Baby 7–12 months
10 Month Old Baby
Around ten months
What this month often looks like
- Many babies explore eagerly and babble more.
- Gestures like waving or pointing may appear for some.
- Some pull to stand or cruise along furniture.
How your baby is developing
- Sitting without support is something many babies do around nine months, and once it is steady both hands become available for play.
- Play changes shape when nothing has to hold the body up any more.
- The part worth noticing is the return, not the reach.
- Moving objects from one hand to the other is common around nine months.
- There is no part of an object that is not worth checking.
- Showing several different facial expressions — happy, sad, angry, surprised — is common around nine months.
- Smiling or laughing during peekaboo is common around nine months.
- The smile that starts before the cloth comes down is the interesting part.
Everyday care and connection
- A few safe objects within easy reach on the floor are enough; the sitting does the rest.
- Placing a toy slightly beyond straight ahead invites the reach without any prompting.
- Objects with a different texture on each side keep this going longer than any toy with a single function.
- Pausing a beat longer before the reveal is usually all the variation this game needs.
How you may be feeling
- Keeping up with a curious baby can be joyful and exhausting together.
- Around now the day often needs more floor space than it used to.
- Balance is being practised in small corrections, not in one decision.
- Repetition here is method, not boredom.
- Familiar songs start to be recognised from the first line.
Something that may help
Safe spaces to explore can make busy days a little easier.
What can we do today?
36 activity ideas suit this age — most take about five minutes and need nothing you do not already have.
- Tell Them What's Happening
- The Same Song Each Time
- Say Something, Then Wait
What can we prepare?
ParentSide has 60 recipes for 9–11 months, each with its texture, portion and preparation notes.
Professional support
Services ParentSide defines for this stage. Each page explains what the service covers and which professionals are approved to provide it.
Sources and updates
If you are worried about your wellbeing or your baby's wellbeing, consider contacting a qualified health professional.