Each stage of development comes with its own set of expected milestones – do you know the 3-month-old baby development milestones?

Here are three of the most important 3-month-old baby milestones. Being aware of what they are will help you know what to focus on and how to support your child’s growth.

3-month-old baby development milestones

1) Learning to control their body

At this age, you will notice that your baby tries to lean towards you and other people they love.

Another indicator that your child is developing body control is that they turn or reach for the toys they like best. They may also stretch their legs, kick, and open and close their hands.

Your baby might also push their legs up and down when you hold them up on a firm surface or you might see that they support their upper body with their arms when they are on their tummy.

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You can help your child build body control by putting them in different “starting” positions; this will allow them to experiment with different kinds of movement, for example, crawling.

Having your baby to play on their tummy or on their back will also help them improve their body movements.

2) Developing their visual and hearing abilities

A way to monitor your 3 month old baby’s visual and auditory skills is by observing how they pay attention to faces.

Notice whether or not they are following moving objects with their eyes, identifying familiar people at a distance, or increasing their hand-eye coordination.

Another milestone that will give you clues about your 3-month-old baby’s development and their listening skills is if they smile when they hear your voice and will begin to babble and imitate sounds. You will also see that your baby moves their head towards the sounds they hear or will begin to imitate them.

One way to reinforce these skills is with observations like “You’re smiling.” Responding to your baby’s babbling will also help them learn how to speak.

3) Strengthening their social and emotional skills

Your baby is not too young to be developing these complex emotions! An indicator that your baby is starting to process these feelings is if they enjoy playing with other people, if their facial expressions communicate their emotions more clearly, and if they begin to mimic movements and facial expressions.

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At this stage, your baby trusts that they can show you their emotions and be understood, which is the foundation for the development of healthy relationships in the future. Also, your child will begin to identify unpleasant emotions, so being there and showing them your love will allow them to understand that those feelings are temporary.

Why you should respond to your baby’s smile

At 3 months, your baby will begin to use their smile to socialize with other people.

If your baby has already started to show that beautiful smile when they see you or when you talk to them, then you should always reinforce and praise that behavior. This is important because you can show your baby that you not only pay attention when they cry, but also when they smile.

Tips to foster your 3-month-old baby’s skills

During the 3-month-old baby development stage, as in all others, there are many ways you can help support skill growth. Here are a few ideas.

Sing to them

According to research, when parents sing to their babies, they are showing them that they have their full and undivided attention. Other actions like clapping your hands, making eye contact, and saying their name will reinforce their communication and social skills.

Talk to them

Researchers have found that talking or reading to children provides an excellent stimulus for brain and language development. The process of learning a language and new words strengthens a child’s cognitive and overall development.

Boost curiosity and experimentation

Give your baby objects that they can touch, hit, and figure out how they work. This will help them move through a learning process and practice how to think, understand, and problem solve.

Show them love and protect them

Making sure your baby feels safe will help them develop social and emotional skills by knowing that you are there to love them no matter what. By hugging, holding, comforting, cooing, and talking to your child, you are showing your affection.

Taking these milestones into account will help you support the development and growth of your baby while building your special bond.

For more ideas on how to support your child’s development or to join live and on-demand development classes led by experts, download the Kinedu app today (download it for free HERE).

Was it useful to know more about the 3-month-old baby milestones? Would you like to know more about this or other topics related to baby development? Leave us a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!