25 Easy Activities for a 7 Month Old (From a Mom of Four)

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When Adelaide turned seven months old, I found myself with a funny little window every afternoon. Lincoln had just turned two and took one long afternoon nap, while Adelaide took a morning nap and a shorter afternoon one. That left me with 30 to 60 minutes a day when it was just the two of us, and I caught myself staring at her and wondering what in the world I was supposed to do with a 7 month old for a full hour.

I wrote the first version of this list during that season, sitting in an airport on my way to a conference and missing her chubby little face. Two more babies have gone through the seven month stage in our house since then, so I’ve refreshed these activities for a 7 month old with more ideas, one important safety update, and the simple toys that have earned their spot in our house.

The good news is that you don’t need a playroom full of gear. Most of these use things already in your kitchen.

What Can a 7 Month Old Do?

Seven months is such a fun age. Adelaide wasn’t crawling yet, but she loved being stood up and leaning on anything within reach. She put everything in her mouth, she was obsessed with solid food (it ended up on both her hands, her clothes, and me), and she would happily sit and hold a toy while she watched her big brother play.

Every baby is different, and a 7 month old who isn’t crawling yet is in very normal company. Around this age many babies are working on sitting with less support, reaching for and passing toys from hand to hand, babbling, and figuring out that things still exist when they disappear under a blanket. The CDC’s milestone checklists for 6 and 9 months are a helpful reference, and your pediatrician is the right person to ask if something worries you.

The activities below are sorted by what they help with, but please don’t treat this like a curriculum. A baby this age mostly needs you nearby, talking to them, and handing them interesting things.

Sensory Activities for a 7 Month Old

1. Ice block play

The original version of this post suggested an ice cube on the high chair tray. Lincoln was fascinated by it, but I’d change it now. A small cube is just the right size to end up in a mouth. Instead, freeze water in a large container to make a block too big to fit in a mouth, set it in a shallow bin, and let your baby push it around while you sit right there. A drop of dye-free food coloring in the water makes the melt more fun to watch.

2. Frozen washcloth

Wet a clean washcloth, twist it, and freeze it. It’s cold, it’s chewy, and it’s something to grab during teething season.

3. Water play on the tray

A little splash of water on the high chair tray (or in a shallow baking dish) keeps a 7 month old busy longer than most toys. Stay within arm’s reach any time water is involved, even a small amount.

4. Discovery box

Fill the same bin with 6 to 10 safe household objects each day. The kitchen is a treasure trove of Tupperware lids, wooden spoons, and measuring cups, and swapping the contents is a great way to make old things feel new without buying anything. Just make sure every item is too big to be a choking risk.

5. Yogurt painting

Once your baby has had yogurt, spoon a little onto the high chair tray and let them smear it around. It’s messy and edible, and it makes the most of the “food on everything” phase instead of fighting it.

6. Scarf pull

Stuff a few play silks or soft scarves into an empty tissue box and let your baby pull them out one at a time. We got a set of play silks for Rosie and they’ve been great.

7. Bubbles

At seven months Adelaide couldn’t catch the bubbles yet, but she loved watching them float and reaching for them. It’s great practice for hand-eye coordination and buys you a few calm minutes when everyone is cranky.

8. Blanket time outside

Spread a blanket in the shade and let your baby feel the grass at the edge of it, watch the leaves move, and listen to the birds. A change of scenery resets a fussy afternoon faster than anything.

Motor Skill Activities

9. Mirror play

Adelaide loved to entertain herself in the mirror. I’d lay our full length mirror horizontally against the wall and set her in front of it, or just hold her up to the big mirror in her room so we could make faces together.

10. Stacking

The towers don’t get very tall at this age. We stacked blocks, cups, and books, and knocking them down is half the fun.

11. One too many

Hand your baby two objects so both hands are full, then hold out a third. They have to decide whether to drop something or ignore the new thing (try to guess which one they’ll pick). It’s a sweet little window into how they’re starting to think.

