For babies, the world is a magical mix of sights, sound, smells, tastes and touches. How can you help your baby enjoy an even richer sensory experience? Try these five tips and see what happens.
Sight. Your baby’s vision is not as sophisticated as yours so he/she doesn’t yet know how to focus in on individual images. Help direct your baby’s attention by identifying colours, patterns, shapes, objects and people (”See how that cloud looks like a bunny!”).
Sound. At this age, individual sounds are difficult to distinguish as well. A baby’s world is a cacophony of voices, noises, vibrations, and tones. You can help him/her exercise his/her auditory muscles by playing listening games: “Do you hear a dog barking? Where is that sound coming from?” “I hear music. Do you? Is it loud or soft?” Exposing your child to different kinds of music and discussing what he/she hears is another way to boost listening skills, so play CDs, turn up the radio, or belt out your own favourite tunes.
Taste. While your baby may still opt for simple fare, experimenting with a variety of tastes, textures, colours, and shapes is a great way to broaden her culinary (and sensory) horizons. As you sample different foods, help describe their characteristics. “These bananas are sweet - and a little mushy.” “Wow, that Popsicle is cold and smooth.” If your baby doesn’t like something he/she tastes or doesn’t feel like trying a new food, don’t force it. Tasting new stuff should be fun (even as grown-ups!).
Touch. The opportunity to discover the world through touch boosts your child’s tactile and brain development as it builds motor skills and an active curiosity. Narrate his/her discoveries: “Sparky’s fur is so soft, Daddy’s beard is scratchy, the grass is wet…” and make sure any environment he/she is exploring is safe, wherever you may be.
Smell. Here’s an interesting fact about babies: They can’t differentiate between nice smells and stinky ones until they reach toilet-training age. But you can start some on-the-nose training by taking your baby on a sniff-tour of his/her world. Make a point of pointing out the aromas of things like fragrant soaps, just-baked cookies, flowers, and fresh-cut grass, and help him/her find the words that describe those scents. (”That smells sweet.” “This smells yummy!”)
In addition to these games, your baby may enjoy watching shapes dangling from a mobile or baby gym, looking at himself/herself in a mirror (choose a baby-safe, unbreakable one), or listening and gazing intently as you shake a rattle or roll a ball with a bell inside. And it’s never too early to sing or read to him/her – he/she is very busy storing up sounds and words that he/she will need later as a talkative toddler.
It’s never too early to break out one of the most important weapons in the Mom Arsenal: the art of distraction. If your baby is fussing (because he/she is tired, or hungry, or bored, or just because he/she is grumpy), sometimes a simple diversion can stave off a full-blown freak-out - or at least delay it for a while. These little tricks also come in handy when you’re trying to stretch out the interval between feedings or naps (the better to regulate your baby’s schedule); when you’re waiting (and waiting) for your turn at the paediatrician’s office; or just anytime you’re trying to coax a (toothless) grin. You’ll soon learn what your baby likes best, but here are some excellent starter moves: