She's also pretty certain in her own mind about things she likes and will show interest and excitement at them. She may well have a favourite song, toy and even person now. She's equally sure of things she doesn't like, too, as you'll notice when she does her solid wood floorboard impression on mornings when she's decided she doesn't fancy going out in the buggy or car seat. So screw you AND your supermarket shop, Mummy Dearest.
Physical development at 10 months old
She is crawling at an alarming speed now, and will zoom across a room, sit up, do a swift turn and then head off in another direction. She's also sitting really confidently and has a strong core and excellent balance, allowing her to stretch out and reach for toys around her without tumbling over.
Her newfound physical confidence means that she may well start trying to climb. Babies of 10 months can climb up things but not down so you may find her stranded on top of furniture. Now's a good time to look at baby-proofing again and ensure there is no furniture that could topple onto her if she tries to climb it. Chests of drawers with the bottom drawer left open are a particular hazard for this. If you need to use stair gates, now's the time to invest in those, too.
She's also become confident with her pincer grip, so make sure you don't leave anything small around that she could pick up and swallow. Coins are a prime culprit.
Walking is potentially on the horizon soon, and then you'll find yourself suddenly more active than you've been in years as you chase her everywhere.
How can I encourage my 10-month-old's physical development?
If you have a soft play suitable for babies near you, this is the age at which she'll really start to make the most of it (and you can relax knowing if she falls, she's not going to crack her head on any sharp corners – though she will inevitably manage to fall on top of another child). You could also try playing 'catch' with her with a bean bag or a sponge ball – beanbags work particularly well when she's sitting in the highchair.
Cognitive development at 10 months old
Her memory is pretty awesome now. As well as recognising a whole raft of familiar faces, she's also able to recognise faces she hasn't seen for months or weeks. She'll recognise toys and books that she knows, even if she hasn’t seen them for a while, so you might have to do some mediation when she spies a toy she has previously enjoyed at a baby group being played with by a tiny interloper. She will probably even be familiar with certain routes you take often in the car or buggy, so be aware that if the doctor's surgery happens to be on the same route to the park and the duck pond, you may have a certain amount of disappointment to deal with when she gets a vaccination instead of a push in a swing and some bread to feed the ducks.
Her social skills are coming on in leaps and bounds and she's now likely to generously smile at almost anyone she meets. However, with this understanding of the world come new worries, and she might start to display signs of shyness, covering her face with her hands when she encounters someone new. This is the age at which she suddenly starts to be scared of noises, too, and a hand dryer in a public loo or even the doorbell might have her in tears. There's nothing much you can do about this – it's just a stage they need to work through, so simply be on hand to offer cuddles and comfort if the telephone ringing reduces her to a sobbing mess.
Speech development at 10 months old