Baby milestones: 6 to 12 months

6-12 months · Development · Reviewed 15 June 2026 · All articles

The second half of the first year brings a rapid burst of development. From sitting to crawling to pulling up and taking first steps, from babbling to waving to first words, babies at this age are becoming active explorers of the world around them. This article summarises what most babies can do at 6, 9 and 12 months, what the red flags are, and how you can support development. All milestones are drawn from CDC guidance.

What milestones mean (and what they do not)

Milestones describe what most babies can do by a given age. They are not deadlines and not tests. A baby who reaches a milestone at the later end of the typical range is not behind; a baby who reaches it early is not more advanced. Each baby follows their own pace shaped by temperament, environment, and opportunity. The range across which any single milestone can appear is often several months wide, and that entire range is normal.

For babies born prematurely, milestones are assessed from corrected age: the age they would be if born on their due date, not their actual birth date. A baby born 8 weeks early who is 10 months old by the calendar should be assessed against 8-month milestones. Most health visitors and paediatricians will apply this correction automatically, but it is worth knowing about so you are not comparing your baby against an age that does not yet apply to them.

It is also worth knowing that the CDC revised its milestone checklist in 2022, moving several items to later ages to better reflect what most children actually do. If you are using an older printed list or an older app, some ages may differ from current guidance. This article uses the 2022 CDC milestones.

If you have any concern at all about your baby's development, the right thing to do is speak to your health visitor. Early support is always better than waiting. Health visitors are trained exactly for this kind of conversation and will not dismiss a concern. Raising something early, even if it turns out to be nothing, is never the wrong call.

Around 6 months

At 6 months, babies are unmistakably social. They recognise the faces of familiar people and will often respond differently to a stranger's face, looking more carefully or showing uncertainty. Looking at their own reflection in a mirror is a source of fascination at this age: many babies will gaze, reach out and smile at the face looking back at them. They are beginning to take turns making sounds with caregivers, a back-and-forth exchange that is one of the earliest forms of conversation. Vowel sounds like "ah", "eh" and "oh" are strung together; raspberries blown by protruding the tongue are a favourite. Genuine laughter is well established by now, and babies will reach their arms toward a familiar carer to be picked up. Curiosity about objects is clear: anything within reach tends to go straight to the mouth, where most of the sensory information-gathering happens at this age.

In terms of movement, rolling in both directions is a significant milestone at 6 months. Rolling from tummy to back often comes first, but rolling from back to tummy reflects a higher level of bilateral motor control and is typically achieved around this age too. During tummy time, babies push up with straight arms, lifting the chest fully off the floor. Some are beginning to sit briefly without support, usually by propping themselves forward on their hands. When held in a standing position, most babies will bear some weight through their legs, bouncing or pushing down. Many are also rocking back and forth on their hands and knees, which is early preparation for crawling even though crawling itself is still a few months away.

To support development at this age: continue offering tummy time every day, as it builds the shoulder, arm and core strength that feeds into crawling and sitting. Talk to your baby constantly and take turns: respond to their sounds as if they are words. Offer objects to reach for at varying distances to build coordination, and place a baby-safe mirror where they can see themselves during floor time.

Around 9 months

By 9 months, babies show a far richer emotional landscape. Happiness, sadness, fear, anger and surprise are all visible, and caregivers often find they can read their baby's moods accurately for the first time. Separation anxiety becomes apparent: babies at this stage know clearly who their primary caregivers are, and may cry when that person leaves the room. They show pleasure, often dramatically, when that person returns. Strangers can provoke shyness or clinginess where there was none a few months earlier. Babies at this age look when their name is called, a milestone that reflects both hearing and the understanding that the sound refers specifically to them. Games like peek-a-boo produce genuine amusement, partly because the baby is now beginning to understand that things continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Fine motor development takes a significant step forward around 9 months. The pincer grasp, using the tip of the thumb and index finger to pick up small objects, is developing. Babies can move an object from one hand to the other, and they enjoy banging two objects together. Finger foods become more manageable as babies use their fingers to rake food toward themselves, even if the pincer grasp is not yet fully refined. Sitting independently without any support is typically well established by 9 months. Mobility increases dramatically: most babies can pull themselves up to a standing position by holding on to furniture, and crawling usually arrives around this time. Some babies crawl on hands and knees; others belly-crawl, bottom-shuffle, or use a different method entirely. The form of crawling matters less than the fact of mobility and exploration.

