Finger food for 8 month old baby uk
13 Best Finger Foods for Baby
Introducing finger foods for baby is an exciting and nerve-racking time. Between the mess, possible allergies and potential choking hazards, it’s enough to give some parents white knuckles as they hover over the high chair. But while you should certainly exercise caution, there are lots of great baby finger food ideas that will make mealtime fun and nutritious, and let your growing child practice the important art of self-feeding.
In this article:
When can babies eat finger foods?
Baby finger food safety
How to introduce new finger foods for baby
Best finger foods for baby
When Can Babies Eat Finger Foods?
There’s no hard and fast rule in terms of when babies can start eating finger foods, says William Dietz, MD, PhD, director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and co-editor of the American Pediatric Association’s (AAP) Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know. Rather than focusing on baby’s age, says Dietz, “the first indicator you should look for is that the baby is interested.” So how can you tell when baby’s interest is piqued? Reaching for the food as you’re feeding her, grabbing the bowl or spoon, putting the spoon in her mouth and fussing when she sees you eat (because she wants in!) are all signs your child may be ready. “Babies generally want to feed themselves,” Dietz says. “That’s a normal drive.”
Being able to sit independently is another good clue that babies are physically ready to try finger foods, says Susan M. McCormack, MA, senior speech language pathologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. If they can sit up in the high chair, then they might be ready to try their hand at finger foods.
Some guides suggest waiting to introduce baby finger foods until your child has mastered a pincer grasp—the ability to pick up small objects between the thumb and forefinger—but Dietz says this isn’t totally necessary.
“Initially when children start to feed themselves, they don’t have a pincer grasp,” he says. “So they’re using their whole hand and putting their hand in their mouth. And that’s fine.”
If you’re waiting for your infant to sprout teeth before moving on from purees, think again. “Babies don’t need teeth to learn to eat solids and learn to chew,” McCormack says. Those strong little gums are perfectly capable of mashing up soft solids—if you’ve ever let baby teethe on your finger, then you have some idea of just how powerful they are!
Baby Finger Food Safety
When choosing the best finger foods for baby—whether you’re starting at 6 months or 9 months—experts agree that it’s best to begin with small pieces of soft food that dissolve easily.
As your infant grows and becomes comfortable eating finger foods, you can branch out, McCormack says. “As a baby develops better tongue patterns to control food pieces as well as more mature chewing, he can better ‘chew’ the foods that break apart, like pieces of fruits and vegetables.
A one-year-old can also bite off pieces of food that a 6-month-old can’t.”
Avoid giving baby finger foods that are large, sticky or don’t dissolve easily, because they’re potential choking hazards, Dietz warns. He suggests steering clear of foods like hot dogs, carrots, nuts, grapes, popcorn, candy and globs of peanut butter.
Another thing to keep in mind when you’re picking out the best finger foods for babies is that a lot of adult foods—particularly snacks—can be super salty. “Often parents will doctor a food so it appeals to their tastes, and their taste may have bigger amounts of sodium than a baby’s taste,” Dietz says. When preparing food for baby, leave out the salt whenever possible. (You can always add it separately to your portion if you’re cooking for the family).
How to Introduce New Finger Foods for Baby
When babies first start on finger foods, breast milk and formula will still be their main source of nutrition, followed by purees. You should continue to spoon-feed your child initially, “but during the feeding process, they should also be allowed to feed themselves,” Dietz says.
Put some finger food on her high-chair tray and let her try to get it into her mouth in between the spoonfuls of food you’re feeding her. If she gets really frustrated, go ahead and help her out.
Most important, follow your child’s cues and “let your baby be the guide,” McCormack says. If he doesn’t respond positively, take a step back and try again later. But keep in mind that babies often crinkle up their faces when they try something new, which can look like they don’t like something, Dietz says. It can take up to 20 times before they’re used to certain foods. “Parents shouldn’t force food, but they should be persistent in offering,” Dietz says.
McCormack also suggests easing into finger foods by offering thicker purees with a bit of texture to them. “Try alternating bites of the smooth puree with a slightly thicker or mashed food to help your baby get used to the new textures in her mouth,” she says.
Remember, too, that this is a messy process. Parents might want to lay newspaper or an easy-to-clean vinyl tablecloth on the floor, since it’ll be a while (like, years) before your kid manages to get more food in his mouth than on the floor, Dietz advises.
Finally, never leave baby unattended while she’s eating, and keep an eye out for signs of choking. It may be tempting to hold off on introducing finger foods until your child is older, but helping baby develop this skill has multiple benefits, McCormack says, including “development of independence, fine motor skills and self-feeding skills, as well as development of oral patterns to support texture progression.” Whether you start baby finger foods at 6 or 9 months, just follow baby’s lead and let him have fun with it.
Best Finger Foods for Baby
If you’re looking for baby finger food ideas, think about options that are soft, small and easily gummed. Here are a few of the best finger foods for baby to get started—including finger foods for baby with no teeth! While the same finger foods are as appropriate for a 6-month-old as they are for a one-year-old baby, you can begin to offer slightly larger pieces that they can bite off themselves as they become more confident.
Stick with these healthy options, and you’ll start baby off on the right path for healthy eating.
Image: The Bump
1. Puffs and dry cereal. Puffs and O-shaped dry cereal are some of the most popular first finger foods for good reason: They let baby practice the pincer grasp by picking up one at a time. And as McCormack explains, they also “mix well with saliva and are easy for the infant to manage in their mouth without choking.”
