Development Of Hand-eye Coordination In Babies
In this Article
Your newborn baby may not be aware that his hands are his own right now. Surprising, isn’t it? But starting now, you can use some tips and tricks to develop great hand-eye co-ordination in your little bub.
Babies perceive sight and tactile actions as separate activities till about 6 months of age. They eventually learn that they can use their eyes and hands to execute a particular task. Proper hand-eye co-ordination is a huge deal in your baby’s growth as it enables life skills like eating and writing in the future, amongst other things.
Considering that hand-eye co-ordination is a life-long development, just how do you help develop this skill in your baby?
Video : Your Baby’s Hand-eye Coordination – Why is it Important and Tips to Improve It
1. Make it Fun
Playing is the easiest way to help the baby learn to reach out and grab objects. You may use rattles to grab your baby’s attention and urge him/her to grab it. A good way to make your baby aware of sound and movement is to invest in a wrist rattle. As your baby shakes his wrist and hears the sound, gradually he will become aware of the association. This helps enhance his motor skills.
2. Create Simple Tasks for Him
You can stack some wooden or plastic blocks on top of each other to make a tower. Instruct your baby, or even assist him, to knock it down. That sense of accomplishment will instill confidence in your baby as he learns the strength he possesses.
3. Keep Danger Out
As babies grow, they tend to put things in their mouths. This is when you need to be very careful and keep all dangerous items at bay. You do not want your baby to put that tiny safety pin anywhere near his mouth! It is difficult, but even items that may seem harmless to you may be a choking hazard for your baby and must be removed from his path.
Problems Faced Due to Inadequate Hand-Eye Development
1. Vision Impairment
Without proper development of hand-eye co-ordination, your baby may risk suffering vision impairment. He may see blurred images and lose clarity of vision.
2. Lack of Confidence
As your baby grows up, not being able to accomplish simple tasks such as dropping and picking his toys will be very frustrating. This can in turn cause problems in emotional, neurological, physical and cognitive development too.
3. Disorders in Movement
Lack of hand-eye co-ordination can caused instability or clumsiness in movements. The movements may then appear to be jerky and unnatural.
With a little daily fun, you can avoid issues caused by underdeveloped hand-eye co-ordination and enjoy a happy, healthy and alert baby!
