How to interact with an 8-month old?

[Gwenhwyfar]

Just that really. We have one in the family whom I will see over Christmas, but I have little experience of babies.

Peekaboo! Tickles. Singing. Pointing to things and calling them by name. Talking with a really excited voice.

Smile and coo. Make everything rhyme. Call them snufflebumps or something. Don't be too upset when they scream bloody murder for their mum.

Thanks all. I'm not much of a poet, but I hope I can do the other stuff.
I fully expect them to be crying for their mum the whole time.

Sing nursery rhymes and pattacake songs.
Peekaboos.
Action rhymes
Reading

Silly noises... blowing raspberries, making your mouth pop etc

"Silly noises... blowing raspberries, making your mouth pop"

I can't do any of that :(
I might have to wait till they're 7 and can have a sensible conversation with me.

Just smile at them! I often smile at babies in supermarkets and get a huge beam in return.

Yes, I’m dotty.

You don't have to do the noises etc.

Pick them up so that they can see out of the window and point out things you can see. You don't have to use a silly voice or made up words if you don't want to.

Build little towers of soft blocks within easy reach for them to knock down.

Read story books to them.

Take them over to the Christmas tree and show them all the lights and things. Or just sit them on your knee facing outwards so they can get a good look around.

I describe what I'm doing out loud, even completely mundane things "let's hang out the washing, whose is this, ooh its daddy's t-shirt" etc and ask questions. It doesn't have to be all singing and rhyming, just have a one-sided conversation.

At 8 months they will grab things and babble, so just react naturally "do you like that toy/cushion/cup? It's lovely and green/sparkly/soft" "Shall we play with the ball/drum/blocks, isn't that fun?" "do you like Gwenhwyfar's bracelet/jumper/hair?" and lots of repetition. They love repetition!

Yep, narrating your life to them while you lift them up/offer them toys or whatever is the best thing. Don't worry that it'd make you sound mad if you didn't have a tiny child in your hands!

Stroke their hair. Make funny faces. Let them look at your keys, glasses, wiggly fingers.

Read them a feely book, build a tower of bricks and let them knock it over, feed them dinner (and let mum eat in peace!) They can be clingy at this age though so don't force it.

Look genuinely pleased to see them, usually I will start with "hello gorgeous boy/girl!!" with a big beaming smile. Then chat to them while their parent is holding them so they feel safe and secure. Give them some time to warm up to you rather than trying to hold them straight away. Play with their toys with them, so give jangly things a shake, roll a ball to and from them, enthusiastically look at their toys. Play peekaboo, seem genuinely surprised they have toes/fingers/a tummy... "whose toes are these?? Are they your toes??" all with a beaming smile.

8 months old is a lovely age. They are curious, so are happy to be shown new things and usually love people to coo over them.

Thanks everyone.