Which activity can typically be done by a child by 6 months old in terms of social development?

By 6 months old, children are developing their social skills significantly, and one of the most fundamental aspects of this development is the ability to smile at their caregivers. This smile is not just a reflex but a social signal that indicates a child's growing awareness of their environment and the relationships they are forming. At this age, infants often exhibit social engagement through smiling, which helps to strengthen the bond with their primary caregivers and is crucial for their emotional and social development.

In contrast, activities such as playing alongside other children and sharing require more advanced social skills that typically develop later in childhood. While some children might begin to show interest in others at this age, cooperative play and sharing behaviors are not expected until they are older. Similarly, recognizing their own name is a milestone that usually occurs after the first year of life, as it involves a more advanced level of cognitive development and self-awareness that has not yet fully developed by 6 months.