Vision develops during the first six to eight months of a baby’s life. During this critical period, babies are sensitive to visual inputs and environmental stimulation. As a parent, you want your babies to maximize the opportunity to fully developed eyesight, and one of the ways is through the use of visual stimulus cards.
Baby’s Visual Development at Different Ages
- At birth (0-3 months old)
Newborns can only see the colours black, white with shades of grey because their eyes and capacity for sight are not fully developed.
- 3-6 months old
The baby begins to gradually transit from black and white vision to colour vision as their perception of the colour and shapes of objects becomes stronger. The baby at this age is most sensitive to red colour.
- 6-12 months old
The baby can slowly feel the distance, left and right, height and other 3D images of objects. They are attracted to patterns with strong colour contrast.
- 12-36 months old
The baby’s visual observation and cognitive abilities are developing rapidly. They can distinguish more things as the number of contacts increases.
1. Stimulates Vision
Visual stimulus cards are one of the best ways to stimulate your baby’s visual sense. These cards were designed according to the baby’s visual development characteristics of different ages. For newborns who are sensitive to black and white objects and graphics, using bold black-and-white images can effectively train the baby’s vision and eye muscles. For older babies who have fully developed their colour vision, these cards with various colours, shapes and patterns can provide powerful visual stimulation and promote faster visual development.
2. Fosters Brain Development
Vision development plays a critical role in optimal early childhood brain development. When the brain receives input from the visual sense, the nerve cells in the baby’s brain will form more connections with other nerve cells. Research has found that babies showed a more solid brain growth when they received visual stimulation from colours, shapes, and patterns. In contrast, babies deprived of visual stimulation may have lasting deficits in many areas of brain development.
3. Improves Concentration
Babies have a very short attention span, and they will move from one activity to the another. For newborns, visual stimulus cards with black-and-white patterns can attract their attention and help them to focus because the high-contrast colours stand out in their blurry worlds. Engagement with diverse colours, textures and patterns of cards also keeps older babies engaged for longer periods of time.
4. Promotes motor development
The use of visual stimulus cards also helps to promote motor development of the babies. Showing cards with various colours and patterns will draw the baby’s attention, making them turn their heads and bodies towards the cards. This can strengthen babies’ back and chest muscles, preparing them for rolling over and crawling. Parents can slowly move the cards in several different directions while making ensuring the baby’s gaze is following the movement to train the muscles of the eyes.
5. Enhances parent-child bonding
Playing visual stimulus cards is a good way to strengthen the bonding between parents and their babies. Parents can show the cards and explain to the babies each object on the cards to stimulate both the babies’ visual and auditory senses. They can enjoy a good time together especially when parents receive joy from the smiles and babbling from the baby and on the other hand, the baby develops early language and social skills.
“In the first several months of life, a baby’s wants are a baby’s needs”
–William Sears–
Credit to Quotes.pub
If you are interest to purchase these Stimulus Cards, visit Home N Co Malaysia on Shopee now! (PS: That’s the shop where my sister bought it for her kids!! 😁😁)
Article written by Teoh Jing Qi.
A current Psychology student that is passionate about students and the education field.
