timeline. BabyCenter. www.babycenter.com [Accessed February 2024]
