Child development four to 12 months

Most babies this age are eating and sleeping more regularly and interacting with you and other whānau. 

By six months most babies can: 

• roll over 
• reach and grasp for things 
• chew on hands and toys 
• turn towards sounds and voices 
• respond to sound by making noises 
• reach out for toys  
• sit up 
• clap hands 
• can transfer objects from hand-to-hand 
• play peek-a-boo 
• copy you 
• respond to their name 
• understands "no" 
• babble and may say mama, dada, bubba 
• have full-colour vision.

By 12 months most babies: 

• are curious 
• crawl, bottom shuffle, or walk 
• pull up to stand, or stand for a moment without support 
• wave bye-bye 
• respond to name 
• may say words with meaning, mumma, dada, bubba 
• reach out for toys and pick up small objects 
• watch people and movement with interest 
• follow the movement of a dangling ball in all directions 
• look for hidden or dropped toys 
• turn towards sounds and voices 
• may understand ‘no’ and ‘bye-bye’ 
• copies sounds 
• can say two to three words.

Speak to a health professional if your child:

• isn’t moving or using both arms and/or legs 
• can’t hold their head up by four months old 
• isn’t sitting well by 10 months 
• doesn’t want to stand up, even if you help, by 12 months 
• doesn’t look at you 
• doesn’t respond to seeing things  
• has a lazy eye (eye turns in or out), a cross-eye, or a squint 
• has unusual eye movement, like roving eyes or jerky movements 
• searches with their hands without looking at the object they want 
• bring objects close to their eyes 
• isn’t making sounds, or doesn’t respond to sounds 
• isn’t interested in what’s happening around them 
• isn’t babbling by nine months.

If you notice your child isn’t developing social, communication, or physical skills at the same rate as most other children their age, your child may have a developmental delay. Delays can be short or long-term.