Even though crying is still your baby's strongest form of communication, he or she is also beginning to develop a sense of humor. Your baby may start to laugh at pleasant surprises, such as your face appearing from underneath a blanket or a toy popping out of a box, provided it isn't too loud or startling.

Encourage your baby's laughs, giggles, and smiles with funny faces and lots of general silliness. Babies enjoy hearing a variety of sounds, and you don't need special toys or instruments to create them. Simply click your tongue, whistle, or make animal noises – your baby will love it!

Exploring objects

Let your baby experiment and play with a variety of objects. Something as simple as a clean cloth diaper might occupy him or her for several minutes. Watch your baby suck on it, hold it, and discover what happens when he or she scrunches it up.

Your baby is probably delighted to shake a rattle, and may even be ready for bigger toys like an activity center or jumper.

Appreciation for a full range of colors

Babies see color from birth, but they have difficulty distinguishing similar tones, such as red and orange. (Babies can tell the difference between very different colors such as red, green, and yellow.) As a result, younger babies often prefer black and white or high-contrast patterns.

Now color differences become clearer, and your baby has started to distinguish between similar shades. Present a variety of colors in books, toys, and clothing.

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