Fun Activities to do with your 9-month-old baby

At 9 months old, there’s a good chance your baby is on the move.

Yep, crawling may be their favorite hobby, but what kinds of activities for 9-month-old babies help develop this skill? And how can you help your baby to learn and grow in other ways through play?

To give you a few ideas, we’ve put together a list of eleven fun 9-month-old baby development activities and games.

Some involve toys, but others only need common household objects—or even just you and your baby (plus a little imagination).

Before we get started, let’s take a look at what other milestones your little one may be reaching this month.

Milestones for 9-month-old babies

Every baby is unique and develops at a different pace, but here are some of the things your 9-month-old might be doing at this age:

  • Crawling (and some babies may even be starting to walk)

  • Pulling themselves up to stand while holding on to something for support

  • Changing position more easily

  • Learning the “pincer grasp” (picking up an object with thumb and pointer finger)

  • Recognizing faces

  • Understanding a few simple words, such as “bottle”

  • Using gestures to communicate (for example, pointing at something they want)

What words should a 9-month-old be saying?

Many babies take until 12 months old to say their first word.

But you’ll probably hear your 9-month-old making lots of different sounds as they practice communicating.

And you never know: you might hear a “mama,” “ball,” or “bye-bye” sooner than you expect…

What activities can I do with my 9-month-old?

From an obstacle course to messy play and from nature rambles to sock puppets, here are 11 things to do with a 9-month-old that you and your baby can both enjoy.

11 fun activities for 9-month-old babies

1. Toy trail

First, an excellent activity for crawling practice.

Lay out smaller toys (such as dolls and teddy bears) around the room, then encourage your baby to crawl to reach each of them.

You might want to jiggle the toy around or make funny noises to engage their interest.

2. Intrepid explorer

Maybe your baby is already a pro at crawling over flat surfaces, so why not give them an extra challenge?

Make an obstacle course for them to explore, using safe and soft household items.

Pillows or an air mattress can provide a wobbly surface, and you could construct some “mountains” out of comforters and couch cushions.

As they navigate the obstacles, they’ll be strengthening the muscles in their shoulders and arms, and building coordination between the right and left sides of their body.

3. Grab practice

Making the “pincer movement” with their hand is another new skill your 9-month-old might be learning right now.

That is, they’re working out how to grab objects with their thumb and pointer finger.

So a great way to practice this skill is to give them a selection of finger foods to pick up and feed themselves.

Foods that work well include: different cooked pasta shapes, pieces of soft fruit (like banana), cubes of tofu or cheese, and chunks of avocado.

Exploring the food will be great for your baby’s sense of smell, taste, and touch too.


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