How to play with your baby, 8 months old

Is your tiny tot transforming into the Energizer bunny? I’m sure it feels that way. With longer wake periods and a strong urge to move and explore, month 8 is chock full of motor development. This is a fun stage to be in since playtime really feels like playtime. Your baby is engaging more, and it’s easy to pique their interest at this age. 


That being said, I know it’s stressful, too. Baby is getting into everything these days! Your little one doesn’t have the best coordination yet as he works on crawling, cruising, or maybe even walking. Plus, he’s probably wiggling, climbing, and rolling, too. In short, it can be a little nerve-wracking to watch your baby bounce and bumble his way around. You may find yourself picking him up “more than you should” to keep him out of harm’s way. Don’t worry. That’s all normal, and this stage goes fast. 

To make it a little easier, I’m sharing a few activities that will keep your baby safely occupied – and hopefully out of the litter box, kitchen cabinets, and craft drawer.

8-Month Milestones

Around this time, your baby may begin to:

·      Master the full-hand raking grasp and transition to the pincer grasp (good for self-feeding!)

·      Eat more solids (at the end of the month you may be to half solids, half breastmilk or formula – no cow’s milk yet!)

·      Pass toys over mid-line (from one hand to the other)

·      Sit without support

·      Pull up to stand (maybe even bouncing on legs or cruising)

·      Rock, scoot, or crawl

·      Make “emotional” sounds (happy coo vs angry grumble – she has her own language)

·      Recognize familiar faces and strangers 

·      Point when he wants something

·      Utilize taste and touch to explore and “sample” his environment

**Note: Anything that can fit inside a toilet paper roll is a choking hazard. With your child’s desire to  taste  the world, make sure tiny pieces are picked up and food is cut very small (you’ll get good at quartering grapes!).


Also, it’s time to babyproof the house if you haven’t yet. Your little one will begin grabbing onto everything to pull up to stand. Secure furniture like bookshelves, dressers, and tv stands. In addition, put baby locks on all the cabinets and drawers that contain hazardous materials.

(Source:  Very Well Family )

Best Developmental Activities to Do with Your 8-Month-Old

Obstacle Course

 You can put together a course quickly using things around the house. 

Here are just a few suggestions:

• Get a large cardboard box, and open both ends to make a tunnel. 
• Place a blanket over a coffee table or chairs. 
• Use couch cushions on the floor so baby can climb up and down. 
• Lay down a yoga mat for baby to crawl on. 
• Make a pile of stuffed animals to crawl through. 

Basically, revisit your childhood for this classic rainy-day game. You can also build a fort for the two of you to play or read inside.

Baby Musician

Help your baby become a one-man band (or two-man if you want to join in). Flip over a few pots, pans, bowls, containers, etc. Then, use a couple wooden spoons as drumsticks. You can buy maracas or make your own by putting rice in a toilet paper roll and taping the ends. You can also make a tambourine of sorts by filling a paper plate with dry beans and stapling or taping another plate on top. Make sure to record the fun!

Choo Choo Blanket  

This is easiest if you have hard floors. Take baby for a ride by pulling her along (slowly) on a big blanket. (If your little one hates tummy time, this may help since she’ll be too distracted to realize she’s on her tummy. Plus, she’ll want to pull her head up to look around – great for core strength!) 

Make “stops” throughout the house. Hold her up and let her turn the lights on and off. Do some window gazing from each room together. It sounds simple, but the change of scene can help with fussiness.

Stack the Blocks

Sit behind your baby for support. Strengthen his fine motor skills by helping him build a tower and letting him knock it down. Change it up by using stacking different materials: wooden blocks, Duplo’s, tissue boxes, cylindrical tubes, books, cups, etc.

Make a Collage

While it’s important to teach your little one how to handle things gently, it’s ok (and even healthy) to let your little one experiment with deconstruction and construction. Find an old magazine and let your baby tear pieces off. Instead of tearing it apart with wild abandon, help your baby use her dexterity (and maybe even that emerging pincer grasp) to pull off small pieces. 

Then, wet a piece of construction paper with a mixture of water and glue, and help her make a design with the pieces. Let it dry and hang it up on the fridge. Emphasize “how pretty her picture is” and “how hard she worked on it” to help her make the connection between the torn pieces and the new artwork creation.

Water & Oil Sensory Bag

First, seal up the edges of a gallon freezer bag with duct tape (to prevent leaking). Then, mix about ½ cup of baby oil with a few drops of food coloring. Pour it into the bag. Next, pour about ½ cup of water into the bag. Close the bag with as little air trapped inside as possible (a few small bubbles are fine, you just don’t want so much air that the bag could pop). Reinforce the top with duct tape. Have fun watching your baby move the colorful oil around. This is a great highchair activity!