Recognizing familiar faces (including your own) is an enormous treat for your baby as he or she learns to identify people by name and association.
Appropriate for:
6 months to 1 year
Skills developed:
Pattern recognition, fine motor
What you'll need:
A small photo album – the type where the photos slide into clear plastic pockets
Buy a small photo album (one that holds 3-by-5- or 4-by-6-inch photos – one photo per page is the best) and fill it with snapshots of your baby and the people in his or her life. In addition to relatives and family friends, include pictures of babysitters or caregivers, neighbors, and other babies and children you know, along with favorite pets and toys.
Sit with your baby and show him or her the photos. Since your baby's pincer grasp (with forefinger and thumb) is starting to develop, he or she will soon learn to grab the pages and start to really look at the pictures and point at them.
Your baby may react to familiar faces with excitement, or he or she might just be mesmerized by the parade of colorful images. Either way, store the album on a low bookshelf or in the toy box for later viewing together. It'll be a favorite.