Activities for a 7-month-old: Fostering baby’s development

If up until now, playtime was a bit one-sided (maybe you took on a larger role?), it’s becoming much more balanced now. You may find yourself regularly impressed with your baby’s new abilities—and at how much they love to play.

Your little one is probably getting more mobile by the day—which means it’s time to officially start babyproofing. They also may start to recognize familiar faces and react to different emotions (time for a puppet show, anyone?). Keep encouraging that naturally curious spirit with a few new fun sensory and developmental activities for 7-month-olds.

Related: 7-month-old baby milestones

Sensory activities for 7-month-olds

Your little one’s world is starting to get a bit bigger. From exploring everything in reach (and slightly out of reach) to recognizing family and friends, here’s how to keep your explorer engaged.

1. Dramatic story time

At this age, your bub can react to different emotions, so read them books in an animated voice and tell stories about relatives and friends that they know to keep their attention. Try making faces as you talk to convey the emotions you’re describing.

2. Family and friend focus

Break out the photo albums and point to familiar faces to name each person. Baby is big on faces these days, and we’re betting spotting a few of their faves will bring them joy.

3. Power up a playlist

Music is a powerful way to encourage vocabulary, language development, rhythm and movement. Create a playlist of baby-friendly songs you and your little one love, and focus on ones where you can add in hand motions to do together in time—even if you just make them up!

Related: This mama perfectly explains how time changes after becoming a mother

Developmental activities for 7-month-olds

1. Button up

Your little one loves to push buttons at this stage and is thrilled by the concept of cause and effect. An activity cube is a baby-proof way to keep those tiny hands tinkering—away from your laptop keyboard. To encourage longer sitting sessions, sit with baby while they play.

2. Rolling over

Your baby might be rolling over more in one direction than another—from left to right, or from stomach to back instead of back to stomach. Encourage all forms of rolling by placing enticing toys just out of reach on one side, then swapping them to the other side. These big body movements help build strength for walking down the line.

3. Indoor playground

Can you make a mini obstacle course out of cushions for your baby to scoot around in? Your little is busy working out all the ways they can move their body, but it’s also fun to send balls or cars down a couch cushion ramp and knock over stacks of pillows with their hands and feet.

Related: 7 positive phrases to boost your child’s brain development

Things to do with a 7-month-old

Week 1: Library visit

Your local library likely has shelves of baby-friendly board books available to borrow, plus even fun new educational toys to explore. At this stage, babies are just getting down the concept of flipping pages in a book, and pressing buttons and looking at the colorful pictures will delight all their senses. Bonus points if you stay for story time!

Week 2: A day at the park

Pop baby in their carseat or stroller and head to the closest park for a fun sensory nature walk and early playground exploration. Now that they’re able to sit up without support, can you help your little one safely explore the playground platforms and steps, or even just watch the big kids on the swings or slide? At 7 months, babies love people-watching.

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Week 3: Clap-alongs

That newly acquired skill of passing objects from one hand to the other means your lovebug might soon get the hang of clapping their two hands together, too. Listening to your favorite movie soundtracks (“Moana” or “Encanto”, anyone?) can provide plenty of opportunities for clapping along to the music. Your little one may soon start modeling after your clap-worthy example.

Week 4: Poppin’ bubbles

Your bright-eyed and bubbly baby looooves bubbles. Investing in an automatic bubble machine can add an extra magical layer to outdoor playtime. Bubble play can be even more exciting now that their vision is fully developed and they’re getting more mobile (all the better for popping those floating orbs!).

Our favorite products for 7-month-olds

Infantino

Textured Multi Ball Set

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$12.99

Encouraging sensory exploration is a huge part of the Montessori philosophy, as well as an important part of every baby’s development. These sensory balls are brightly colored, have varied textures, and are perfectly sized for chubby little hands.

SHOP

Fat Brain Toys

Tobbles Neo

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$28.95

This gravity-defying stacking toy is great for babies who are working on honing those fine motor skills. As they explore each “Tobble” they can experiment with stacking, rolling, balancing and toppling.

SHOP

Skip Hop

3-Stage Explore & More Follow-Me Bee

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$23.99

Busy babes will love this grow-with-me bumble bee! It offers three stage-based ways to play, from plucking out the easy-to-hold bee rattle which wobbles but doesn’t fall over, to crawling after the cloud as it moves in circles or all about the room. It’s also got lights, tunes and buzzing sounds that are sure to delight.

SHOP

Look ahead: Activities for an 8-month-old: Fostering baby’s development