Peek-a-Boo 101

by Ann Svensen

A child's first year of life is filled with so many developmental changes. In their first months, babies explore with their eyes, ears, hands, feet, and mouth. At about seven months, babies begin sitting alone -- freeing up their hands for more active and exciting exploration. Look out -- pretty soon they'll begin crawling.

Who's calling me?

Infants love to look at human faces and eyes, bright primary colors, and simple designs. In their first few months, babies develop enough muscle control to lift their heads. A baby will hold his head higher and keep his eyes moving (or at least try to) when you do the following activities together.

What you need: Just you, a baby, and a brightly colored object.

The activity: Lie down on your back holding the baby tummy-down on your stomach. Call his name and lift your head to see him. At the same time, raise him a little, encouraging him to lift his head. You can also place the baby on his tummy on the floor. Hold a brightly colored object in front of him, encouraging him to lift his head. Turn him over and move the same object slowly in front of his eyes to encourage him to follow the object visually.

The carpet crawl

Older infants delight in exploring their world through touch. Encourage their fascination by creating a floor covering of different textured fabrics and items to crawl over. It might not look like much, but it will feel like a magic carpet to the baby.

What you need: Use satin, a piece of fine sandpaper, a cookie sheet, some fur, a plastic placemat -- anything that is fairly flat, interesting, and safe (no sharp edges or loose threads).

The activity: Talk to the baby about the textures (rough, soft, cool, slippery, sticky, etc.) while she's experiencing them.