Babies use their hands in many ways during the first year, from reaching and grabbing to exploring toys and bringing objects to their mouths. But when they begin to wave, clap, and point, those little hand movements become more than motor skills. They become early communication.
These milestones are exciting because they show your baby is learning how to connect, express what they want, and respond to the people around them. Waving, clapping, and pointing usually develop during the second half of the first year, though every baby’s timeline is a little different.
Here’s when babies typically start to wave, clap, and point, why these gestures matter, and how you can encourage them through everyday play.
Key Takeaways
- Babies develop communication skills like waving, clapping, and pointing early in life, starting with pointing around 7 months.
- Encouraging gestures helps babies build self-esteem, and they communicate their needs through eye gaze before mastering hand gestures.
- Clapping usually occurs around 8 or 9 months, while waving bye-bye surfaces later, indicating understanding of social concepts.
- Modeling actions helps babies learn to wave and clap; repetition and encouragement enhance their learning experience.
- Celebrate these milestones as part of your baby’s development, and consult a pediatrician if you have concerns about their growth.
How Baby Gestures Develop
Let’s take a closer look at how and when these skills develop. When babies are born, they have very little agency over their bodies. The majority of their movements are reflexes that they have no control over.1 As these reflexes integrate and fade, they make way for more purposeful activities. As babies begin moving more intentionally, such as reaching for a toy, putting things in their mouth, and pushing up on their hands to get a better view, you can begin encouraging gestures like waving, clapping, and pointing through play.
A baby’s body develops from their head down to their toes and trunk to their fingertips.1 They have control over their neck muscles and can hold their head up. First, they roll and crawl, eventually becoming able to use their hands in a coordinated way and use their feet to walk. Following this progression, babies usually begin to control their hands for large movements between 7 and 18 months.
Related: Baby Milestones Month by Month
When Do Babies Point?
Babies often begin pointing or gesturing around 7 months, though many first use their whole hand rather than a single finger.1 By around 12 months, many babies can point with one finger, making it easier to communicate what they want or what has captured their attention.3 At around 7 months, babies know what they want and begin using gestures to communicate. They may point toward their bottle, a favorite toy, or a parent using their whole hand before developing the fine motor control to point with just their index finger.
How to Encourage Your Baby to Point and Gesture
Pay close attention to your baby’s first attempt to communicate with gestures and make their wants known. When a baby points (even with their whole hand) toward their bottle or a specific toy, and the trusted adult responds by verbally telling them they understand and giving them what they’re asking for, it helps build the baby’s self-esteem and sense of trust.2 Over time, babies learn that they have some control over their world and that a trusted adult will meet their needs.
Before babies can gesture with their hands, it is still important to remain attuned to their wants and needs by observing their eye gaze. Babies will let us know what they want or are interested in by what they look at. Usually, the longer babies gaze at something, the more interested they are.2 If you see your baby staring at a toy, pick it up and hand it to your baby. They are already subtly communicating before they can even talk or gesture!
At around 12 months, babies can usually isolate one finger for pointing, becoming even more efficient at making their desires known.3 You can help teach your baby to point by responding quickly to their gazes and hand gestures and pointing to things yourself. Initially, babies will look at your hand, but if you touch the item you are pointing to and then pull your hand back, you can teach your baby that you are calling their attention to something with your outstretched finger.
Related: How Babies Communicate Through Actions and Sounds
When Do Babies Clap?
Babies often begin clapping around 8 or 9 months, though some may clap a little earlier or later.2 The first version of clapping may look like banging two toys together or bringing both hands together during play. Sometimes these movements are intentional, and sometimes they’re simply an expression of excitement as your baby’s coordination continues to develop.
The right side of our brain controls the left side of our body, and the left side of our brain controls the right side of our body. The corpus callosum connects the two sides of our brain.2 The messages must travel across the corpus callosum to coordinate movements on both sides of the body. This develops simultaneously with crawling because crawling involves using both sides of the body in a coordinated manner.
Babies will clap while playing, but you can teach your baby to clap when they are happy or excited by modeling it first. You can also hold your baby’s hands (or feet) in yours and clap them together so your baby begins to process what it feels like.
Related: Crawling: 7 Benefits of the Under-Appreciated Milestone
When Do Babies Wave?
Many babies begin waving between 9 and 12 months, though the timing varies. Waving is often one of the last of these early gestures to develop because it requires both coordinated movement and an understanding of what the gesture means.2
Linking clapping to an emotion helps babies learn how to show their feelings. Waving bye-bye is typically the last of these skills to emerge.2 In fact, this is a higher-level skill because it is tied to a concept. Waving is a form of communication, and it has meaning.
A baby might start to wave bye-bye when told to do so, but not understand why they are doing it. They know that it generates a positive reaction from people, so they do it on cue. Waving bye-bye when someone is leaving indicates that a baby understands the concept of someone leaving, and that waving is a form of greeting. This is a more advanced milestone, but it is also incredibly sweet to watch. This can also be taught through modeling. Making eye contact while waving and engaging in this communication is an essential social skill your baby will build on for years to come.
Related: Developmental Milestones: Is My Child on Track?
How To Encourage Waving, Clapping, and Pointing
The best way to encourage these gestures is through simple, repeated play. Wave when you say hello and goodbye, clap when something exciting happens, and point to toys, people, or objects as you name them.
You can also respond warmly when your baby tries to gesture, even if it is not perfect yet. When your baby sees that their movements get a response, they learn that gestures help them communicate with the people around them.
When To Ask Your Pediatrician
Waving, clapping, and pointing may seem like small actions, but they are meaningful steps in your baby’s communication and social development. Every child develops at their own pace, and some babies may master one gesture before another.
If your baby is not using gestures, making eye contact, responding to sounds, or trying to communicate by around 12 months, check in with your pediatrician. They can help you understand what is typical for your child, what to watch for, and whether any additional support would be helpful.
