Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
  • Suitable for 3-18Months

At eight months

 

The 8th month

By the end of this month, your baby:

 … should be able to:

  • bear some weight on legs when held upright
  • sit without support
  • feed self a cracker
  • pass a cube or other object from one hand to the other 
  • rake a raisin and pick it up in fist
  • turn in the direction of a voice 
  • look for a dropped object

… will probably be able to:

  • stand holding onto someone or something 
  • object if you try to take a toy away
  • work to get a toy out of reach
  • play peekaboo
  • get into a sitting position from stomach

… may possibly be able to:

  • pull up to standing position from sitting
  • pick up tiny object with any part of thumb and finger
  • say mama or dada indiscriminately

… may even be able to:

  • play pat-a-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye
  • walk holding on to furniture
  • stand alone momentarily
  • understand the word no (but not always obey it)
Children grow and develop at different rates. The information above is offered as a guide. There is no need to expect your child's development to fit with all the above descriptions. If you are in any way worried about your child's development, it's best to speak with your doctor or child health nurse.