Baby's Development: 5 - 12 Months

So many skills are being learnt, and it's such fun to sing, play games and make silly noises and faces with your baby. When you see the world through a baby’s eyes, it becomes a magical place.

If your baby is good at sitting up and can pick up a bit of food (or another object) and get it to his or her mouth, it's probably time to give weaning a go!

Sitting up, laughing and giggling, ‘eating’ everything, picking up small objects - how clever your baby is! What did your baby get up to today? Don’t forget to record the details.

Things can change very quickly with babies. One minute they are sitting and happily playing, the next minute they start to crawl and get into everything!

Once babies start to crawl, they’re into everything and need constant supervision. This is when safety in the home becomes most important. Having a safe environment to place your baby in for a few minutes – whether it's a playpen, a cot or a baby activity centre – can be a lifesaver when you have something urgent to take care of.

Joining in with family mealtimes is an important part of a baby’s social development. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to time your meals around the baby, but it's a good idea to eat together when you can.

Even if your baby’s not standing up or walking at the moment, it won’t be long! Make sure you have a camera ready for those first steps.

Happy birthday to your baby – and big congratulations to you! You've made it through that first year, and your baby has grown and learnt so much!