Ways To Stimulate Your 3-6 Months Old’s Senses
Your baby, by the time he reaches the age of 3-6 months, can see, hear, smell and feel quite a lot! As a parent, you need to do your bit to stimulate these senses better so your baby grows up to be a little human being well-attuned to the world around him.
The little darling in your house seems too little to be able to sense or understand much. But what if we tell you this isn’t the case? Science has proven that some babies have their senses of touch and hearing completely developed even at birth. The other senses of sight and smell also develop at a faster pace than many of us would have thought.
Here are a Few Fun Activities to Stimulate Your Baby’s Senses at This Crucial Age
1. To Improve Vision
- Make sure the nursery has plenty of bright and bold colours and patterns. Babies this age are drawn to bright things and this boosts their visual development. You can get a colourful crib, patterned wallpaper and a baby gym with oodles of interesting things.
- While rocking or carrying your baby, expose his sight to various things in the room and different ways of seeing the same thing. This broadens his perception of the world.
- This is also a good time to start playing games like peekaboo that help improve his hand-eye coordination. Since his eye muscles are also getting strong now, he will be able to track the movement of your hands well.
2. To Improve Hearing
- Try and speak to your baby in Motherese. This is the slow and exaggerated mode of speaking that babies find easier to connect to.
- Expose your baby to different tones, styles and expressions of speaking at this age. He has now started sensing your facial expressions and tonality of your voice. Involve him in family conversations also so that he hears voices other than just yours.
- You can also play some white noise to him (easily available via mobile phone apps) that will help recreate the ambience of the womb and help him fall asleep.
3. To Improve Touch
- Hold your baby close to you. He loves to cuddle to you as it makes him feel comfortable and safe. Touch is probably your baby’s mode developed sense till now and he explores the world by touching, especially through his mouth.
- Make sure there is some skin-to-skin contact time with your baby every day. This can happen during breastfeeding, sleeping or whenever your baby seems to need extra comfort.
- Gently massage your baby. Not only does this help improve his circulation and muscle development but is also promotes a sense of well-being.
4. To Improve Smell
- While your baby has a good sense of smell even when she’s only a few weeks old, it is a good idea to keep your baby products the same over the months. This helps build familiarity and comfort in your baby.
- Since your baby especially loves the smell of your breastmilk, avoid using strong perfume during this time. It is your smell that she wants, after all.
- Skin on skin time helps improve this sense as well. Being close to you means being close to the best perfume in the world!
Now that you are armed with these ideas to stimulate your little one’s senses, get ready already! Incorporate these ideas into your daily baby care routine, and watch your baby’s senses develop like never before.
