As your baby ventures into month 8, he is getting more mobile, coordinated and sure of his movements. He's also ready and eager to explore new things. You should play and interact with your little one every day to entertain, stimulate and teach him about the world around him. Keep in mind that at 8-months-old, your child is ready to practice dropping, throwing and squeezing, according to the text, "Helping Young Children Develop Through Play," published by National Association for the Education of Young Children. Not only will your baby enjoy playing with you, but you're likely to get a good chuckle out of being silly, too.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber ball
• Blocks
• Bath toys
• Baby books
• Baby-safe household items
• Blankets
• Pillows
• Couch cushions

• Position your baby in a sitting position a few feet in front of you. Roll a rubber ball to him. He may not be able to roll it directly back, but he may swat at it or pick it up. The play factor is key, not his aim.

• Lie on the floor next to your baby and stack some blocks for her. She may simply knock them over or pick one up and chew on it. However, letting her see how you stack the blocks can help her learn how to do this by herself.

• Grab some bath toys for bath time. Plastic cups, sponge animals and squeeze toys are great fun for both of you. Help your little one fill the cup -- and she likely won't need any help spilling out the water. Then have fun squeezing the toys and sponges together. Also, show your baby how to do little baby splashes with her hands and feet.

• Make story time an entertaining adventure. Read your baby colorful books every day. Use silly voices for the different characters. Point to objects in the book and label them. Ask your little one questions, like “Where’s the bunny?” and then answer, “There’s the bunny,” as you point to it.

• Pull out some baby-safe household items, which means they're unbreakable with no sharp edges and bigger than your baby's fist. Metal mixing bowls and wooden spoons are fun to bang around. Plastic bowls are great because your baby can put objects in the bowls and then dump them out. You baby can also tap plastic measuring cups together. Put on some music and you can both tap along to the beat.

• Set up a baby obstacle course. Encourage your child to crawl over pillows, couch cushions and blankets. Hide behind the couch or a chair and stick your head out and giggle when she comes by. Put a blanket over your crouched body and pop your head out, saying “Peek-a-boo” as she comes near.

At 8 months of age, your child is learning not only how to interact with her environment, but also how to navigate around it. She is quickly learning how to move about in a variety of ways. She also can begin to communicate her emotions more clearly and understand language. 

Physical Development

The average 8-month-old baby weighs anywhere from 14 and a half to 17 and a half pounds, with boys typically weighing about a pound more than girls at this point. He is probably between 27 and 28 inches long now. During the eighth month, he should start to be much more mobile. He can sit up on his own and may soon begin to crawl and walk while holding on to furniture. Make sure the house is thoroughly baby-proofed at this point to keep your little explorer safe as he begins moving around the home on his own.

Mental Development

As her mind develops, a baby of 8 months begins to understand the meaning of various words, including "no." She should be able to say "mama" and "dada" and may use these words to identify her parents, though she will probably do so interchangeably. She is starting to understand that her actions can cause certain responses and will begin to use basic problem-solving skills, such as grasping an object and pulling it toward her.

Emotional Development

Around 8 months of age, many children are noticeably wary of strangers and extremely attached to their parents. While he may be loving, happy and calm with his family, your child may seem like a completely different person around others, acting scared and nervous. When parents leave the room, he doesn't yet understand that they will be coming back and can get very upset. A special blanket or stuffed animal can become a comforting companion during this period.

Eating

At this age, babies consume about 750 to 900 calories per day. Around half of these should still be from breast milk or formula. She will eat three to four times a day and consume between 7 and 8 ounces of breast milk or formula at each feeding, in addition to some solid foods. These foods can begin progressing to chewier foods such as mashed potatoes, egg yolks and gelatin. Introduce new foods one at a time, and wait at least two or three days in between new foods in case your child develops an allergic reaction. If you introduce multiple foods at once and an adverse reaction occurs, you will have no way of knowing which food caused it.

Sleeping

By 8 months, most babies have been sleeping through the night and sleeping in their own room for several months already. You may be able to get your child to sleep for as long as 12 hours at a time. He will probably need about two naps during the day. While his nighttime sleeping schedule is less likely to be interrupted by a need for food, he may begin to wake up wondering where his parents are. When this happens, reassure him quickly and quietly that you are still there, but avoid spending prolonged periods of time in his room reading, rocking or otherwise soothing him back to sleep.