Week-by-week library · about 5 months old
Week 22
Quick answer
What is my baby up to at about 5 months old?
This week, passing a toy from hand to hand is a small feat of coordination.
What's developing
Motor
Transferring an object from one hand to the other is emerging for many babies, a genuinely tricky coordination task.
Communication
Babbling often gains more consonant-like sounds around now (ba, da, ma), even though these are not yet used with meaning.
Try this together this week
- Offer a single toy and see if they try to pass it hand to hand; celebrate the attempt, not just the success.
- Repeat consonant sounds back to encourage the babbling back-and-forth.
- Try different sitting positions and floor angles to keep tummy and back muscles both engaged.
- Introduce simple cause-and-effect toys (press a button, hear a sound).
What parents often notice
Babbling that sounds like "mamama" or "dadada" is exciting, but it is typically not yet directed at a specific person; that intentional use tends to come a bit later.
Sourced to
- Zero to Three, Early Development guides
Last reviewed by the This Week Baby editorial team.