Attention, Infant 0-6 Month

To do list from the book Bright From the Start, Jill Stamm, Gotham Books

• Deliberately attend to infant with frequent face-to-face time, bringing face within ten to twelve inches when speaking, using exaggerated expressions and mouth movements.

• Make direct eye contact with infant, trying to stimulate and maintain infant’s eye contact.

• Use rattle or other object for tracking across the midline, re-engaging infant’s eye contact countinuously on the object.

• Point out object while labeling objects and actions throughout the day.

• Speak to infant using parentese to engage infant’s auditory attention.

• Note time of day when infant is awake and alert. Use those times for deliberate interactions.

• Change/rotate toys or bright objects periodically for novelty.

• Use objects and toys with high contrast colors (red, yellow, black and wite) and high contrast patterns, such as stripes or checks, to attract infants’s attention. Gradually add other strong colors such as blue and green.

• Place mobiles and toys ten to twelve inches from infant’s face.

• Make faces at the infant and watch her imitate (e.g. sticking out you tongue).