Discover what skills your 9-month old needs to build this month.

Your baby is officially mobile and making their opinions known! By 9 months, your little one has leveled up in both body and brain. This month involves lots of motion, communication, and emotional expression. With over 35 new milestones across six key developmental areas, your baby is busier than ever.

Let’s dive into what your baby will likely master this month.

Is your baby up to the challenge?

Babies are built for this rapid acquisition of skills in a short amount of time. In fact, this incredible power is unleashed while they are still in your belly. "To arrive at the more than 100 billion neurons that are the normal complement of a newborn baby, the brain must grow at the rate of about 250,000 nerve cells per minute, on average, throughout the course of pregnancy." [1] "From birth to age two your child will form 700 new connections per second! As these connections build your child will develop skills like holding a toy, crawling, taking a first step and saying their first words." [2]

Why this month matters?

Your baby’s increased mobility, sharper focus, and clearer communication are all signs that they’re reaching a new level of independence and awareness. Researchers note that by 9 months, babies are entering a stage where social referencing becomes more noticeable—they start looking to you for emotional cues about how to react in new situations. [1] It’s also during this period that key building blocks for language, problem-solving, and social connection really start coming together.

Movement Mastery: What are this month's milestones?

The biggest star of the show this month are gross motor skills. Your baby is now making strides. Crawling is now in full swing, both forward and backward, and they’ll experiment with crawling on all fours with straight arms and legs. From a crawling position, they’ll learn how to shift into a seated position all by themselves, often holding that position for up to 10 minutes without tipping over. They’ll also get better at leaning forward and twisting sideways without losing their balance and they'll reaching and turning while seated.

In the fine motor department, mealtime and playtime are getting more exciting and slightly messier. Your baby will begin picking up finger foods, poking at small objects using their fingers together, and holding books upright on their lap or propped on pillows. They’ll practice playing with toys using both hands and adjust how much force they use to pick up different objects. Most exciting of all, they’re starting to develop the pincer grip, a fine motor milestone that lays the groundwork for precise movements like feeding themselves and eventually writing.

Cognitive development is booming as your baby starts solving small everyday mysteries. They’ll look for dropped objects, pull blankets off hidden items, and explore toys with lots of focus. Their vision is sharpening too, allowing them to track both nearby objects and things up to 10 feet away. They’re also beginning to understand cause and effect; they'll stop when told “no” and reach for objects you point to. Plus, they’re starting to grasp that things still exist even when they can’t see them.

On the social-emotional front, your baby’s personality is shining through. They’ll express impatience, scream in frustration, and show clear displeasure when things don’t go their way. Turning their head away or pushing away unwanted items becomes common. They’ll also begin pointing to objects and sharing them with others, which is an early sign of joint attention. After time apart, they may show increased anxiety or clinginess, a natural part of developing attachment and emotional awareness.

When it comes to sensory processing, your baby’s world just keeps expanding. They’ll reach for running water during hand washing, explore textures by putting objects in their mouth, and watch people both nearby and far away. You’ll notice them enjoying a variety of movements like rocking, swaying, bouncing, and observing their surroundings from all sorts of body positions. New smells and tastes will spark big reactions, and they’ll start showing more interest in where people are looking or pointing.

Lastly, in communication, your baby is working hard to get your attention. They’ll start using sounds like “eh” or tongue clicks, along with gestures, to get your attention. You’ll hear them experimenting with different sounds and even shaking their head to say “no.” Look out for two different vowel sounds like “o,” “a,” or “e,” as well as other noises that change to reflect different feelings, whether it’s excitement, frustration, or curiosity.

Work Cited:

1. “The Development and Shaping of the Brain.” Discovering the Brain,

2. “Understanding why your child’s brain is so amazing!” Parenting. Give it Time, Llywodraeth Cymru Welsh Government,

3. Campos, J.J., et al. "Social Referencing and Emotional Development in Infancy." Child Development

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Developmental Milestones

   
   

How many of this month's milestones has your baby mastered?

Tracking your baby’s 9-month milestones helps you stay tuned into their development and spot any areas where extra support might be helpful. From motor skills and sensory exploration to communication and emotional connection, each milestone is a stepping stone toward your baby’s next big achievement. With a Basic Membership for just $2 per month, you can track all 812 milestones your child is expected to reach by age 4. Stay on top of your baby’s progress and celebrate every exciting new skill along the way!

Create a free account with Fledglings' Flight and get access to 4820 screen-free, play-based exercises. That is 100-200 exercises each month that you can start doing with your baby from the day that they are born to help them to develop into the best version of themselves. In addition, your free account gives you access to 1200+ articles on child development to keep you informed while you help to navigate your child's developmental journey.