This Blob opens up horizons for the infant by introducing the notion of independent movement and that of communication.
The speed of development in the second half of the first year is astonishing. Muscular skills develop at an astounding pace. Any time after 8 months the infant might start crawling. After 10 months it might be able to pull itself up and stand on its own. By the end of this period, many infants are already taking their first steps.
Hand eye coordination gets better and by 12 months the pincer grasp is well developed. First teeth emerge and by 10 months most infants are able to sit at the family table for meals and will want to hold a spoon themselves, even though they will not be able to use it yet.
With movement, comes independence. The infant can take small steps away from the caregiver and move towards objects that it wants to examine. This is the beginning of goal orientation! Also, conflict resolution develops. The infant will whine if it does not reach its goal or may actively remove obstacles if they are in the way.
With movement, also come insecurities. The infant is cautious to the world around it and
stranger anxiety develops. It starts to differentiate between the known and the unknown and might cry if the parent leaves the room. It will now be more selective about who it smiles at and wants to play with. A fine balance between independence and the warmth of security needs to be found.
Another major milestone in this Blob is learning to communicate. The infant learns the meaning of simple words, such as “yes” and “no”. It may start using simple words itself and categorizing what it sees, thus animals of all sorts may land in the category “wow-wow”. It will start using simple gestures such as waving and shaking the head, and will respond to simple requests. It may also start understanding and following basic rules. Thus begins the complicated processing of memory, language, thinking and reasoning which sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and forms an important base for the upcoming stages.
Click here for the 1st Blob: Toddler
or read about any other Blob:
Spring: 1-6, 7-12, 13-18, 19-24
Summer: 25-30, 31-36, 37-42, 43-48
Autumn: 49-54, 55-60, 61-66, 67-72
Winter: 73-78, 79-84, 85-91, 91-…
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
Is Your Baby Grasping the Pincer Grasp? from What to Expect
Life Stages in Blobs of Six 