How to develop a child at 8 months? This question worries mothers, because upbringing at this age lays the foundations in the child on which the basic development of the little man will be built. There are a lot of options, but you need to take into account that the baby needs to be developed comprehensively. Attention should be paid to both physical and psychological data.
Baby development at 8 months
How to develop and what to teach an 8-month-old baby at home
By the 8th month of life, most babies try to stand on their feet and take their first steps. For parents, the main task is to support their baby. The child must rise to his feet independently, using support (sofa or chair).
Also at this age, you can slowly potty train your baby. To make the process easier, transfer the little one to special diapers - panties.
Don’t forget about mental abilities, the development of fine motor skills and speech skills. As the baby grows up, he becomes more and more active and curious, so even dad who comes home from work can play with him.
The pyramid is good for development. It is enough to show your child how to assemble it several times, and soon he will be able to do it on his own.
What else you can do with your growing baby:
- Proper use of various items. Show what will happen if you press a button on a toy, drive a car, and so on;
- Repeat after adults. The child likes it when his mother allows him to close the pan with a lid, open drawers in the kitchen or closet, and take out some things. Palm games, beating on a drum or xylophone also work well. Who knows, maybe the little one will like it so much that he will grow into a musical genius;
- Play with balls, build houses from cubes or large construction sets. The ideal option is a children's pyramid;
- Play words and actions. When something falls, say “bang”, “bye-bye” and wave your hand, pronounce the sounds that animals make (cat “meow-meow”, dog “woof-woof”, and so on);
- Play with sand or water. Some babies like it if their mother puts a bowl of water in front of them and allows them to splash around;
- Entertain by looking at pictures in books. Look for familiar objects or animals.
Pyramid game
Sensory development
Educational games for 8-month-old children at home are very simple and do not take up much mother’s time; you can use any available means in them.
On a walk
A child at eight months explores the world by touch, taste, learns to distinguish colors, sizes, and structure of materials. While walking, do not interfere with your baby’s research activities; let him play with sand, leaves, twigs, water, pebbles, and snow. Rolling in a stroller on a track will add little to development.
Toys from scrap materials
Give your baby several jars with twist-off lids and toys of different sizes. Let the baby open and close the lids, try to put toys inside and take them back out. This is how he learns to correlate the sizes of things: a small rubber ball fits into a jar, a large but soft scarf does the same, but a wooden cube does not. Accompany all games with your comments, indicating colors, names, sizes and properties of objects.
"Sensory treasure"
Provide your baby with a “sensory treasure” - a set of objects with different properties. Put there:
- a piece of fur (soft, warm, affectionate);
- pebbles (round, hard, cold);
- bump (prickly, hard);
- squeaking toy (elastic, squeaks loudly);
- nesting dolls (they open, and there is another one);
- bell (rings when shaken);
- a small mirror in a secure frame (it lets out glare, shines, you can see yourself) and so on.
How to play with these items? Take them out of the box one by one, offer to hold them, show them from all sides and tell them what these items are. Here's some fur, you can run it over your arms and face - it's very nice, the fur tickles. And if you take a cone, it pricks the handle, and at the same time it is light. Tell them that the cone grows on a tree in the forest, and show off its “sisters” during a walk. By going through these interesting things with mom, the baby will learn the properties of objects.
Important! Small parts can only be played with in the presence of an adult! Never leave your baby alone with dangerous objects.
Music games
Play music for your child, pick up toys for him that make sounds: a metallophone, a drum, a jar of dry peas, a tambourine. Show how to make sounds and have a “concert”.
The downside of many modern musical toys is the monotonous and annoying electronic screeching sounds. Be sure to check the sound of the toy before purchasing: it should be pleasant and melodic. Avoid harsh or startling lighting effects.
Singing
Singing is useful for developing an ear for music. Sing nursery rhymes to your baby while showing toys, such as bears:
Two bears came out to dance - Ta-ra-ra, ta-ra-ra! Thin Misha with fat Misha - Ta-ra-ra, ta-ra-ra! Slim Misha was exhausted - Ta-ra-ra, ta-ra-ra !And he fell on the fat man - Ta-ra-ra, ta-ra-ra!
Give toys to your baby, encouraging him to imitate the game he sees.
Maracas
Give your baby maracas in each hand. If you don't have any, make something similar using small bottles and filling them with peas. The task is to teach the child to feel the rhythm. Hum any rhymes, playing the rhythm, shaking the maracas:
I’ll harness the cat to the droshky, and the kitten to the tarantass, and drive along the path for all the kids to see!
Dancing
Hum a tune while clapping your hands and stomping your feet to the rhythm. Let the baby repeat:
Hands dance: Ta-ta-ta, Ta-ta-ta! This is how they dance: Ta-ta-ta, Ta-ta-ta! Legs dance Ta-ta-ta, Ta-ta-ta! This is how they dance: Ta -ta-ta, Ta-ta-ta!
Put bells on the child’s arms and legs, hold him by the arms, move him from side to side, stomp his feet:
Foot stomp, foot stomp Once again stomp, stomp again! Hand clap, hand clap, Once again clap, clap again!
