4-8 Months: Babies in Motion -- Observation Record

How does the baby move her body into new positions?

Babies make rapid progress in developing skills that involve their arms, legs, and trunk. At this age they try to roll over, sit by themselves, and crawl; a few can pull themselves to a standing position. These skills follow a fairly predictable sequence, but are on a very individual time schedule.

The baby might do one or more of the following:

• Flip over–roll from her stomach to her back, and then figure out how to roll from her back to her stomach.
• Sit up–move from lying down to sitting up.
• Sit for a bit–stay seated without support.
• Rock herself–sway back and forth on her hands and knees.
• Try to crawl–use her arms to pull herself along on the floor, as a start toward learning to crawl.

In what ways does this baby try to move? (Include dates.)

How does the baby use her hands to do things?

Babies use their hands to pick up, hold, inspect, and figure out how to use things. Their eye-hand coordination is increasing, allowing them to reach for and grasp things with growing ease.

The baby might do one or more of the following:

• Take charge of her bottle–reach with both hands to hold her bottle and then put it in her mouth.
• Grab and play–take the washcloth during her bath and swish it around in the water.
• Make noise–hold a block in each hand and bang them together over and over.
• Feed herself–use her hands to pick up large pieces of bread or crackers from her tray and put them in her mouth.
• Trade–pass a block or small stuffed animal from one hand to the other.

What are some of the things this baby does with her hands? (Include dates.)