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Birth-6 Months

Small wins every day: lifting the head, making eye contact, and cooing back at you.

Developmental information

Birth-6 Months · Developmental information

Open the communication milestones checklist for early babies

Source American Speech-Language and Hearing Association

Birth-6 Months · Developmental information

Open the CDC 6 months milestone checklist

Source CDC

Birth-6 Months · Developmental information

Open the Pathways Assure brochure

Source Pathways.org

Communication and play

Birth-6 Months · Communication and play

Open the 6 month old play activities handout

Source Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Movement and hand skills

Birth-6 Months · Movement and hand skills

Give your baby face time

What this helps your child practice

Neck strength and head control.

Materials needed

None. Just your face and your voice.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Make eye contact with your baby.
  2. 2Get your baby to follow your eyes and turn their head to watch you.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

Birth-6 Months · Movement and hand skills

Dangle objects to reach and grab

What this helps your child practice

Reaching and grabbing.

Materials needed

Fun, bright, noisy objects. A frame over a mat, pram or bouncer.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Dangle fun, bright, noisy objects above your baby.
  2. 2Encourage your baby to reach and grab.
  3. 3Set up a frame over a mat, pram or bouncer and hang toys from it.
  4. 4Make sure your baby cannot get tangled in strings.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

Birth-6 Months · Movement and hand skills

Move to music and sound

What this helps your child practice

Not yet added by staff

Materials needed

Songs, rhymes or a rattle.

Simple instructions

  1. 1Sing songs and rhymes, or shake a rattle.
  2. 2Encourage your baby to move to the music and sound.

Ways to include it in everyday routines

Not yet added by staff

Get a link to share

Feeding

Birth-6 Months · Feeding

Open the feeding and swallowing milestones for birth to 6 months

Source American Speech-Language and Hearing Association

Birth-6 Months · Feeding

Open the 3 to 5 months feeding schedule, before solids

Source SolidStarts

Watch these

Short clips of what these moments can look like. Direct links are still being added by staff, so open the Liftoff hub page to watch them.

  • Laughing
  • Taking turns talking back and forth
  • Rolling from tummy to back
  • Blowing raspberries
  • Closes lips to refuse more food
  • Uses arms to swing at toys
Open the Birth-6 Months page in the Liftoff hub

When to ask for help

You know your child best. Raise any of these with your pediatrician or your child's therapy team.

  • Has difficulty feeding, coordinating sucking and swallowing, or frequently coughs or chokes during feeds.
  • Is not gaining weight as expected or has ongoing feeding concerns.
  • Rarely makes eye contact or smiles responsively by about 3 months.
  • Does not turn toward voices or seem to respond to sounds.
  • Has very stiff or very floppy muscle tone.
  • Prefers using one side of the body consistently or keeps one hand fisted most of the time after 4 months.
  • Has difficulty lifting or controlling their head during tummy time.
  • Is not beginning to reach for or bring hands to toys by around 5 to 6 months.
  • Shows very limited movement or seems much less active than other babies their age.
  • You have concerns about your baby's development, feeding, or interactions, even if others are reassuring you.