To support development at this age: play peek-a-boo and hide toys under a cloth to build understanding of object permanence. Offer a variety of safe finger foods to practise the pincer grasp. Create a safe space with low, sturdy furniture for pulling up. Narrate your day, pointing to objects and naming them: "here is the cup", "the ball is red", this kind of repeated labelling builds the vocabulary that will begin to emerge in the months ahead.

Around 12 months

The first birthday brings a cluster of social, language and motor milestones that together mark a genuine transition. Socially, babies play games like pat-a-cake and wave goodbye. They call their primary carer by a name: mama, dada, baba or a similar consistent label. They understand the word "no" and respond to it, even if they do not always comply with it. They show things to others by holding objects up, which reflects a desire to share experience rather than just possess things. Clapping when excited or happy becomes a regular expression. They also begin to look for things they have seen you hide, which shows that object permanence is now reliably established.

Fine motor skills at 12 months include putting objects into containers and taking them back out again, a simple game that babies at this age will repeat many times with evident satisfaction. Language is on the cusp: most babies produce at least one word used consistently and meaningfully by around 12 months, though some take a few more months to get there. The important thing is consistent communicative intent, using the same sound to mean the same thing reliably, even if the pronunciation is imperfect.

Movement at 12 months typically includes pulling up to stand, walking while holding on to furniture (sometimes called cruising), and some babies standing briefly without support or taking a few independent steps. It is important to note that walking independently can happen any time from around 9 months to 15 months, and this entire range is completely normal. Walking at 12 months is common but is not the benchmark it is sometimes presented as. A baby who is pulling up, cruising and exploring is developing exactly as expected. To support this stage: name objects clearly and repeat the names often; play simple turn-taking games; make sure there is safe furniture to cruise along; and read together every day, pointing to pictures and using the same words each time.

Red flags and when to speak to your health visitor

The following are signs that it is worth having a conversation with your health visitor sooner rather than later. These are not causes for alarm in themselves, but they are worth raising so that support can be put in place early if needed.

By 6 months, speak to your health visitor if your baby is not turning toward sounds, not recognising familiar faces, not reaching for objects, or not showing any pleasure in the company of familiar people. These early social and sensory responses are foundations for everything that follows.

By 9 months, raise a concern if your baby is not sitting with any support, not recognising familiar faces and people, not babbling or making back-and-forth sounds with you, or not showing any response when you call their name. The combination of language and social milestones together is particularly informative.

By 12 months, speak to your health visitor if your baby is not crawling or finding any other way to be mobile, not pointing at things or waving, not using any words or consistent sounds to communicate, or not pulling up to stand. Any one of these, or a combination, is worth mentioning. The threshold for raising a concern should be low.

At any age: if a skill your baby had seems to have disappeared, that regression is always worth raising with your health visitor or doctor, even if it seems minor. Loss of a skill is different from simply not yet gaining one, and it is always appropriate to mention it. Both the NHS and CDC emphasise that early support leads to far better outcomes than a wait-and-see approach. Your health visitor is not there to be a judge: they are there to help.

Frequently asked questions

When do most babies start crawling?

Crawling typically develops around 9 months, but the range is wide. Some babies shuffle on their bottom, some roll to get around, and some skip crawling entirely and go straight to pulling up to stand. What matters is that your baby is finding ways to be mobile and explore.

When should my baby say their first word?

Most babies say a first meaningful word, such as mama, dada, or a word they consistently associate with a person or object, around 12 months. The normal range extends to around 15 months. If your baby is not using any words or consistent sounds to communicate by 12 months, mention it to your health visitor.

Is it normal if my baby is not walking at 12 months?

Yes. First steps can happen any time from around 9 months to 15 months, and the whole of this range is normal. Walking independently by 12 months is common but not universal. Most babies who are pulling up to stand and cruising along furniture are on track.

Do I need to worry if my baby is not meeting every milestone on time?

Milestones are what most babies can do by a given age, not a deadline that every baby must hit exactly. Some reach them earlier, some later. If you are concerned about any milestone, or if your baby seems to have lost a skill they had before, speak to your health visitor. That is what they are there for.

Capture the firsts

Log milestones in Cubby with a photo, the first wave, the first steps, the first word, all in one place. When your baby arrives, share the record with anyone in their care circle so no milestone goes unnoticed.

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