What Montessori Activities to Do with 6 - 9 Months Old Baby
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“What happened to my tiny baby?” I’ve asked this question many times in the past weeks. My 7 months old is now eating solids, growing her first teeth, and crawling all over the place.
If you’re anything like me, you’re excited. But you also feel like freaking out. Because now your baby won’t stay where you put her. And how in the world is your house going to childproof itself?
Let’s put childproofing aside for a while. Crawling brings one major aspect into your baby’s life. Now your baby can choose a toy she wants to play with all by herself.
Emma chasing her rolling ball toy
She'll crawl towards her shelf and make her own choice. This is a big deal for your baby. She doesn't have to wait for you anymore to hand her a toy. And your job as a mind-reader is finished! Sort of...
This new level of independence will bring your baby much joy. Let’s have a look at some of the toys you can prepare for her.
Do you have a “late” crawler at home? No worries! Your baby will start to crawl when he is ready. And there are toys on the shelf that might encourage him to do so.
Montessori Toys for 6-9(10) Months:
This toy encourages the baby’s movement. Emma used to follow the rolling ball toy all over the house. If your baby isn’t crawling yet (but he looks like he is about to), put this toy close to him but far enough to reach it. This toy might catch your baby’s attention, and he might decide he wants to put his hands on it. You can do the same with any other interesting object.
Is your baby showing interest in fitting things together? You can introduce an egg in a cup. This classic Montessori toy is for babies who can sit without assistance. We introduced it to Emma at around 9 months. In all honesty, she wasn’t very into it. I tried to reintroduce it a couple of times, but in the end, I accepted that she wasn’t interested.
Wooden Stacker
The Wooden Stacker helps to develop hand-eye coordination. Your baby needs to be able to sit up by himself to work on this. I introduced the stacker to Emma at about 9 months. We started with one wooden ring and built up to all 4 rings over time. Once your child masters a stacker with a stable base, you can introduce one with a moving base.
It's never too early to introduce music and some musical toys to your baby. We started with a wooden baby maraca, and it was love at first sight. When buying a musical toy for your baby, make sure it’s made of non-toxic materials. Other favorite musical toys were these musical shakers.
This toy helps your baby understand that things/people exist even when they are out of sight (=the concept of object permanence). The baby puts the red ball through the hole. The ball disappears for a while before rolling out for your baby to see. Placing the ball into the hole can be challenging for your baby. Show him slowly a couple of times and re-demonstrate as needed. This toy is usually introduced between 8-9 months.
Note: Our shelf is here just for your inspiration. You don’t need all these toys, and your baby might not enjoy all of them. Observe your baby first and see what she needs and what she is interested in. Also, remember that your baby might be ready for some of the toys earlier or later.
What are your baby’s favorite toys? Please share them in the comments.
More Montessori activities: