The time between 3 and 6 months can be a wonderful time for parents and for baby. Baby is developing exciting new skills and understandings, and parents know more about how to meet baby’s needs and about what kind of little person their baby is becoming.

  • When they have figured out that their needs are met most of the time, baby begins to feel secure about the world they live in.
  • Feeling secure allows baby to be curious about people, places and things. However, new situations may be unsettling, and they’ll still need the security provided by a parent’s arms and comforting voice.
  • They grow and become physically stronger – they have more control over their body.
  • With time on the floor, baby will learn to bat and to kick and hold onto their toes.
  • The floor is generally a safe place for baby – they can’t ‘fall off’ it.
  • New movement skills develop such as rolling from back to side, back to front, and front to back. Baby may be pushing up on all fours in readiness to crawl, and scooting along on their tummy – forwards, backwards and in circles.
  • Once baby can roll, it’s not safe to leave them on a bed or couch unattended.
  • Baby will be able to sit with some support and with their hands free to explore things by shaking, banging, mouthing and dropping.
  • They will recognise the people they spend time with, their faces and their voices and will enjoy interacting with them and playing simple games like ‘peekaboo’.
  • Baby may show they understand some words they’ve heard often by responding to prompts such as ‘wave bye-bye!’
  • They will continue to learn from and enjoy face-to-face time with familiar people. And they'll now enjoy sharing attention with familiar people on toys, books and other interesting things in their world.
  • Baby will explore what they can do with their lips – blowing raspberries, making ‘mmm’ and ‘b’ sounds. And they may be loud.
  • They may start to get their first teeth.
  • Baby will be able to see farther, in full colour and in 3D.
  • Everything is in place for baby to explore more widely and in detail.