At eight months of age, infants can be observed doing what?

At eight months of age, infants typically exhibit a range of behaviors that reflect their growing social and cognitive skills. They often engage in parallel play, where they play alongside or near other infants but may not yet interact directly with them. This stage may include mouthing toys, exploring different textures and shapes, and occasionally attempting to share or show toys to others.

By this age, infants are also developing their ability to form connections with their caregivers, which supports interactive play. The act of sharing or naming toys is more about vocalizing interest or recognition rather than actual verbal communication. As they point or gesture towards toys, this indicates their developing communication skills.

Crawling is a common milestone around this age; however, walking is typically not expected until closer to a year. Therefore, while mobility is advancing, it does not encompass full walking. Playing alone is part of their exploration but does not capture the interactive nature of their development with peers or adults. Thus, the observation of infants at this age shows them engaging socially with their environment while still focusing on their individual exploration.