If you’re a new parent, or perhaps someone in the family or a babysitter who’s had an 8-month old plopped in front of you to entertain, it’s not unreasonable that even in 2025, you want to avoid the pitfalls of sitting them in front of a screen and letting it do the work. A new study suggests that too much screen time in infancy changes their brain activity for the worse, and could impact executive function. So, even if you’ve been with this infant since birth, you’ve likely noticed that at the 8-month mark, they’re now more mobile, alert, and awake for longer than ever before – you need to find something for them to do in those periods between the naps and feedings.
Entertaining an 8-month-old at home can seem daunting, but it’s also a wonderfully rewarding experience. At this age, babies are full of curiosity, eager to explore their surroundings, and developing rapidly. Engaging activities not only keep them entertained but also promote cognitive, physical, and emotional growth. Here’s an in-depth guide on how to keep your 8-month-old happily entertained at home:
Understanding Developmental Milestones
Before diving into specific activities, it’s crucial to understand the developmental milestones of an 8-month-old. At this age, babies are typically developing fine motor skills and beginning to grasp objects. They are starting to crawl, or scoot, and the more mobile of their ranks might be starting to pull themselves up to stand, which will eventually lead to walking. Your 8-month-old might be experimenting with sounds and begin babbling. You’ll notice that they’re much more curious about their environment.
If your baby isn’t quite hitting these touchstones, don’t fret too much – everyone develops at different rates. When you look to entertain an 8-month-old, work with them as an individual rather than by trying to measure them up to where they ‘should’ be. With their current development in mind, activities should be designed to encourage exploration, movement, and sensory experiences.
Create Interactive Playtime with Your 8-Month-Old
A classic game that never gets old, peek-a-boo helps with object permanence, showing your baby that things still exist even when out of sight. Peek-a-boo, however, doesn’t have to be limited to hiding your face behind your hands. Hide toys under blankets and encourage your baby to find them. This enhances problem-solving skills and keeps them engaged. As well, touching blankets of different textures with items hidden under them will create an interesting sensory experience, and will help to shape their growing gross motor skills. If you have a low kitchen cabinet, clean it out and place some baby-safe objects inside for them to play with, opening and closing the door for them to keep them engaged – and to prevent fingers from getting squished in the jamb.
Engage your baby’s other senses too by incorporating music or sound-based toys. Simple instruments like maracas, tambourines, or a keyboard can captivate your baby as sound and rhythm foster auditory development and motor skills. Make sure these toys are approved for babies under one-year-old, and do not contain small parts that might cause a choking hazard.
Another easy, interactive and free way to entertain an 8-month-old at home is by sitting them in front of a mirror. Mirrors are great for babies at this age as they begin to develop their visual senses. With the help of a mirror, they’ll learn to focus their eyes, follow images and experiment with the things their faces can do. This can help with the social and emotional milestones that babies usually develop within year one. Plus, babies tend to find faces fascinating.
Another way you can enhance mirror-time is by pointing to their body parts or facial features and identifying them aloud for them. Now, you’re adding language and cognitive learning to the mix. Make sure you’re playing with a safe, shatterproof mirror with no sharp edges they could hurt themselves on.
Purchase – Or Make – Sensory Toys
Let your baby explore with their hands, promoting exploration and fine motor skills. If you fill a small tub of water with floating toys, your baby will find the experience fascinating. Always supervise closely, but the splashing and floating objects can provide endless entertainment. Books with different textures, flaps, and mirrors can be intriguing for an 8-month-old, stimulating your baby’s sense of touch and introduce early literacy concepts.
Sensory toys don’t have to be an investment, though. Cut an old blanket, tee shirt, or other scraps of fabric into strips and stick them into an empty tissue box. While the idea of repeatedly pulling tissues out of a box doesn’t sound fun to you, this is an engaging sensory activity for an eight-month-old, and helps develop the pincer grasp that’s important to their motor skills. For another fun DIY toy, fill a toilet paper tube with rice, beads, or dry beans and seal off the ends to create a shaker toy that’ll keep their attention. Your baby will love shaking them and listening to the sounds they make.
If you have a lightweight, clear water bottle, fill it 3/4 of the way with water, food coloring, and glitter, before adding beads, tiny toys, or other interesting objects. Tape the lid closed, and let your eight-month-old shake, move, and roll the bottle to watch the items inside. The shifting colors and patterns will be mentally stimulating and interesting to their developing mind. Just make sure they’re supervised while they play – as they should be for any of these ways to keep them entertained.
Develop Physical Activities
Tummy time is essential for developing neck and shoulder muscles, and you can make it extra fun with colorful toys. Things they can squish, move, and otherwise manipulate safely will not only be excellent for their curious and developing hands, but will provide a wealth of cognitive opportunities.
If you really want to get your baby moving, consider turning the living room into their personal play gym. With a little bit of effort and some items found around the house, construct a safe obstacle course with pillows, cushions, and toys. You can also open up cardboard boxes on both ends to make a ‘tunnel’ for the baby to crawl through with your encouragement and support. This builds strength and coordination, and can help begin to foster complex problem-solving skills as they use their developing brain in new ways to try to navigate these obstacles.
Stacking and knocking over soft blocks can be endlessly entertaining and help develop hand-eye coordination. Plus, more rambunctious babies will likely have a great time doing this. If you’re wondering why your baby likes to bang items against other surfaces, it’s not because they’re being destructive or trying to break something. In truth, your baby is experimenting with cause and effect. Building a tower is a great way to let them play in that space and figure out how the world works.
Entertaining an eight-month-old at home doesn’t have to be a high-energy activity. Gentle stretches and movements can be both relaxing and stimulating. Follow yoga routines designed for infants, helping them stretch and move in ways that will lend to better physical development later on. Plus, the physical touch from your assistance will only serve to help the two of you bond, establishing trust.
Creative Playtime with Your 8-Month-Old
If you have some newspaper to lie down and don’t mind that bathtime will likely follow, make edible finger paints using natural ingredients like blackberries, beets, and turmeric. They’ll be natural and washable, and totally okay if their little fingers end up in their mouth. Edible finger paints are a great way to entertain an eight-month-old that allows them to explore textures and enhance finger isolation skills. This can also foster an early appreciation for art!
Routine and Calm Time
One of the best cooldowns after a fun day is reading to your baby. This is a wonderful way to bond while introducing important language concepts. Choose books with bright pictures and simple stories. Soothing music or lullabies can be calming and help establish a nap or bedtime routine.
If you want a hand with wind-down time, this is a perfect opportunity to get cuddly. Physical affection is also your 8-month-old baby, and it’s not just because it’s comfortable. Physiologically, phsyical contact (especially front-to-front) will help their brains release oxytocin. They’ll associate that with nurturing behaviors and positive moods. Gentle massages can also help relax your baby and strengthen your bond.
Use Safety Precautions at All Times
Always supervise your baby during play, especially with small objects or water activities. Ensure the play area is safe, with no sharp edges, small items that can be swallowed, or hazardous materials. Regularly clean toys and play areas to maintain hygiene and safety.
Remember, the goal of these activities is not just to keep your baby entertained but also to strengthen your bond and promote healthy development. Your presence, encouragement, and affection are the most important elements of any activity.