Developmental milestones: 6 months to 9 months

Encourage your child to lay and play on the stomach, even if the child can already roll over and sit up. You can place a toy, object or even yourself next to your child, but out of the child's reach, to encourage crawling. You can encourage your child to sit upright in a high-chair and in the carriage, with the seat not upright. If your child still does not sit unassisted – you can seat him or her when eating and for brief play, with your support and supervision, or in a high-chair that is suitable for babies.

Children enjoy stories long before they know how to read or even speak. You can hold your baby in your lap, creating pleasant contact or eye contact, when reading. You do not have to read the exact text, or even finish the entire book. Story time is an opportunity to speak to each other. You can refer to the characters, the voices they make, the illustrations appearing in the book, and so on. You can also read a section, take s short break and wait for a response such as a sound or a smile, and then respond in a similar manner. This is essentially a very early form of a conversation. It is also an opportunity to observe your baby, to learn about his or her preferences and to adapt yourself to the baby's needs.

It is important to encourage your child to respond to sounds and speech, and to make sounds. Speak to your child when he or she is alert, and respond to the sounds your child makes. You can also play “How does a dog bark?” “How does a cat meow?”. It is important to call children by name so that they learn to identify their own name.

You should speak to children in a clear and emphatic manner. When speaking, include facial expressions and clear non-verbal gestures, such as pointing, shaking your head for yes and no. Playing peek-a-boo and singing are also an excellent opportunity to encourage relationships and improve communication and language.

Babies explore the world through all of their senses. Initially, they grab objects with one hand, then transfer the object from one hand to another, banging them together and making sounds. Finally, they place the object in their mouth. This is their way of examining the world. You should encourage your child’s curiosity and allow him or her to make mistakes and gain experience while keeping him or her safe. If something is dangerous – it is important to say “not in the mouth”.

Encouraging independent eating is extremely important from the age of 9 months and later. You should, however, adjust the expectations to the age: at this stage, babies eat while seated, with support. There should be no expectation of cleanliness and order during the meal. Independent eating is an important experience but requires supervision and caution, since at this age, babies tend to put everything in their mouth. The fear is that they digest a foreign body. It is also important that the supervision be age-appropriate to prevent choking.

It is important to note your baby’s preferences and moods, and to adjust the activities and stimuli accordingly so that it will be pleasant. Occasionally, too much stimuli can overwhelm the baby. If the baby looks away or shows signs of irritation and tiredness, try to ‘clean’ the area and reduce stimuli. The baby may have had enough play time and would be happy just to sleep.