7-9 Month Milestones

• Sits without support
• Sits and reaches for toys without falling
• Moves from tummy or back into sitting
• Starts to move with alternate leg and arm movement
e.g. creeping, crawling
• Picks up head and pushes through elbows during Tummy Time
• Turns head to visually track objects while sitting
• Shows more control while rolling and sitting
• Picks up small objects with thumbs and fingers
• In simple play imitates others

• Enjoys a variety of movements – bouncing up and down, rocking
back and forth
• Explores and examines an object using both hands and mouth
• Turns several pages of a chunky (board) book at once
• Experiments with the amount of force needed to pick up
different objects
• Focuses on objects near and far
• Investigates shapes, sizes, and textures of toys and surroundings
• Observes environment from a variety of positions – while lying
on back or tummy, sitting, crawling, and standing with assistance

• Uses increased variety of sounds and syllable combinations in
babbling
• Looks at familiar objects and people when named
• Recognizes sound of their name
• Participates in two-way communication
• Follows some routine commands when paired with gestures
• Shows recognition of commonly used words
• Simple gestures, e.g. shaking head for “no”
• Imitates sounds

• In a highchair, holds and drinks from a bottle
• Begins to eat thicker pureed and mashed table foods
• Enjoys chew toys that can massage sore and swollen gums during
teething
• Stays full longer after eating
• Starts to look and reach for objects, such as, food that is nearby
• Shows strong reaction to new smells and tastes