Physical Development

As your baby approaches his five-month birthday, his hand-eye coordination improves by leaps and bounds. In part, this is because his vision has matured to the point where he can easily follow the path of moving objects. When he sees something he wants (and at this point, he wants just about everything), he will raise his hand, glancing between hand and object while reaching forward. He's then able to grasp the object--whether a block, your necklace, or the dog's tail--in one smooth motion.

Social Development

Grabbing and grasping is one of baby's favorite games, and you can play it with him using a variety of toys--blocks, plastic keys on a ring, and squeaky toys are among the favorites. He'll also enjoy play that involves taking turns, such as having you throw a block and then handing him one so he can do the same. By 6 months, he'll love dropping things and watching you pick them up, an activity that is most amusing--for him, anyway--at mealtime. (One experienced dad suggests tying baby's spoon to the high chair so you don't have to bend down to pick it up.)

For your little one, every game is a learning experience, and he approaches it with an impressive sense of purpose. You may notice outward signs of his deep concentration, such as chewing his tongue or moving his mouth as he contemplates his next move. Avoid overstimulation and its resulting crankiness by keeping playtime short and sweet.

Intellectual Development

Around this time, your baby may start saying "dada" --or, more likely, "dadadadadada." Although Dad may swell with pride when he hears his name (and Mom feel a little miffed that he didn't say "mama" first), your little one is just testing his vocal cords. He won't learn to associate sounds with their word meanings until the end of the first year. Right now, his babbling, which started with vowel sounds, is starting to incorporate simple consonants, such as d, b, and l. As time goes on, the sounds will grow more controlled as he tries to imitate your inflections.

Note: The information above offers general guidelines, but all babies develop differently, and few hit their milestones precisely when the conventional wisdom says they should. If your child was born prematurely, you may want to use your due date as a baseline for following baby's development.