Babies have a cute way of communicating. They move their hands in their sweet way to wave, which is generally the first way to communicate before they develop speech skills. So when will babies start waving hands and by when will they master this skill?
Babies, in their first year, do some flappy moves which communicate ‘hello’ or ‘bye-bye’. These cute little things make them sociable humans. They learn to greet universally. When babies learn to wave, it becomes a big thing as most of the time is spent waving at anyone, anytime, anywhere. They also get a lot of attention from Grandma or any random person they meet in daily life.
In This Article
- When Do Babies Start Waving Hands?
- Signs That Your Baby is Ready to Wave
- When and How to Encourage Your Baby to Wave?
- What to Do if Your Baby Doesn’t Wave?
- What Other Milestones Can You Expect When Baby Start Waving?
- What Milestones Do Baby Reach After Waving?
- FAQ’s
When Do Babies Start Waving Hands?
Babies try to copy the sounds and tricks of non-verbal communication from others. They learn to wave before they communicate with words. When the babies are around nine months, they start waving. It may be like a cute move, a regal one, or an awkward move which means ‘hello’ or ‘bye-bye’.
Signs That Your Baby is Ready to Wave
It takes a year for babies to develop their motor skills.
At Birth
When they are just born, they move their legs more. After two months, they start to develop their arm movements. With time, the movement gets smoother and more controlled. They also learn to communicate with what they see, hear, touch, taste and smell.
4 to 8 Months
When the babies are 4-8months, their motor skills begin to improve. They learn to hold the toys more tightly at this stage. The other skills that they develop include putting food or toys in their mouth, grasping objects for a long time, holding their bottle, copying movements and gestures etc. It is at this stage that it is important to show them how to wave. The development of motor skills shows that your baby is ready to wave.
[Read : When Can a Baby Hold Her Bottle]
9 to 12 Months
Around 9 months, most babies learn to wave, mostly through imitation. Some babies can achieve this skill a little earlier, while most babies can master waving by their first birthday.
When and How to Encourage Your Baby to Wave?
It is important to encourage the babies when they start moving their hands and waving. You can show your baby the way to wave. You can tell rhymes or sing songs where waving is present. This makes it easier for your baby to remember when they are supposed to wave. The more you wave at your baby, the more they learn through imitation.
What to Do if Your Baby Doesn’t Wave?
If your baby takes time to wave, don’t panic. Give some time to your baby, as all children are different in reaching milestones. But, if there is too much of a delay in developing motor skills, then consult your pediatrician.
Keep yourself alert to notice the following development delays in your baby. See your pediatrician if your baby
- Does not put hand to mouth after two months.
- Doesn’t reach for an object even after six months.
- Head is not steady by four months.
- Doesn’t sit with help even after nine months.
- Has trouble holding objects or passing them from one hand to another by nine months.
- Doesn’t roll at least in one direction by six months.
- Doesn’t copy any gesture by 12 months.
What Other Milestones Can You Expect When Baby Start Waving?
When your baby develops waving skills, a few notable developmental milestones are also seen in them. They are as follows:
- A baby can easily pick toys from the floor
- Try picking up small pieces of food from plates and self-feeding
- Can hold a bottle or cup in the hands
- When two objects are in the hands, the babies hit them
- Copying gestures like clapping with others
- Can sit on his/ her own
- Crawls and pulls to stand
What Milestones Do Baby Reach After Waving?
After a baby develops waving, there are other developmental milestones that are visible from 12-24 months. These are as follows
- Learns to stand
- Takes a few steps with support
- Uses spoon-feed to self-feed
- Can follow simple instructions.
- Understands requests
- Drinks from a cup instead of a bottle
- Uses specific words to communicate, such as shaking head to say ‘No’
When your baby starts waving or shows some other movements, it means a baby is growing gradually. It is also important to keep track of your baby’s various body movements and gestures which they display at various development stages.
[Read : When Do Babies Understand the Word “No”?]
FAQ’s
1. How to Encourage My Baby to Wave?
Lead by example, simply show them how it is done. Repeat this at multiple intervals.
2. At What Age Do Babies Wave Bye?
They may do this at any time between 9 months and one year. Some babies may wave earlier than this while others may take a little longer.
3. Do Autistic Babies Clap?
Yes, autistic babies do clap but repetitively without being asked to clap or wave at someone smiling at them. Of all the developmental behaviors, hand flapping is one of the most common in babies with Asperger syndrome. But as many sounds disturb the autistic child it is preferred not to teach them clapping or any other things that cause them an adrenaline rush.
4. Is Clapping a Milestone For Babies?
Yes, clapping is a milestone for babies, in fact, it is an important developmental milestone. This skill requires bringing both the hands together and joining them to make a sound. This requires hand-eye coordination and reflects a combination of cognitive and motor skill developments in babies.
5. Is Waving a Learned Behavior?
Yes, waving is a learned behavior that babies will learn by imitating you. If you want your baby to learn this skill, you must take time to show them practically first and then teach them how it is done. Initially, babies may wave without purpose but they slowly learn to do it with intention, for example, waving goodbye.
Read Also: When Do Babies Start Clapping and How to Encourage Them?