Features of the physical development of an 8 month old child
How to develop a baby at 2 months
The growth rate gradually begins to decline by the eighth month. For the most part, girls begin to gain 350-400 grams per month, boys - up to 600 grams. In terms of growth, the process is also slowing down. It is normal if the baby grows only a couple of centimeters in a month.
In terms of weight, babies can weigh between 7 and 10 kilograms by the age of eight months. Normal height is considered to be 65-75 centimeters.
Regarding the appearance of teeth, everything is entirely individual. Some babies by 8 months have no teeth or only one. In others, the fourth one appears (central and upper incisors). In any case, there is no need to worry about this.
What parents should be wary of in their child’s behavior:
- If the child does not try to stand up, sit down, or crawl;
- Do not stand with support or support;
- Cannot take an object in one hand or transfer it from one hand to another;
- Does not pronounce syllables, does not babble;
- There is no manifestation of any emotions.
So, game!
This is the only way to productively interact with a child in order to develop the properties of his body and mind, revealing the world of his feelings.
At the age of eight months, a child is already capable of a lot. A whole range of new skills are revealed that need to be approved and developed by using them in the gameplay.
- Speech skills have developed significantly. The baby babbles continuously, trying to produce a variety of syllables and sounds.
- He already discerns the meaning of some elementary words, especially simple phrases of an motivating nature like “where is the doll,” “give me a pen,” “show me where grandma is.”
- The child begins to divide people into friends and strangers. May be afraid of a stranger. On this basis, there is a great need for the baby to be in the arms of the mother.
- The child can sit up on his own from any position.
- The first skills of walking appear, while with the support of an adult or leaning on the wall, holding on to something. For the most part, the baby actively crawls, pushing off with his knees or heels. Moves forward or moves backward.
- Masters household skills, mastering the ability to sit on a potty and hold a mug.
- Already opens his mouth well when feeding from a spoon.
At eight months, the child successfully distinguishes the result of his actions from the usual course of events. He begins to realize the changes he is making and feels that his actions have certain consequences. Sees, hears and touches it. Inspiration and aspiration appear to reproduce the movement and again achieve results, create change.
Mental development of a child at 8 months
When a child starts to gurgle and gurgle
The important point is that, in addition to physical characteristics, the baby should have a well-developed psyche by this age. Children already have memory, and the child can even express his own desires.
Important condition! If the child reacts too painfully to everything, is often capricious, or seems to be showing aggression, parents should not panic. The child simply tries to convey information to mom and dad and does this in every possible way.
What a child should be able to do at this age:
- Understand and correctly perceive prohibitions. For example, if mom says that you can’t touch the dog’s tail, climb onto a chair, and so on. It is necessary to educate in such a way that the child not only receives information, but also reacts correctly;
- Point to things he knows (dog, cat, ball);
- Hold objects confidently;
- Understand the basic principle of collecting a pyramid;
- Make contact with people he knows;
- Show positive emotions when seeing yourself in the mirror or in a photograph;
- For at least 10 minutes, go about your business (play) without parental intervention and return to business if interrupted;
- Try to manipulate your parents. Mom and dad need to understand this and react correctly;
- Try to communicate with other children by smiling and waving your hands.
Stand up with support
Features of social development of a child at the age of 8 months
What should a 6 month old baby be able to do?
What else do parents of an 8-month-old baby need to know? He must behave correctly in society, not only with mom and dad or other family members with whom he lives.
First of all, this applies to friends or relatives who often appear in the house. The baby should react joyfully to familiar faces, smile and try to involve him in his games.
There should also be active communication with other children. Kids of this age try to greet each other with smiles, waving hands, and so on. If you leave the children to play together, they will try to interact and collect cubes together.
Skills you already have
At 8 months, babies babble almost non-stop. They try to imitate the language of adults. At the same time, they already understand what the adult wants from them and can fulfill his basic requests. For example, give your hand and show where the toy is. Eight-month-old babies understand the difference between relatives and strangers. They rejoice when they see the former and are frightened by the latter. And parting with their mother is generally very difficult for them. Babies may cry, be fussy, and constantly reach out to their mother.
Children already sit quietly and know how to sit down from different positions. Some can stand up, leaning on something, or even take their first steps, holding on to the support. A child at this age crawls very actively. However, each baby does this differently. Some people need to push off with their heels, others with their knees, and others need to move back a little. Perhaps this is due to how the baby managed to do this for the first time.
In everyday life, the baby also becomes more skillful. He can pick up a mug, eat from a spoon and go potty. If your baby doesn’t know how to do this yet or is very bad at these actions, don’t be upset. He will definitely succeed, he just needs more time. He can be helped to develop all these skills through games.
What to do with a baby at 8 months for development
Any activity and development of a child goes through play. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on educational games and toys. Children are greatly delighted by the manipulation of kitchen utensils (pots, lids). The baby also likes to rummage through cabinets and drawers.
