How to Stimulate a 9-Month-Old's Physical Development

Babies become increasingly mobile in the second half of their first year, as they develop their fine and gross motor skills. All babies develop at their own pace, but common physical milestones at the 9-month mark include sitting with little or no help, scooting or crawling forward and pulling up to a standing position and remaining there while holding on -- all important precursors to walking. Promote these and other physical abilities through interactive play and exploratory activities.

Instructions

    • 1

      Give your baby a safe place to move around. Put a blanket down on the floor where there's space for her to roll and scoot without bumping into furniture or grabbing unsteady objects. Sit with your baby and lift your arms away from her body to encourage unassisted sitting -- just be ready to catch her if she starts to fall over. Put her down on her belly, and place toys just out of her reach to promote scooting or crawling toward it.

    • 2

      Encourage baby to stand up straight by placing her in a bouncer, jumper or walker. This will stimulate your baby's ability to support her weight on two legs while in an upright position. You can also promote this ability by simply holding your baby's hands and guiding her upward from a sitting position. This simple activity will also promote her ability to stand while holding on.

    • 3

      Provide a range of toys that promote fine motor control, such as rattles, stuffed animals, blocks or other handheld items -- your baby's ability to use the small muscles in her hands to manipulate objects is another important milestone that develops around this age. Push and pull toys also encourage fine motor development.

    • 4

      Encourage your baby to feed herself finger foods and introduce a childproof cup to promote fine motor development during mealtime.

    • 5

      Give your baby large containers to play with, such as plastic bowls or empty cereal boxes. Babies at this age enjoy putting smaller toys into containers and then dumping them out -- a simple pastime that promotes motor control and coordination.

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