Your baby is now almost a year and I bet you can not believe how different they are from birth!
Their social and emotional development at 9-12 months helps them interact with their peers and adults in their life.
Remember that all babies will reach milestones at different times. For example , some babies walk before others and some skip crawling all together.
The same goes for social development. All babies will develop on their own timeline.
If you are concerned about your infant’s development be sure to let your pediatrician know or contact early intervention services.
Always listen to your gut! You know your baby better than anyone else.
Let’s take a look at what social milestones look like in babies 9-12 months.
We will also cover some simple tips on how to encourage your baby’s social skill development as well.
Social and Emotional Development 9-12 Months
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What Do Social Skills Look Like From 9-12 Months?
Includes Other People in Play
Your baby is starting to try to include others in their play by showing toys. Acknowledge this gesture from your baby by letting them know you are excited to see what they have.
Gently touch the object but don’t take it away from them. If they drop it, pick it up for them and hand it back.
You can also encourage interactions with other babies when out and about. You do not need to force anything as chances are your baby will be curious to meet someone new!
Testing Parent Reactions
Have you noticed your baby look at you and then do something they are not supposed to? They are starting to test out boundaries which is a typical part of development.
They are not trying to be “naughty” this is just a developmental stage all little ones go through.
Exploring Environment
Now that your baby has some different ways to move about their environment whether it be rolling, scooting, or crawling they are excited to explore.
You may see them try to crawl into new spaces or reach up and grab things if they are pulling to stand.
New environments will excite your baby and if you let them free….they will enthusiastically roam about!
This is a good time to make sure that your house is well baby proofed!
Participates in Relational Play
Relational play is when your baby starts to use objects for what they are meant to be used for. You may start to see this type of play emerge.
An example of this would be your baby actually holding a toy phone up to their ear and babbling instead of just banging it on the floor.
You can read more about the different stages of play HERE.
How can I encourage social and emotional development in my infant?
Have Meaningful Interactions With Your Baby
Show interest in your baby when they are trying to interact with you. When they show you an object or toy talk about it or touch it. If they drop it, hand it back to them.
During diaper changes talk to your baby about what you are doing. Not only is this a great way to build social skills but narrating daily activities also supports language development.
Respond to Your Baby’s Cues
Watch your baby’s cues and respond appropriately. If they appear to be scared in a new situation let them know that it is okay.
Give them a small and a reassure hug to let them know that you will keep them safe.
Respond to their cries. Are they hungry? Do they need a diaper change? By responding to their needs it lets them know that their communication is working.
Soon these cries will turn into pointing, gesturing, and talking which are all forms of communication.
Read Books to Encourage Social Skills
You can support social emotional development a few different ways by reading books with your baby.
When looking at pictures label the emotions the characters are having in the story. Although they may not understand all words yet…their receptive language skills are growing stronger everyday.
This is a great way to help them become familiar with emotion words and encourage early literacy skills.
What Toys Work Well to Develop Social Skills?
Your baby only needs a few simple toys to play with that encourage social skills.
Books are a wonderful way to connect with your baby. Simple board books (like these) that show real people and faces are some of my favorites. They are great when introducing emotions to your baby.
You can also get baby magazines (like these) if you are looking for a different literacy experience.
Mirrors let your baby see themselves. Take a few minutes and stop in front of the mirror when holding your baby.
Watch how they react to seeing themselves. You can also give your baby an unbreakable mirror (like this) to play with as well.
Balls are a fun way to introduce turn taking. Your baby may actually not be able to take turns for quite some time but you can certainly introduce the concept during play time while rolling the ball (this is a fun one) back and forth with them.
Grab your FREE Milestone Guide HERE.
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Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.