Infant Stimulation Activity 26: interaction v observation

If you think giving your baby black and white toys or the ability to see a black and white mobile is infant stimulation or the way to make your baby smarter, then you are missing the most important and perhaps the best part of an infant stimulation program. Interaction is more valuable than observation. If you are reading a book or the newspaper, put your child in your lap. This will develop your relationship. With that relationship you can promote so much learning, happiness, fun, and love. Babies, just like you and me, learn more from interaction than from observation.

If you have some black and white toys that is great - use them to play with your baby. Pick a theme such as animals or touch, then hold up a teddy bear and say "bear" or "soft". Next pick up a rubber duck and say "duck" or "hard." Your baby won't know a bear or a duck or soft versus hard by looking at these objects. But he will learn what they are when you interact with him. He will also learn how much fun it is to be with you, how much fun it is to learn - and you will find yourself having a pretty good time too!