Baby social and emotional development three to six months

It is easier to understand how important physical growth and development is for kids – but what about the emotional development?Developmental milestones include:

• Between two and four months, he begins to laugh out loud
• By four months, he loves to by played with
• He shows recognition of you and other family faces
• Is interested and engaged in the activity around him
• He shows pleasure by smiling, cooing and making excited jerky movements
• You know what activities he enjoys
• He recognises objects and shows pleasure at seeing them

What can I do to encourage his social and emotional development?

• Blow raspberries on his belly - it will tickle him and he'll think it's hilarious 
• Involve him in the daily activities of the house - make sure that he is in a position to see what's going on (don't leave him on the floor) 
• Play with him - lots and often!

Signs that suggest a developmental problem:

• He doesn't seem to get any pleasure out of interacting with other people 
• He doesn't make eye contact 
• He doesn't appear to recognise familiar faces 

All children are different and develop at different rates, so don't be overly concerned if your baby is acquiring new skills at a different rate to those around him. But if you are worried about his development, talk to a health professional for a little reassurance.