How to Develop a Baby’s Interest in Science

This article addresses ideas for helping a baby develop an interest in science. The basis for this is sensory awareness. Sensory awareness involves stimulating the baby’s five senses. The baby starts to show signs of sensory awareness by reacting to noise, preferring certain foods and touching different materials. The second part of developing a baby’s interest in science is cause and effect. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Soft baby blanket
• Baby food
• Baby toys

1. Touching things is an easy way to develop sensory awareness. The baby should be given different materials to touch and explore. Take a soft blanket and run it gently over the baby’s skin and place the baby’s hand on the blanket.
2. When the baby starts to grasp items you can just give her the blanket to explore. During the age when the baby is picking up items, make sure you pay careful attention that she doesn’t have any items she could choke on. Many different items can be used. It is easiest to use what you have available. You can also mention what the textures feel like as the baby is experiencing the sensation.
3. As the baby starts solids you can allow her to taste different foods. You can introduce a variety of foods, usually one every 5 days at first to keep track of any allergies or reactions.
4. The second part to developing a baby’s interest in science is cause and effect. After the age of 6 to 9 months many babies are ready to learn about cause and effect. The first game most parents use to show this is peek-a-boo.
5. Hiding objects is another way of stimulating the baby’s senses and showing him cause and effect. This helps him to track a moving object and also to develop a longer attention span. The point is to hide the toy while the baby is watching so he can discover it.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not introduce new foods to any infant without the permission of the parent.