Encouraging Healthy Development - Healthy Development Ideas - 9 months

Incredible growth occurs during the first three years of a child’s life. There are many things you can do to support and nurture healthy development during this time. Below, we’ve listed some specific activities to help a 9-month-old baby develop and grow.

Moving - Physical or Motor Development

Give baby a large, safe place to move around and explore.
Stay close by as your baby explores and moves around so he/she knows that you are near.
Put your baby close to furniture to safely use it to pull up to stand.
Child-proof your home as your baby begins to move about: lock up household cleaning, laundry, lawn care and car care products; use safety gates; and lock doors to outside and basement.

Talking - Communication and Language Development

Talk about what your baby wants when he/she points at something.
Copy your baby’s sounds and words, and also say the words clearly and correctly.
Talk to your baby about what you and your baby are seeing or doing.
Look at and read books with your baby.
Describe what your baby is looking at, for example, “a big black dog.”
Play games, sing songs and say rhymes with your baby.

Interacting - Social and Emotional Development

Be available, responsive and gentle with your baby.
Continue with routines - which are especially important now - so that your baby feels safe and secure.
Pay attention to how your baby reacts to new situations and people, and try to do things that help him/her feel comfortable and happy.
Stay close by as your baby explores and moves around so he/she knows that you are near.
Play games like “my turn, your turn.”
Name feelings like happy, mad or sad.
Say what you think your baby is feeling, for example, “You are sad, so we are going to try and help you feel better.”
Learn your baby’s moods: Keep doing what makes your baby happy and take a break and give comfort when your baby is upset.
Ask for behaviors that you want (“time to sit”) rather than telling your baby what not to do (“don’t stand”).

Thinking - Cognitive Development

Provide a safe environment for your baby to move around and explore his/her surroundings.
Talk, read and sing to your baby.
Play "peek-a-boo" and "pat-a-cake."
Teach cause and effect by rolling balls back and forth, pushing toy cars and putting blocks in and out of containers.

If you have concerns about a child's development and think a child might need extra help to learn and grow, don't hesitate to refer a child.

The family will be contacted by the local school district to arrange for a screening or evaluation to determine if their child is eligible for Infant and Toddler Intervention or Preschool Special Education services in Minnesota.

Refer a Child

Services are free!

Regardless of:

Income
Immigration Status