Kidy
What should a 6-month-old be doing?
Half a birthday in, many 6-month-olds sit with support, roll both ways, babble strings of sounds, respond to their name, and are ready to start solid foods. Here is what is typical at 6 months across feeding (including first foods), sleep, movement and sounds, plus the few signs worth a pediatrician chat.
Age: 6 months (half a year).
Most children at this age: sit with support, roll both ways, babble (ba, ma, da), respond to their name, and show interest in food.
Common concerns this month: starting solids and gagging, waking every 2 hours, early separation anxiety, teething. Most are a normal part of this stage.
Typical sleep: 12 to 16 hours a day, with longer night sleep and 2 to 3 naps, though teething and milestones can disrupt it.
This month in real life
Not milestones, just what this age often feels like day to day.
- are ready to start solids, and make a big mess
- can sit propped up and reach for everything
- babble strings of sounds like "bababa"
- may get clingy as early separation awareness begins
✨ What's changing now
The shifts most families notice this month.
- Starting solids, first foods and new textures
- Longer wake windows between naps
- More babbling (ba, ma, da) and back-and-forth sounds
- Sitting with support, some without
- Growing curiosity, reaching, grabbing, mouthing everything
Sleep at 6 months
Waking every couple of hours is common here; it's rarely a sign something is wrong.
- About 12–16 hours a day
- Longer night sleep (often 10–12 hours with feeds)
- 2–3 naps a day
- Teething, milestones and early separation anxiety can disrupt sleep
- Frequent 2-hour waking is common and usually passes
Feeding & first foods at 6 months
Start solids around 6 months, not before 4. No honey before 12 months.
- Around 6 months is the typical time to start solids
- Readiness signs: sits with support, good head control, interested in food, lost the tongue-thrust reflex (the instinct to push food out with the tongue)
- Start with iron-fortified cereal or single-ingredient purees
- Introduce one new food every 3–5 days
- Milk (breast or formula) is still the main source of nutrition
Development
- Rolls in both directions
- Sits with support, and some without (6–8 months)
- Pushes up on straight arms during tummy time
- Reaches for and grabs toys
- Passes toys from hand to hand
- Responds to their own name (5–6 months)
- Brings everything to the mouth to explore
- Babbles with consonant sounds (ba, ma, da)
- Takes turns making sounds with you
- Laughs, squeals and blows raspberries
- Responds to their name and to tones of voice
- Knows familiar faces and may be wary of strangers
- Loves looking in the mirror
- Responds to other people's emotions
- May start showing early separation anxiety
radio_button_checked Right now
- Sitting with support
- Rolling both ways
- Babbling (ba, ma, da) and responding to their name
schedule Coming soon
- Sitting without support
- Crawling or scooting
- Passing toys hand to hand and the pincer grasp
Useful tools for this age
Free calculators that fit this stage.
Many parents wonder…
If you landed here because of one of these, you're in the right place. These are common at this age and usually part of normal development.
🎯 Play & activities
target Focus: Sitting, first foods & babbling
Age-matched activities from KidyGrow's developmental library.
When to talk to your pediatrician
Most variation is normal. Reasons to ask, not reasons to panic.
- Doesn't try to get things in reach, or doesn't roll in either direction
- Seems very stiff or very floppy
- Doesn't laugh or make squealing sounds
- Doesn't babble or respond to sounds
- Shows no affection for caregivers
- Can't sit even with help
Browse by age
- CDC Developmental Milestones
- AAP Bright Futures
- WHO Child Development Guidance
Frequently asked
- What should a 6-month-old be doing?
- Many sit with support, roll both ways, babble (ba, ma, da), respond to their name, and are ready to start solids. Wide ranges are normal.
- When should I start solids?
- Most babies are ready around 6 months, shown by sitting with support, head control and interest in food. Not before 4 months.
- Why does my 6-month-old wake every 2 hours?
- Teething, hunger, milestones or early separation anxiety can all fragment sleep around now. It usually settles.
- Is separation anxiety normal at 6 months?
- Yes. Early separation anxiety often appears around 6–9 months as memory develops, and it's a sign of secure attachment.
- How much should a 6-month-old sleep?
- About 12–16 hours a day, including longer night sleep and 2–3 naps.
Wondering if your baby is on track?
KidyGrow learns your child's patterns and turns them into a daily brief, gentle next steps, and a prep summary you can take to the pediatrician.
Get KidyGrowSources: CDC Developmental Milestones (2023 Update); AAP Bright Futures Guidelines (4th Edition, 2024); WHO Child Growth Standards. Every child develops at their own pace.