Tuesday, October 26, 2010

50 Simple Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter

Infant-development experts believe that the first years of a child's life are a prime time for learning, but sometimes it may be hard to think of new ways to stimulate your baby. Let these fun -- and scientific -- activities will inspire you.

Stimulate Baby's Vision

1. Make eye contact. Take advantage of those brief moments when your newborn's eyes are open, and look right into them. Infants recognize faces early on -- and yours is the most important! Each time he stares at you, he's building his memory.

2. Stick out your tongue. Studies show that newborns as young as 2 days old can imitate simple facial movements -- it's a sign of very early problem solving.

3. Let him reflect. Have your baby stare at himself in the mirror. At first, he may think he's just eyeing another cute kid, but he'll love making the "other" baby wave his arms and smile.

4. Make a difference. Hold up two pictures about 8 to 12 inches away from your baby's face. They should be similar but have one small difference (perhaps a tree is in one but not the other). Even a young infant will look back and forth and figure out the distinguishing features, which sets the stage for letter recognition and reading later on.
www.parents.com

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