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The most notable development at the five-month stage is your baby’s leap forward in manual dexterity. His movement is much more deliberate and controlled and he wants to use the new power he has over himself to interact with you and with his environment.

Your five-month-old’s fine motor skills have come a long way in the past couple of months. She’s probably reaching for her toys and is able to hold them without difficulty – even manipulating them with deliberate purpose – examining and exploring them!

Month five is a big month for brain development. Your child’s observation of the world and his behavior are more and more connected with each other as he learns his actions have an effect on his surroundings and the people near him. His curiosity is insatiable as he gobbles up information about his environment.Your four-month-old is beginning to learn how to control her body – specifically her arms and legs. By now, she will most likely be starting to reach for things intentionally. You can help her figure out how to do it by guiding her hand toward the object she’s trying to reach.

Your little five-month-old is more curious about the world around her than ever before. Now that she is more able to grasp and manipulate objects – she wants to play with and explore everything! She likely holds, turns, shakes and feels everything she can get her hands on, not to mention sticking it in her mouth for good measure. She may also have learned her own name and will look up when she hears someone say it.

At five months, your little one’s brain has become more complex. He understands that his actions have direct effects on the world around him, and he’ll start experimenting. He might cry very deliberately to see if you’ll come to check on him (this to a sleep-training parent’s great chagrin!). He may also be able to do two things at once, like playing with a toy and babbling to you about it at the same time.

Your five-month-old is learning the ropes when it comes to interacting with others. She’s also learning that there are different kinds of people around her – adults vs. children, for instance. Her babbling is increasingly complex and she’s taking a greater interest in your own speech.

At five months old, your little one is getting to be quite the communicator. He listens closely when you speak, watching your mouth’s movements, then he experiments with his own vocal abilities, mimicking you. He’ll try different sounds out, and may even take a stab at the sing-song inflection you so lovingly use when you speak to him. It’s possible he’s started to double up on the sounds in his babbling: “ba-ba”.

Your little one is interested in the people around her, and when she’s happy, she’s not afraid to let them know. She’s started recognizing and smiling at other babies she sees – including herself in the mirror! She also loves playing with new expressive abilities like blowing raspberries with her lips or sticking out her tongue at you. Remember, she learns these things from you, so be careful what you teach!

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