A whole new world opens up for your 8-month-old baby as they begin to understand cause and effect. Your baby will also begin to understand the concept of "object permanence" around now. This fancy term simply explains why your baby loves playing peek-a-boo: An object still exists, even if it's moved out of sight. Activities that emphasize this exciting discovery will captivate your little one.

Here are a few fun activities to try with your 8-month-old baby:

Kick Start

Kneeling or sitting on the floor, hold your baby in front of you (and facing away from you) with one arm around his chest and the other hand supporting his bottom so his legs stick out in front of you both. Place a ball directly in front of him and help his feet kick the ball forward, then move forward so he can propel the ball across the floor, like a mini soccer star. Cheer encouragingly every time his foot makes contact with the ball, and point out how far he's "kicked" it.

Peek-a-boo Picture

On several sturdy pieces of cardboard, draw simple sketches of people, each with a happy, sad, or grumpy expression. Or cut out pictures from a magazine instead. Then cut rectangular pieces of cloth a little taller than each figure. Use glue to attach the cloth just above each picture, creating a flap that lifts up.

When the glue is dry, show your baby how to raise the flaps. Make up a story about the person underneath, and end it with your baby "finding" the face.