What Should A 7 Month Old Be Doing?
At seven months old, your baby may start to explore more. They could start to crawl, pull themselves up to a standing position, and even start to understand the concept of object permanence.
Activities for 7-Month-Olds: Fun and Engaging Ideas for Growing Baby
What The Experts Say
"Play is a fundamental building block of an infant’s development – setting the stage for a lifetime of learning and exploration. Through play, infants explore the world around them, developing crucial motor skills and fostering cognitive abilities. For example, infants learn to manipulate objects and start to understand cause and effect by grasping a rattle and then shaking the rattle to make noise. Play also lays the foundation for social interaction. It is during play that infants learn to communicate by mimicking sounds, gestures, and facial expressions of caregivers. Playful interactions with warm and nurturing caregivers also foster emotional development and emotional regulation. Play during infancy provides the necessary stimulation for growing brains and bodies, promoting healthy growth and overall development."Noreen Commella, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist for HYM
As your baby reaches the 7-month milestone, they are likely becoming more mobile, curious, and eager to explore the world around them. It's essential to provide them with a variety of activities that promote physical, cognitive, and social development. In this article, we will discuss 21 fun and engaging activities for your 7-month-old, ranging from sensory play to problem-solving games and language development exercises.
1. Playing with Moving Toys
Introduce toys that move, such as cars, balls, or rolling animals, to stimulate your baby's curiosity and encourage them to reach, grasp, and crawl after the moving objects. This activity helps develop their hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
2. Simple Puzzle Games
Provide your baby with simple puzzles or toys that have buttons, levers, or other mechanisms to manipulate. These activities promote problem-solving skills and help develop fine motor skills as they learn to use their fingers and hands more effectively.
3. Language Development through Sounds
Encourage your baby to make sounds and try to mimic them. This activity fosters language development and helps strengthen the bond between you and your baby as you communicate with each other.
4. Crawling Games
Create safe spaces for your baby to explore and play crawling games, such as following a toy or crawling towards you. This activity helps strengthen their muscles and improve their overall mobility.
5. Edible Finger Painting
Introduce your baby to sensory play with edible finger paints made from pureed fruits or other baby-safe ingredients. This activity allows them to explore different textures and colors while also practicing their fine motor skills.
6. Nursery Rhymes with Actions
Continue reading and singing to your baby, but also introduce nursery rhymes that include actions or gestures. This activity helps develop their listening skills, memory, and coordination as they learn to associate words with movements.
7. Gentle Tickle Games
Play gentle tickle games with your baby to encourage laughter and bonding. This activity also helps develop their sense of touch and body awareness.
8. Exploring Different Weights
Give your baby objects of varying weights to explore, such as soft toys, plastic blocks, or small containers filled with rice or beans. This activity helps develop their understanding of weight and balance, as well as their fine motor skills.
9. Self-Feeding with Soft Foods
If your baby has started eating solids, encourage them to pick up soft pieces of food and feed themselves. This activity promotes independence and helps develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
10. Textured Toys
Soft, crinkly, or squishy toys are perfect for engaging your baby’s senses. These toys are designed to provide sensory stimulation with a variety of textures and sounds. Examples include teething rings, plush toys, and toys that make gentle rattling or squeaky sounds.
11. Peekaboo Games
Play peekaboo games with your baby to help develop their understanding of object permanence and to encourage social interaction and bonding.
12. Stacking and Nesting Toys
Introduce stacking and nesting toys, such as cups or blocks, to help your baby develop their hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and problem-solving skills.
13. Mirror Play
Place a baby-safe mirror in front of your baby and encourage them to look at their reflection. This activity helps develop self-awareness and social skills.
14. Dancing and Movement
Hold your baby and gently dance or sway to music, helping them develop their sense of rhythm, balance, and body awareness.
15. Outdoor Exploration
Take your baby outside for walks or visits to the park, allowing them to experience different sights, sounds, and textures. This activity promotes sensory development and a connection with nature.
16. Water Play
Introduce your baby to water play, either in the bathtub or a small baby pool, to help develop their sensory awareness and motor skills.
17. Interactive Storytime
Read interactive books with your baby that include flaps, textures, or sounds, encouraging their curiosity and engagement with the story.
18. Music and Instrument Play
Expose your baby to various types of music and introduce simple instruments, such as shakers or drums, to help develop their auditory skills and sense of rhythm.
19. Texture Books
Provide your baby with texture books that include different materials and surfaces to explore, promoting their sensory development and curiosity.
20. Baby Yoga
Practice simple baby yoga poses and stretches with your baby to help develop their flexibility, balance, and body awareness.
21. Building with Soft Blocks
Encourage your baby to build with soft blocks or other age-appropriate building materials, promoting their creativity, problem-solving skills, and fine motor development.
What are some stimulating activities for 7-month-old babies?
At seven months old, babies are becoming more mobile and curious about their surroundings. Stimulating activities for 7-month-old babies include practicing crawling or scooting, playing with toys that encourage reaching and grasping, exploring sensory play activities like water or sand play, and engaging in interactive games like Where's the toy? or playing with a toy drum.
Always follow your baby's cues and adjust the activities according to their needs and preferences. Supervise your baby during these activities and ensure their safety and comfort at all times. Remember that every baby is different, and their development may vary.
How can I support my 7-month-old baby's development through activities?
Supporting your 7-month-old baby's development involves providing them with a variety of stimulating activities that encourage sensory exploration, motor skill development, and cognitive growth. Practicing crawling or scooting helps strengthen their muscles and promotes mobility. Playing with toys that encourage reaching and grasping can improve their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Exploring sensory play activities like water or sand play can enhance their tactile awareness and sensory development. Engaging in interactive games like Where's the toy? or playing with a toy drum can support their cognitive development and social skills. Be patient and consistent with these activities, and always create a nurturing and supportive environment for your baby to explore and learn at their own pace.
What are some activities to promote a 7-month-old baby's language development?
At seven months old, it's important to engage your baby in activities that promote language development. One activity is to continue talking to your baby frequently, using a variety of words, tones, and expressions. This helps your baby become familiar with the sounds of language and encourages them to eventually mimic these sounds.
Another activity is to read to your baby regularly, using colorful picture books with simple words and phrases. This helps to expose them to new vocabulary and concepts, as well as promoting their listening skills and attention span. You can also sing songs or nursery rhymes to your baby, using gestures and actions to accompany the words. This not only helps with language development but also encourages your baby's motor skills and memory.
How can parents encourage their 7-month-old baby's problem-solving skills through play?
Encouraging problem-solving skills in your 7-month-old baby is crucial for their cognitive development. One way to do this is by providing toys that require your baby to manipulate parts or solve simple problems, such as shape sorters, stacking toys, or puzzles with large pieces. This helps your baby develop their fine motor skills and encourages them to think critically and creatively.
Another activity is to play simple games that involve hiding a toy and encouraging your baby to find it, which helps develop their understanding of object permanence. You can also engage your baby in interactive play, such as playing with a toy together or taking turns making sounds, which helps improve their problem-solving skills and social development. By providing opportunities for your baby to practice problem-solving through play, you are supporting their overall cognitive development.