Three months is a big milestone for your little one. He's been growing and developing every day, but the changes emerging now will truly amaze you.

Your baby has reached a new level of coordination, independence, playfulness, and emotional response. He's starting to take greater pleasure in the world around him, smiling and cooing at people and objects. He may have discovered how to play with his fingers, one of the earliest ways babies learn to amuse and soothe themselves. He's learning to hold his head up, kick purposefully, and reach out for things he wants.

The reflexive behaviors that dominated your baby's early weeks, such as startling and grasping, will soon disappear completely. Your three–month–old is learning from experience now the way he'll learn for the rest of his life.

Month at a Glance

Learning by Accident

Believe it or not, your baby's newborn days are long gone. By the end of this month, he'll have blossomed into a person with a mind of his own. He'll be stronger, more independent, and wiser about the ways of the world.

Learning at this stage happens often by accident. His little arms reach out and touch something. Maybe it's a toy that moves or makes music. The next time he touches the same toy, he gets the same satisfying response. Pretty soon a light bulb goes off. He's not trying to drive you crazy with "Pop Goes the Weasel." He's practicing his visual, cognitive, and motor skills. By doing it again. And again. And again.

Better Eye-Hand Coordination

Happily, your baby will seem more coordinated in general this month. Especially when it comes to using his hands. Three-month-olds play with their hands as if they were toys.

Watch as your baby stares in fascination at his fingers. He seems to know they're pretty amazing tools. He'll amuse himself playing with them. And he'll move his fingers over the surface of objects, probing them for information about the nature of things.

Can you believe your baby will have the hand-eye coordination to hold a rattle this month? Although for only a brief time. He'll open his hand and grasp it using his palm and fingers. This is a palmar grasp. It's like holding something while wearing a mitten. At about eight months, he'll start to use his thumb, by placing it against the side of his first finger. Then, in a matter of weeks, he'll be able to hold a piece of a cracker with the tips of his thumb and index finger. That is called a pincer grasp.

Social Butterfly

Your baby will coo and smile spontaneously this month. He'll probably cry less, too. And he'll start expressing some new emotions. Making it clear when he's interested and excited or bored and ready for a new activity.

This is a fun time for Mom and Dad. Your little one is learning that you love and understand him. And he's letting it show.

Brain Teaser

Did you know�?/STRONG>that your baby's brain will grow in "spurts" sometimes, just like his body?

Month Three Activites

• Prop your baby safely on your lap, facing outward, for a different view of the world.
• Show him lots of different objects that are interesting to watch, listen to, or touch. Encourage him to reach for or take a swing at objects.
• Give him a small, soft rattle and show him how to shake it to make a noise.
• Take every opportunity to talk, sing, or read to your baby while bathing, dressing, feeding, playing, or taking walks.
• Try to discover the pitches and rhythms your baby enjoys. Experiment with different cadences, and notice what makes him turn toward you.
• Imitate the coos, gurgles, and sighs your baby makes, and wait for a response.