5 Months
Developmental Milestones
Brain Development: Babies will begin to realize the concept of Object Permanence. This means that they will start to understand that things are there even when they can’t see it. They can recognize small objects and different colors. They’ll also pay attention to moving objects.
Movement: Babies can pass a toy back and forth from one hand to the other. Their motor skills are improving, and they’ll begin to have more control of their head movements. When you roll them over, they can do mini push-ups with their arms. With your help, they can also start sitting up.
Language: Babies are constantly babbling and chatting to themselves. They may start to work on making more complex sounds such as raspberries with their mouth.
Eyes and Ears: These should be almost completely developed. Their eyes can see both bold and lighter colors. With their eyes, they can begin to see objects in 3-D and know they have multiple sides. They can also recognize distance and can tell if an object is further away. They will recognize it when you call out their names, and they just might turn to you.
Social-Emotional Milestone
Babies will start to get really good at showing their emotions. They’ll be able to show you whether they are comfortable, angry, or bored. Since they can’t talk yet, they will show this by crying, kicking, or squirming, or a mix of all 3. They may also begin to show strong attachment towards you and will not like seeing people they don’t know (stranger anxiety).
Did You Know?
Did you know? This is the age of the baby when they can finally enjoy a game of Peek-a-boo and other hide and seek games. Object permanence allows them to understand that objects are still there even when they can’t see it.
Did you know? Since the baby’s movement skills are improving, they are more likely to put their feet and other objects in their mouth. This is a way for them to explore since their mouth is more sensitive than their fingers.
Did you know? Even though most kids will have their first tooth show up at 6 months, around 5 months is when they’ll experience more teething symptoms. This might be a time when the baby will become more fussy and irritated.
Action Items
Warn visitors that making sudden movements that could surprise the child could leave the child feeling anxious. It is better to keep your child on your lap while he warms up to the idea of another person holding them. This will help with feelings of stranger anxiety. Remember a child may choose not to let the other person give them a squeeze.
Dance to them, tickle them and make sure to encourage interaction with you and the world.
Give your baby a range of colorful toys since they can recognize the difference between different shades.
Since kids are more likely to put things in their mouth, make sure that the toys you give them don’t have any parts that can break off and be a choking hazard.