Week-by-week library · 7 months old
Month 7
Quick answer
What is my baby up to at 7 months old?
This month, sitting solo is often within reach, and stranger radar may be switching on.
What's developing
Motor
Sitting without support for stretches is common for many babies around now, freeing up both hands for play.
Motor
Transferring objects hand to hand is typically reliable by this point for most babies.
Social
Stranger awareness, a bit of wariness around unfamiliar faces after being easygoing with everyone, is a normal and common developmental phase, not a personality flaw.
Try this together this week
- Give plenty of unsupported sitting practice on a soft surface with a spotter nearby.
- Offer two toys at once to encourage hand-to-hand transferring and choice-making.
- If stranger wariness shows up, let new people approach slowly and follow your baby's pace.
- Play with stacking cups or nesting toys for early cause-and-effect learning.
What parents often notice
A sudden clinginess around unfamiliar people or even less-familiar relatives is a very common phase around this age and typically eases with time.
Sourced to
- Zero to Three, Early Development guides
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org
Last reviewed by the This Week Baby editorial team.