What is the best way to stimulate newborns?

The important thing to note here is that newborns can actually be over stimulated, which is not healthy for brain development. Be very careful about how many lights, sounds and moving objects you put in baby’s path. It is difficult for an adult to focus with that much commotion much less an infant. If baby’s swing is in rocking motion, that is enough movement. He will watch anything around him that is not moving in an attempt to focus. Therefore, if you have the swing moving, the mobile on the swing moving, lights playing and music playing, he is probably not learning how to focus at all.

Many parents today say, “He just can’t focus!” or “He can’t sit still!” If the early years are filled with bouncing, rocking, lights flashing, and toys buzzing the majority of the time – yes, he will not be able to focus and sit still.

When babies are born, the art of focus and observation must be taught. The baby’s environment and parental choices play a key role in this development. Focus is necessary for cognitive learning and developing adequate social skills relative to community values. The results of our “busy world” is evidenced by a 1997 study that showed, there was a 700% increase in Ritalin use and about 80% of the 11 million prescriptions doctors are writing for that medication treat childhood ADHD. The truth of the matter most of these children are not ADHD at all. Their environments and experiences have often times over stimulated them, which leads to ADHD like behaviors.

Infants need active time and quiet times during their day. The very best way to stimulate a baby’s brain is to talk to them with different inflection in your voice and reduce the amount of clutter and noise in their environment. Get baby on a schedule and encourage her ability to observe and focus on a picture, toy or you for an extended amount of time.

She will not be able to see colors other than red, white and black until three months or so. Therefore, if you want her to see the object for everything it is worth during the first few months, show her objects that are red, white or black and place them at least 12 inches from her face.

Happy learning and growing!

Tracey Bryant Stuckey

Chief Creative Learning Officer

www.wigglegigglelearn.com

http://traceybryantstuckey.com