Infants develop at a very rapid rate from birth until they begin to walk and talk. "Bright Futures," a publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggests that proper brain development in infants is dependent on factors including physical development, stimulation, and social interaction. The experiences that infants have are essential ways to positively influence development, and ensure a bright future.
Physical Development
Newborns are ready to learn about the world around them, the Kids Health website notes. One of the first ways to promote physical development is to provide breast milk or formula when a baby begins rooting, or turning his head to find food. As the weeks pass and food encourages growth, Kids Health reports, infants will spend more time awake and alert; playing with baby promotes infant development. Simple objects such as rattles, textured toys, musical toys, unbreakable mirrors, and toys with contrasting colors and patterns teach infants to interact with their world and encourage movement. Tummy time is another way infants develop physically. Kids Health recommends that parents place their baby on their stomach for short periods of time, to aid development of the neck muscles, as well as for head control. "Bright Futures" encourages physical activities with infants as an important way for the brain to develop properly.
Stimulation
Stimulation is an important way to teach infants how the world works. BabyCenter.com recommends playing games and being silly with an infant as positive influences on development. In fact, play is essential from birth, because babies internalize and process a great deal of information, even if they do not appear to be engaged in an activity. Newborn babies like to be held, particular as their parents dance to music, BabyCenter says, and exaggerated dance moves can stimulate a baby to watch and to giggle. Showing newborn babies different objects, and describing what they are and what they look like is another suggested type of stimulation. BabyCenter also suggests blowing bubbles for babies to reach for and watch, playing in the water, and rolling balls as stimulating ways to enhance development.
Social Interaction
According to Kids Health, around the age of 4 months, infants will begin to experiment with sounds --- their first attempt at verbal communication. Babies this age also respond to social interaction with smiles, babbling, facial expressions, and laughing. Before this age, babies respond to tone of voice rather than by noticing differences in communication sounds, says Kids Health. Conversations with baby are an important development step; when talking to baby, Kids Health recommends that parents tell their infant something, or ask a question, then wait for a babble response. Kids Health also urges parents to use adult words when telling infants what things are and what they are for, in addition to reading books and explaining what the infant is seeing in the pictures. "Bright Futures" emphasizes the need to promote social-interaction skills, so infants learn how to react in social situations as they develop.