The so-called development board is well suited. Usually, various objects, latches, turning handles, switches, and so on are attached to it, at the discretion of the parents. Little ones have great fun twisting, switching and touching everything provided.
Children also like to sort through different objects (mom’s curlers, boxes, balls), you can put them in a separate box and place them in an area where the child can reach. Of course, you should make sure that there is nothing sharp or traumatic among the things.
You can also use improvised objects to develop fine motor skills. Bags of peas and seeds. The child can be placed in a high chair and allowed to finger large buttons (under the supervision of an adult).
The well-known specialist Komarovsky recommends giving children objects with different reliefs and textures to develop fine motor skills. You can also buy a fitball. Exercises with it have a positive effect on the baby’s physical characteristics.
Pyramids, cups for objects of different shapes, or voice books with animal voices remain wonderful toys for development.
Educational games
Games with an 8 month old baby at home with mom
Playing with an 8 month old baby is one of the most common forms of learning. Even if parents have a lack of time, it is enough to devote only 15 minutes to the baby 2 times a day, and this will yield results.
There are a lot of options for playing together with your child. The main thing is that the parents themselves are involved in the process. Then the little man is not only more willing to get busy, but also tries to demonstrate his achievements to mom or dad.
Interaction with objects
Several popular options for playing with your child:
- Rolling the ball. You will need a small ball with a diameter of 10 centimeters. It will be better if you take a bright-colored ball, so you can easily attract the baby’s attention. The parent sits opposite the child and simply rolls the ball to him. It is enough for the baby to catch the object with his hands and roll it away or throw it back;
- Toy on a string. Ideal if your baby likes to throw objects. The child is placed on a high chair and the end of a rope is given to him. The tied toy lies on the floor. It is necessary to show the baby how to lift an object by pulling a string;
- Pyramid, cubes, children's construction set - simple, but the most effective. By engaging in construction with your child or assembling a pyramid correctly, you can develop his thinking and fine motor skills.
Development board
Development of auditory attention
Developing auditory attention means working on future pronunciation and speech. What activities can parents do with an 8-month-old child?
First of all, tell the baby what the names of certain objects are. Of course, they must be shown. You need to pronounce it loudly and as clearly as possible.
Musical toys are also good for development. It is worth stocking up on rattles, phones that play melodies, crocodiles or cats with a speaker. There are a lot of options.
Important! If your child has a fear of loud noises or noisy toys, you should avoid them for a while. In this case, the main task of hearing development remains with the parents. You need to speak to your baby clearly and calmly.
How long should such classes take? In fact, it doesn't take a lot of time. A child only needs 10-15 minutes, after which he loses interest in the same thing.
How to develop speech in the course of everyday life
First of all, speech develops through conversations with the child. The more parents communicate with their child, the faster he will begin to repeat sounds and pronounce words.
There are also several games that help with speech development:
- Hide and seek is one such game. Mom or dad only needs to hide and call the child, saying “peek-a-boo.” It is a special pleasure when a child finds a beloved parent, experiencing joy and pride in his action. You can also hide his toy and tell him where it is;
- “Show your eyes, mouth” - it is better to use some kind of soft animal toy for this game. You shouldn't touch a real cat or dog, they won't like it. Next, ask the child to show the toy’s mouth, ears, eyes, tail, and so on;
- Verbal games – play hands-on with your baby, wave goodbye, or teach your child how to “blow a kiss.”
There are quite a lot of options for joint games that contribute to the development of the baby. It is not necessary to purchase expensive educational toys or books with bright pictures for this. The main thing is to pay attention to the little man in the process, raise him with love and care.
How to choose a toy
All educational toys for children must meet basic requirements: to be safe and useful. For eight-month-old babies, it is better to take simple, but quite bright products. There should not be any small parts on them. Check that there are no foreign odors coming from them. If it's a musical toy, listen to it. Remember that sharp, unpleasant sounds will only frighten the baby. Also, do not forget that the toy should be easy to wash.
It is better for one toy to engage several senses at once. For example, hearing, vision and tactile sensations.
Do not buy products intended for older children. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Basically, toys for girls and boys of this age are no different. Except in color. Therefore, there is not much difference in what to buy.
To a girl
All kids love bright products. Especially at this age they are attracted to musical instruments and squeaking toys. The girl will already be interested in playing with dolls. So it's time to buy her the first one. On it you can show different parts of the body and look for what is where. In addition, the doll will be an excellent tool for learning to imitate. After all, she looks so much like the baby herself.
Please note: if the doll can talk, cry or laugh, make sure that these sounds will not scare the child away.
You should not refuse to buy various cars if you have a girl. She must know how they move and how to play with them. In addition, many girls in infancy simply love to play with cars.
For boy
For boys at this age, the main toy is a car. But you shouldn't leave him alone with her. It is very good for development when an adult pushes it together with the baby, accompanies the action with various sounds, tells what it consists of and even suggests that passengers can be taken there. In addition, just like in the case of girls, buy him a doll. He will probably be interested in styling her, combing her, washing her, and so on. With its help, it will also be easier for him to learn the parts of the human body.
