By 6 months of age, your baby will likely be able to reach and grab the toy they want. They'll also start picking things up so they can put them in their mouths. At 4 months, babies can easily put toys in their mouths, using their claw fingers and thumb to pick up items. It's important to keep small objects out of reach to avoid accidental swallowing.
At 6-8 months, babies can transfer objects from one hand to another, turn them from side to side and turn them upside down. At some point, around 4 to 5 months, your baby may begin to reach for an object with both hands and grasp it for a moment or two. As soon as they can hold things, they'll start putting them in their mouths. By then, your baby will begin to grab the toys that interest them at their fingertips.
Babies also discover their feet and toes during this stage. They'll start playing with toys on their own, exploring them by touching and putting them in their mouths. Babies become increasingly mobile during this stage; now is the time to protect them from injury so they can explore and discover without the possibility of harm. In addition to babies' physical growth in height and weight, they also go through important stages of achievement, called developmental milestones.
Infants tend to follow the same progression through these milestones; however, no two babies are going through these milestones at exactly the same time. At this stage, most babies reach out and grab toys in their hand and also put most things in their mouths. At seven or eight months, parents can monitor babies' grasping ability and plan their movements with a simple activity using three handheld toys. Babies have developed a strong attachment to their parents by this age and may show a preference for their primary caregivers; however, they usually smile and play with everyone they meet.
