The months are just flying by with Penelope. One day you have a tiny little newborn and then the next day you have a big baby that is trying to climb onto the couch. It just goes by far too quickly. Now that Penelope is 10-months-old, I just wanted to go back and share some of her favorite activities and materials while she was 9-months-old.
Favorite Toys and Activities at 9-Months
Here are some of the things she was up to this month:
Gross Motor
This month she really was so busy, but often this busyness came in the form of moving her body! She was all about gross motor exploration and many of her activities revolved around that. Gross motor milestones this month included:
- Pulling to knees - supported by coffee table, large baskets, my legs
- Sitting independently
- Pulling to stand - supported by pull up bar, Pikler Triangle
- Crawling hands and knees - supported by Pikler Ramp and Platform
- Crawling through things - supported by coffee table, Nugget tunnel, or under Pikler Triangle
Fine Motor
I think Penelope made some big fine motor leaps too. Mostly noticed with how she interacted with materials, and how she approaches eating. I love seeing all the changes that come along with the maturing of her hand! Fine motor milestones this month included:
- Raking Grasp and release became smooth and accurate - supported by Object Permanence Box, Imbucare Box, palmer block, egg in cup
- 3-Finger Inferior Pincer grasp started to appear - supported by Pop Up Toy, Single Shape Mirror Puzzle, bead mover, eating
- Pulling was interesting - supported by mini playsilks in container, ring stacker
- Shaking and banging all the things - supported by DIY sensory bottles, blocks
Sensory Development
Since all small children learn through their senses, the same is true for Penelope! We can't ever ignore all the work that's being done to learn about the world through the senses. This month that included:
- Vestibular Development - supported with our indoor swing
- Visual development - supported by playing with toys in metal bowl
- Tactile - supported by playing with water in a tray, the bath, playing outside in the snow
- Sound - supported by shakers, tobble tones toy
Language + Social/Emotional Development
This was another area where Penelope seemed to just make huge leaps over the last month. She started saying a few words - mama, dada, hi, and nana (nursing). It's so sweet watching her little personality come alive. A few highlights from this month:
- Peak-a-boo: supported by mirror puzzle and playsilks
- Clapping: her siblings
- Language generally: supported by me/siblings/everyone chatting with her and around her, books
I think that is about it! A little nerdy look at all the fun we have had at nine-months. I can't wait to see all the cool things she is interested in next! Please remember that this shouldn't be used as a specific guide for your child but as inspiration. Every baby develops on their own unique timeline and may or may not be working on the same things as Penelope.
What does your 9-month-old enjoy?
