12 Essential Cognitive Activities for Newborns
From the moment you hold your little one in your hands, to when they are 6 or 12-month-old, you’ll notice that your baby’s power of thinking, reasoning, and problem–solving skills are enhancing. This further ensures that your little one is growing emotionally. At every stage of their child’s growing up, their cognitive development takes place in several ways. Their brain sharpens based on their brain’s development.
To further enhance a newborn’s cognitive activities, here are a few engaging cognitive activities for your newborn:
From 0 to 3 Months
Maybe your little man or woman will feel jerky by their movements at the beginning, but by the coming two months their neck will be strong. By the end of the three months, your little one will slowly gather control over their entire body. Their vision is becoming sharp, they start babbling and hearing.
- So, as a part of their cognitive activity, you can read to them from the very early stage of their life. The newborn can recognise your voice, while you’re reading to them.
- While you look at your little one and smile, try talking to them too. Notice whether your little one listening to you. Communicating with your little one can help develop their language and other communication skills.
- Hanging a rattling toy upon your little one’s crib will encourage their tummy time, and help them move their hands and legs.
- You can sing to your baby and develop their listening skills.
From 3 to 6 Months
Your newborn turns 4 or 5 months old, they start exploring their surroundings. They will look around, and start evaluating.
- Encourage them with objects like boxes, spoons, and plastic cups.
- Give them age-appropriate button-pressing toys. This will help build their self-confidence.
- Show them various textures like wool, corduroy, and velvet.
- Engage them in water play.
From 6 to 12 Months
During this period, your little one will be able to turn pages, look for hidden objects, and take things out of the containers.
- You teach the art of stacking objects to your baby.
- Tell them that every object exists even when they are hidden.
- To sharpen their grabbing skills you give them toys to take them out of the containers and put them back.
- Memory games can also add fun.
- Game of joining the dots.
- Allow them to solve the maze puzzles.
Cognitive development in babies begins from the time of their birth to their being 1 year old. While they develop themselves naturally, you help them out by encouraging cognitive activities.