Did You Know at 5 Months I Can

Language Development

• Babble the b, m, and p sounds
• Laugh
• Make gurgling sounds

Respond to my vocalizations by imitating sounds or repeating my words. Talk, sing, and read to me so my language will continue to develop. Make sure I can see your mouth when you are speaking to me, so I can see how your mouth moves when making different sounds. Speak clearly so that I can practice the sounds of your words. I also love to play “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake.”

Use “back and forth” play with me. When I smile, you smile, and when I make a sound, you copy my sounds. This helps me learn to be social.

Physical Development

• Begin to reach, grasp, retrieve, and put things in my mouth
• Bring my feet to my mouth and suck my toes
• Hold my bottle by myself
• Lean over to look for something that has fallen
• Start to scoot or crawl
• Roll from my back to my stomach and from my stomach to my back

To support my physical development, make sure to give me safe toys and plenty of room to move and explore. Make sure all my toys are clean and safe with no broken parts. Make sure I am eating the right foods. I should still be breastfed or using formula. Make sure to keep me up-to-date on my shots and check-ups.

Cognitive Development

• Respond to changes in tone
• Pay attention to music
• Respond to sounds from toys

Social/Emotional Development

• Have a lot of emotional energy and laugh a lot
• Become afraid of strangers or new people
• Recognize familiar people

To help me adjust to meeting new people, introduce them to me slowly. Give me time to get to know them and stay close by. To help me become comfortable with my environment, try to keep me on a schedule, but be flexible as needed. Set daily routines for me, like reading a story after bathtime.

Since I am learning to talk, I love to be sung to. Sing “Where, Oh, Where?” to me:

Where, oh, where, oh, where is (child’s name)?

Where, oh, where, oh, where is (child’s name)?

Where, oh, where, oh, where is (child’s name)?

BOO! I see you!

Play this “Reaching” game with me!

For floor time, put me on my stomach on a soft surface on the floor. Place a toy in front of me several inches away and just out of my grasp. Encourage me to move toward the toy to reach it. After several tries and stretches, if I am not quite able reach the toy, place it in my reach and let me play with it, and then try the process over again.

You can play “Five Little Monkeys” fingerplay with me:

Five little monkeys (hold up five fingers and move them as if jumping) jumping on the bed

One fell off and bumped his head (bop one finger and then rub its head)

Mommy called the doctor (hand up by ear like a phone) and the doctor said,

“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” (shake index finger as if disciplining)

Four little monkeys…

Three little monkeys…

Two little monkeys…

One little monkey…

Play “Where is Thumbkin?” with me!

Where is Thumbkin? (hide both hands behind back)

Where is Thumbkin?

Here I am! (bring right thumb out)

Here I am! (bring left thumb out)

How are you today, sir? (wiggle right thumb)

Very well, I thank you. (wiggle left thumb)

Run away. (put right thumb back behind back)

Run away. (put left thumb back behind back)

Where is Pointer? ... (index finger)

Where is Middle? ... (middle finger)

Where is Ring finger? ... (ring finger)

Where is Pinky? ... (pinky finger)

Here are some books that I may enjoy:

Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton

That’s Not My Puppy…Its Coat Is Too Hairy by Fiona Watt

From Head to Toe by Eric Carle

Rainbow Zoo by Martina Hogan

It’s Time to Sleep by Roger Priddy

Each day, I should have supervised tummy time. Tummy time is important to help improve my motor skills and strengthen my muscles that are necessary to help me learn to crawl and walk. It also helps prevent flat spots from developing on the back of my head. Start out tummy time for about 5 minutes two or three times a day. During tummy time, you can place me on a soft blanket on the floor with one of my favorite toys.

There are toys you can make for me using things from around the house, like a homemade drum.

Materials

• empty can (formula can or coffee can)
• wooden spoon

Instructions

1. Clean the empty formula or coffee can, and secure the lid and tape any rough edges.
2. Allow me to bang on the “drum” with a wooden spoon. You can model how to use the drum and talk to me about the different sounds I make.

Sleep helps me grow and develop. I should get 12–15 hours of sleep a day. To reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), place me on my back in an empty crib. An empty crib is important to prevent me from suffocating, so avoid having bumper pads or stuffed animals in my crib.

Safety note: Any toys or materials that can fit inside a paper towel roll can be choking hazards for infants and toddlers. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, any object handled by young children should be at least 1.25 inches in diameter and 2.25 inches long.

Remember that each child develops at his or her own rate, and this handout is meant only as a guide of what to expect of your child’s development at this age.

For more information about parenting and developmental milestones, contact your county Extension office or visit extension.msstate.edu.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2010. Policy statement—prevention of choking among children.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Birth to one year: What should my child be able to do?

National Sleep Foundation. 2020. How much sleep do we really need?

Safe to Sleep. 2018. Babies need tummy time!

---

Publication 3907 (POD-08-24)

By Louise E. Davis, PhD, former Extension Professor; Elizabeth Thorne, PhD, Project Manager; and Mary Hannah Mills, MS, Project Manager, Human Sciences.