4-8 Months: Child to Child -- Observation Record

How does the baby show awareness of other children?

When babies are around other children in child care, with siblings, or in a play group, they may spend long periods watching older children play. With age-mates they often ignore each other, or briefly explore one another with looks, sounds or touch.

The baby might do one or more of the following:

• Connect to kids–look at nearby children and sometimes reach out to them.
• Respond to attention–look toward an older child who is showing him a toy.
• Enjoy the view–smile and vocalize as he watches other children nearby.
• Get excited–kick his feet when he sees other children playing in the park.
• Make contact–reach for the rattle another child is shaking in front of him.

What are some of the ways this baby responds to other children? (Include dates.)