12. Pots and pans orchestra

Once Adelaide was sitting up well, a few pots and wooden spoons on the kitchen floor kept her happy while I cleaned up from lunch. She loved it when I drummed out simple patterns and then helped her copy them.

13. Reach for it

During tummy time, set a favorite toy just out of reach so your baby has a reason to stretch, scoot, and push up. This is how a lot of babies start figuring out crawling.

14. Ball rolling

Sit across from your baby and roll a soft ball back and forth. They won’t roll it back with much accuracy, but the tracking and reaching are the whole point.

15. In and out

Show your baby how to drop blocks into a bin and then dump them back out. Babies this age are endlessly entertained by putting things in containers and taking them out again.

Language and Learning Activities

16. Peekaboo

The classic. I’ve done it with my hands, with blankets, and with the colored Magna-Tiles we bought for Lincoln’s second birthday, and they worked surprisingly well.

17. Hide the toy

Let your baby watch you hide a toy under a blanket, then see if they’ll pull the blanket off to find it. This is object permanence in action, and the look on their face when they find it is the best.

18. Reading board books

Some of Lincoln’s very favorite books at two were ones I started reading to him when he was only a few months old. I stick to board books at this age because babies are rough on pages, and I’ll often hand over something to chew so they don’t try to eat the book while I’m reading. Point to things on the page as you go and say the title and author before you start.

19. Songs with hand motions

Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pat-a-Cake, and Wheels on the Bus are popular for a reason. The repetition and the motions help babies connect sounds with movement.

20. Name the people in family photos

I love walking around the house (or scrolling through my phone on the couch) and naming the people in our pictures. I’ll tell a little story about each person and remind her how much they love her.

21. Lights on, lights off

This cause and effect game is simple but fascinating to babies. I’d say “the lights are on, it’s light!” and then flip the switch and exclaim that it’s dark now.

22. Little talks

We’ve all heard how important it is to talk to your baby, but sometimes you run out of things to say. I like to just think out loud about whatever is on my mind: plans for the evening, a project for the blog, or what we’re having for dinner next week (doubtful). It feels a little silly, but it’s sweet when they babble back like they have an opinion on pasta versus soup.

Activities for When You Need to Get Things Done

23. Narrate your chores

You can make almost anything an adventure. I’ll narrate my cleaning routine as I go or tell the story of the day they were born while I fold laundry (which Adelaide loved to unfold right afterward).

24. Dance party

When Adelaide was cranky, dancing around the living room was my guaranteed fix. Put on music and sing and twirl (or sneak in some weighted squats) until it’s nap time.

25. Go for a walk

Walks count. Point out dogs, trucks, flowers, and anything else you pass. Even browsing a store and narrating what you see gives a baby a lot to take in.

Toys That Make These Activities Easier

You don’t need any of these, but a few simple things have earned their keep in our house.

If you’re shopping ahead for the holidays, I also have a list of 50 things to do for baby’s first Christmas, and when your baby gets a little older my favorite brain-building gifts for toddlers pick up right where these leave off.

What I’d Skip at This Age

Loose ice cubes. I already mentioned it above, but it’s the one change I most wanted to make to this post. Go big with the ice or skip it.

Water beads. I don’t recommend them for little kids at all, and with a baby who puts everything in their mouth they’re a hard no.

Small magnets and anything that fits in a toilet paper tube. If it’s small enough to fit, it’s small enough to choke on.

Pressure to fill every minute. Babies need some time to just sit and look around too.

Conclusion: Do You Need to Entertain a 7 Month Old All Day?

No. With two babies at home, most of Adelaide’s day was spent on my hip while I checked things off my list or sitting happily next to Lincoln while he played. The 30 to 60 minutes of focused time was the part I wanted to be intentional about, not the whole day.

If you have a newborn on the way while your baby is still little, my tips for introducing a new sibling at the hospital might help. And if you’re looking for ways to share the load, here are 13 ways to get Dad involved with baby.

Pick two or three ideas from this list for this week and see what makes your baby light up. That’s the one you’ll be doing on repeat.

FAQs About Activities for a 7 Month Old