How to Play With an 8-Month-Old Baby

As your baby ventures into month 8, he is getting more mobile, coordinated and sure of his movements. He's also ready and eager to explore new things. You should play and interact with your little one every day to entertain, stimulate and teach him about the world around him. Keep in mind that at 8-months-old, your child is ready to practice dropping, throwing and squeezing, according to the text, "Helping Young Children Develop Through Play," published by National Association for the Education of Young Children. Not only will your baby enjoy playing with you, but you're likely to get a good chuckle out of being silly, too.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber ball
  • Blocks
  • Bath toys
  • Baby books
  • Baby-safe household items
  • Blankets
  • Pillows
  • Couch cushions

Instructions

    • 1

      Position your baby in a sitting position a few feet in front of you. Roll a rubber ball to him. He may not be able to roll it directly back, but he may swat at it or pick it up. The play factor is key, not his aim.

    • 2

      Lie on the floor next to your baby and stack some blocks for her. She may simply knock them over or pick one up and chew on it. However, letting her see how you stack the blocks can help her learn how to do this by herself.

    • 3

      Grab some bath toys for bath time. Plastic cups, sponge animals and squeeze toys are great fun for both of you. Help your little one fill the cup -- and she likely won't need any help spilling out the water. Then have fun squeezing the toys and sponges together. Also, show your baby how to do little baby splashes with her hands and feet.

    • 4

      Make story time an entertaining adventure. Read your baby colorful books every day. Use silly voices for the different characters. Point to objects in the book and label them. Ask your little one questions, like ̶0;Where̵7;s the bunny?̶1; and then answer, ̶0;There̵7;s the bunny,̶1; as you point to it.

    • 5

      Pull out some baby-safe household items, which means they're unbreakable with no sharp edges and bigger than your baby's fist. Metal mixing bowls and wooden spoons are fun to bang around. Plastic bowls are great because your baby can put objects in the bowls and then dump them out. You baby can also tap plastic measuring cups together. Put on some music and you can both tap along to the beat.

    • 6

      Set up a baby obstacle course. Encourage your child to crawl over pillows, couch cushions and blankets. Hide behind the couch or a chair and stick your head out and giggle when she comes by. Put a blanket over your crouched body and pop your head out, saying ̶0;Peek-a-boo̶1; as she comes near.

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