6 month old baby milestones
6-Month-Old Baby Milestones: Rolling, Reaching, Laughing and Supported Sitting
By six months, many babies know familiar people, laugh, take turns making sounds, reach for wanted toys, roll from tummy to back and lean on their hands while sitting with support.
Reviewed and updated:
Social, language and learning
- Recognises familiar people and enjoys looking in a mirror
- Laughs and makes squealing sounds
- Takes turns making sounds with a caregiver
- Explores safe objects with the mouth
- Reaches for a wanted toy and shows when they do not want more food
Movement around six months
- Rolls from tummy to back
- Pushes up with straight arms during tummy time
- Leans on the hands for support while sitting
- Uses both hands during play
- Turns and shifts weight to reach
Help without rushing
Play on a firm floor surface every day. Put a safe toy just within a reasonable challenge, talk about what your baby notices and let them pause. Do not pull the arms to practise sitting or standing, and avoid devices that hold the body in positions it has not learned.
Share concerns early
Common questions
Must a six-month-old sit alone?
Not necessarily. Leaning on the hands while supported in sitting is a common six-month milestone; stable independent sitting develops over a range of ages.
What if my baby was premature?
Use corrected age when advised by your clinical team. CDC recommends corrected age for its checklist when birth was more than three weeks early.