Milestones matter! How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offer important clues about his or her development. Look for these developmental milestones in your 4-month-old.
Physical:
- Holds head steady, unsupported
- Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
- May be able to roll over from tummy to back
- Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at dangling toys
- Brings hands to mouths
- When lying on stomach, pushes up to elbows
Mental:
- Let’s you know if he is happy or sad
- Responds to affection
- Reaches for a toy with one hand
- Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing you and reaching for it
- Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
- Watches faces closely
- Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance
Social:
- Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
- Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
- Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning
- Begins to babble
- Babbles with expression and copies sounds he hears
- Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired
Additional Tips for Caretakers:
You can help your baby learn and grow. Talk, read, sing, and play together every day. Below are some activities to enjoy with your 4-month-old baby today. Hold and talk to your baby; smile and be cheerful while you do.- Set steady routines for sleeping and feeding.
- Pay close attention to what your baby likes and doesn’t like; you will know how best to meet his needs and what you can do to make your baby happy.
- Copy your baby’s sounds.
- Act excited and smile when your baby makes sounds.
- Have quiet play times when you read or sing to your baby.
- Give age-appropriate toys to play with, such as rattles or colorful pictures.
- Play games such as peek-a-boo.
- Talk, read, and sing to your baby.
- Play peek-a-boo. Help your baby play peek-a-boo, too.
- Provide safe opportunities for your baby to reach for toys and explore his surroundings.
- Put toys near your baby so that she can reach for them or kick her feet.
- Put toys or rattles in your baby’s hand and help him to hold them.
- Hold your baby upright with feet on the floor and sing or talk to your baby as she “stands” with support.