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Chapter 5: Activities for the young baby

The activities in this chapter are divided into 2 parts: for babies from birth to 3 months old and for babies 4 to 6 months old. These are the ages when babies can begin to work on the skills described here. But remember that it can take months for a baby to learn a new skill. So you may want to work on a few skills at a time. And remember that each baby will learn at her own pace.

Birth to three months old

In the first 3 months of life, a baby can learn to:

• Recognize familiar voices
• Tell the difference between smells and sounds
• Make noises other than crying
• Touch and hold objects
• Discover her hands and feet
• Enjoy different kinds of touch
• Lift her head
• Help calm herself down
  

To help your baby learn to trust people and her surroundings

A baby who can see soon learns that certain sounds, touches, and smells come from different people or objects. This helps her make sense of the world, feel secure in it, and want to explore it. But sounds, touches, and smells can frighten a blind baby because they seem to come from nowhere. She needs extra help to understand and feel secure in her surroundings.

You can help her understand where sounds and things that feel different come from. Help her know that learning about them can be fun.

Since your baby may not see what is about to happen, she needs you to let her know what will happen next. For example:

Touch her leg gently before changing her diaper (nappy). Tell her what you are about to do. Soon she will know what to expect when she feels the touch on her leg.

Touch her shoulder gently before picking her up. Tell her what you are about to do. Soon she will know what your touch means.

As you do activities with your baby, talk to her. Even if you think she is too young to understand the words you say, remember that listening to a person's voice is one of the main ways she will learn about the world.

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Note: Any organisation or person wishing to copy, reproduce or adapt any or all part of the book for the promotion of community eye care and for public welfare without commercial benefit is encouraged to do so, subject to the written permission obtained and acknowledged in the printed copy.

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