Because he’s becoming so smart and inquisitive, your activities together become more interesting, engaging him cognitively and physically. Here’s what you can do together:

• Help him walk with (or without) support.

• Ask him to find his favorite toy in his toy basket.

• Provide push/pull toys for him to play with.

• Roll or toss a large ball back and forth.

• Encourage your baby to pick a toy off the floor without holding onto anything.

• Continue to talk to your baby.

This month, your house is a baby amusement park. He’s probably cruising while holding on to furniture, in love with the novelty of standing — particularly in the bathtub, and enamored with stairs that he can climb up but not down. While he’s running about, consider protecting her from common baby mishaps with these safety tips:

• Buy safety gates or other barriers that are high and sturdy, have a straight top edge (instead of V-shaped or diamond-shaped openings) and a rigid screen, and are installed at the top and bottom of stairs.

• Keep his play area clear of hard, sharp-edged furniture.

• Lower her crib mattress so she can't crawl or fall out while he’s standing.

• Install easy-to-use childproof locks for drawers, screens, doors, and windows.

• Keep poisonous substances (including household cleaners and products) in high cabinets that you can lock. (If you think your baby has eaten something poisonous, immediately call the Poison Control Center, the hospital emergency room or your baby's health care professional.) Keep these numbers by the phone.

• Stay close to your baby around water — pools, tubs, large buckets of water, even toilets.

• Avoid leaving pots containing hot foods close to the edges of tables or counters.

• Make sure you use plug protectors in any unused electrical outlets.

After months of being talked to, your baby is starting to talk back. He may not use real words, but he can point to a favorite book or toy when you ask. And as he continues to babble, he may even say a word or two.

So keep talking to your baby. Introduce pronouns such as "he" and "she," colors and simple concepts. By the end of the first year, you'll be amazed at how much he understands and says.