9 month developmental milestones

A close-up of a young baby's face staring into the distance with their mouth slightly open

There are some key physical and communication milestones you will expect your 9 month old to reach. These milestones should be treated as a rough guide, as each child is unique and will develop at their own pace. It is often unhelpful to compare a baby to other babies or their siblings.

Explore the topics on this page:

Physical milestones

Communication milestones

Encouraging development

Possible developmental concerns

Last reviewed: 1 November, 2023

At around 9 months old you can expect your baby to be able to:

Physical

sit without support
get into a sitting position from lying down
may crawl
pull to stand
stand with support and supporting their own weight on their feet
stand and using furniture to support them
bend down to pick up toys from the floor when holding onto furniture
pick up a small toy in one hand using the tips of their fingers
pick up a piece of string with their finger and thumb, this can be after a few tries
bang or clap toys together

Communication

copy simple sounds
babble making different sounds like "da", "ga", "ka" and "ba"
say words like "baba", "dada" or "mama"
will give items when asked or put back items when asked for example 'please give it to me' or 'please put it back'
play at least 1 nursery rhyme game such as peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake or clap your hands.
recognise family members
may prefer to be close to familiar adults

Most children respond to noises by this age. If you think your child can’t hear you, it’s important to get this checked out.

Encouraging development

Activities and games you can explore with your baby:

playing with your baby by getting down to child’s level (lying down or crouching)
trip to the park
playing on swings
noisy play (playing with loud objects like spoons with pots and pans or a upturned pot)
playing with puppets
reading picture books
talking to them in short simple sentences
responding to their babbling by copying back the sounds they make
speaking with your baby and talking about what they are looking at
using different voices and actions when reading, singing and playing

Young baby lying on a pink blanket on a bed looking at their smiling dad who is holding a toy.

Babies do not need lots of toys or devices to have fun or to encourage development.

They learn a lot of early skills by playing and spending time with you.

Possible development concerns

Sometimes development can be slower than you expect, or you may notice something different about your child or young person. It's normal to feel worried but there is lots of support out there.

Contact the health visiting team if you notice your baby is:

not holding objects
not able to move a toy from one hand to another
not rolling
not sitting independently
not moving (for example shuffling or crawling)
not taking weight on legs when held in a supported standing position

If your child needs more help or has additional needs, you can visit our specific section for extra support.

Child development and growing up for additional needs

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's development, a health professional in our team will be able to offer advice and support.

You can Call Us on 0300 029 50 50 or Text Us on 07520 649887 to start a conversation.

Open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).

Need more information?

Local Cambridgeshire support

Information for 9 month old babies

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Communicating with your baby

Infants and babies can communicate from the moment they are born. As soon as they arrive, your baby is learning about speech, language, and communication. It's important to talk to your baby and to encourage them to notice noises and sounds. Learn more about eye-contact and showing your baby new sounds.

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Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Cambridgeshire

Peterborough

9 month developmental milestones

Explore the topics on this page:

At around 9 months old you can expect your baby to be able to:

Physical

Communication

Encouraging development

Possible development concerns

Need more specific support for your child?

Who can help

Need more information?

Local Cambridgeshire support

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