When a baby is about six months old, he/she begins to implement toys into their communication with the people around them. For example, a baby will smile when a toy makes a noise and look at their mother to see if she's smiling, too. In a situation like this, it seems as if the baby is looking to see if the mother is sharing the experience with them.
Five to six-month-old babies tend to laugh, even if nobody else around them is doing so. Babies seem to become self-conscious when they are seven months old because they are less likely to laugh if the people around them aren't laughing. This demonstrates