| | |  Baby Toys Guide
What toys will benefit my 4 to 6 month old?4 Month Skills:
Movement - Sits in an upright position with support. Turns from left side to right, and vice versa, without help. May start to roll over from front to back and vice versa. Pulls herself around the crib. Head doesn't flop around when you hold her. She can turn and move her head in all directions. Grasping is deliberate and is no longer just a reflex.
Hand-Eye Coordination - Reaches out when you place her in the bath and slaps her hand in the water. Tries to grab objects near her. Stares at the place from which an object has dropped. Waves small toys held in her hand. Her eyesight has improved and she can focus on near and distant objects as well as an adult can.
Language - She gives a definite laugh when something entertains or amuses her. Makes vocalizations to attract your attention. Listens keenly to distinct noises. Shows pleasure through excited movement and delighted facial expressions. .
Learning - Recalls how to play with a familiar toy in a particular way. Peers at her own reflection in a mirror. Looks curiously at objects. May take two or three naps a day, and can be alert for up to an hour at a time.
Social and Emotional - Uses facial expressions to keep your attention. Chuckles spontaneously when she is feeling happy. Enjoys familiar situations such as feeding, bathing, dressing. Laughs loudly when she is tickled. Relaxes when you sing gently to her.
5 Month Skills:
Movement - Pushes her feet firmly against surfaces, such as the bottom of the crib. Moves around the floor by rolling and turning her body. Can keep her legs in the air and kick them about freely. Holds her head confidently when she is supported in an upright position.
Hand-Eye Coordination - Watches you as you move around the room. Starts to look for an object that has slipped from her grasp. Lifts her hand toward a nearby object and reaches for it more accurately than she did before. Can hold a small toy in her hand. Has a firm grip and doesn't like to let go.
Language - Makes an increased range of sounds with consonants such as "w", "m", "b". Uses three or four babbling sounds at random, combining vowels and consonants; for example, "bababa". Vocalizes when you talk to her and may babble to you during gaps in your speaking. Imitates your facial expressions and observes your reaction to her. Tries to imitate sounds she hears. Listens intently and can hear almost as well as an adult.
Learning - Likes to explore whenever she has the opportunity. Focuses well but prefers to look at objects within 3 feet of her. Is curious enough to handle any object close to her. Detects a sound source accurately by turning toward it. Drops one object when another attracts her interest. Weaning begins with the introduction of solid foods.
Social and Emotional - May form an attachment to a cuddly toy or other comforter and likes to have this object close to her when she goes to sleep. Can play on her own for short periods. Shows interest in new surroundings. Complains when you try to remove a toy from her hand. Can be shy when she is in the company of strangers. Smiles and vocalizes to attract attention.
6 Month Skills:
Movement - Sits up on her own without requiring any support. Pushes her head, chest and shoulders off the floor when face down. Shows first signs of crawling by drawing one knee to her tummy. Makes energetic body movements to try to propel herself along the floor. Becoming more adept at rolling from front to back and back to front. Twists and turns in all directions.
Hand-Eye Coordination - Uses both hands in synchrony and can pass objects from one hand to the other. Keeps watching a toy that falls from her grip. Plays with toys more purposefully instead of just mouthing them. Enjoys dropping a toy and picking it up again repeatedly. Tries to feed herself by putting food to her mouth with her fingers. Grabs hold of the bottle or spoon while having her meal.
Language - Synchronizes her speech with yours as though in conversation. Produces more different vowel and consonant sounds, for example, "f", "v", "ka", "da", "ma". Laughs when happy and now screams when angry. Makes gurgling noises when playing contentedly. Begins to react to the mood of music that she hears.
Learning - Recognizes herself in a photograph or mirror. Switches her stare from one object to another as though comparing them. Holds a toy in each hand without dropping them. Actively reaches out for toys that attract her curiosity. May start to understand the meaning of the word "no." Can differentiate between men and women by their voice tones.
Social and Emotional - May become anxious in strange company and begin to cry. Chuckles in anticipation when you come toward her. Playfully holds on to a toy when you try to remove it. Coos or stops crying in response to familiar music. Turns when she hears her own name. Becomes anxious in some situations, for example, when she has maneuvered herself into and awkward position.
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