2. Teething biscuits and lightly toasted bread. Teething biscuits and small pieces of lightly toasted bread are another great starter finger food, since they soften quickly. Just note that some breads can turn gummy and stick in baby’s mouth; lightly toast the bread and cut into very small pieces to avoid a choking hazard. As baby gets older (around 9 to 12 months), you can offer slightly larger pieces or serve bread topped with mashed banana or avocado, or a super-thin layer of hummus or peanut butter.
3.
Scrambled eggs. Doctors used to advise waiting to introduce eggs, but the AAP now recommends early exposure to potentially allergenic foods. Which is great news, since scrambled eggs are an ideal early finger food! Keep your love of runny yolks to yourself for now, however, and cook those eggs thoroughly, cut into small pieces and avoid adding salt.
4. Soft fruit. Very ripe fruit is naturally soft, making them some of the best finger foods for babies. Ripe banana, peach, watermelon, raspberries, blueberries and cantaloupe cut into small pieces are all great finger food options.
5. Avocado. A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids—which can help boost baby’s brain development—avocados are, like puffs, often one the first baby finger foods, even when your little one has no teeth. Be warned: Avocado can get messy fast, but it’s well worth it (and can result in some hilarious pics for the baby album).
6. Pasta. Though recipes often recommend cooking pasta al dente, when it comes to feeding baby, you’ll want to slightly overcook it so it’s nice and soft.
To start, try small pasta shapes like orzo or mini shells, or cut up fusilli or penne. Initially serve it plain, but as baby is introduced to more foods you can toss the pasta in a little butter, olive oil or low-sodium tomato sauce.
7. Tofu. Whether cooked or uncooked, tofu is a wonderful plant-based source of protein and a perfect finger food for babies. Opt for firm tofu, which is still quite soft, as opposed to soft or silken tofu, which will likely fall apart in baby’s hand and frustrate her.
8. Cooked vegetables. Though it will be a while before baby can hit the crudités platter, cooked vegetables make excellent baby finger foods. To get the most nutrients out of your vegetables, steam or roast them until soft, and, of course, cut them into small pieces. Try sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower or beets (opt for yellow beets for less mess) to start. As baby gets bigger, you can offer steamed carrot sticks or peeled, roasted sweet potato wedges.
9. Cheese. If baby has shown no signs of a dairy allergy, then it’s perfectly safe to introduce soft cubes of cheese as early as 6 months. Opt for small bites of a pasteurized cheese that’s soft but not overly sticky or stinky, like Monterey Jack or cheddar.
10. Beans. Looking for more protein-rich, vegetarian baby finger foods? Try beans. Opt for canned, low-sodium beans for convenience, or soak and cook dry beans yourself to save money (they’ll freeze well too!). When first introducing beans, smash them just a bit between your fingers before serving to baby.
11. Homemade muffins. While store-bought muffins are often loaded with sugar, there are plenty of healthy muffin recipes out there. Use whole-wheat flour, sweeten with applesauce instead of sugar and add healthy ingredients like mashed banana or grated zucchini. Bake in a mini muffin tin or use a standard-size tin, and, once baked, break off into small pieces for baby.
12. Meat. After soft foods, diced chicken breast and ground beef are pediatrician-approved next-stage finger foods for baby. Just make sure they’re thoroughly cooked and cut into very small pieces.
13. Fish. Fish is another allergenic food that doctors now say can be introduced before baby is a year old. Be sure it’s thoroughly cooked, and opt for a low-mercury fish like flounder, cod or salmon. Most important, make sure to remove any tiny bones.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Baby-Led Weaning Basics
Why Variety Matters in Baby’s First Foods
The Dos and Don’ts of Homemade Baby Food
Best Finger Foods for Babies: The Ultimate Guide
The transition from mushy foods to solid finger foods is a big step in your little one’s development.
At this stage, it’s completely natural for you to have a lot of questions. Wondering whether your little one is ready for finger foods? Or whether it’s the right time? Check out the following article to find answers to these questions and more. We’ve also added a handy list of the best finger foods to help your baby explore the world of food.
Introducing Finger Foods to Your Baby
Introducing your baby to solid foods is often referred to as weaning or complimentary feeding. As these names suggest, it doesn’t involve an instant transition from breastmilk or formula to solid foods, but rather a gradual introduction to a varied diet.
You can start to introduce finger foods in your baby’s diet when they’re around 6 months old. This age tends to coincide with the time your baby starts to develop fine motor skills such as their pincer grasp and making chewing motions. Combined with the ability to sit up, these are great indications that your little one is ready to start venturing into solid foods.
We can all be a little fussy when it comes to food. The same applies to our little ones. It may take 10 tries or more for your baby to accept a new food. Perseverance is key. You can always try introducing new foods one at a time to let your baby get used to them in their own time. Some believe this approach can decrease fussiness when it comes to introducing new foods, including finger foods, to your baby. We recommend consulting your child’s GP if you’d like to learn more about this approach.
Some parents prefer to try baby-led weaning over spoon feeding. Giving your baby finger foods can help your little one learn to feed themselves, marking another step toward gaining independence. What’s more, self-feeding can be a fun new activity for your baby. Sure, a good amount may end up on the floor. But the fact that they’re embarking on this new exciting step in their development is something to be proud of.
In Summary Introducing finger foods as soon as your baby starts eating solids is a great way to help them perfect their pincer grasp and other motor skills. |
This important stage in development typically takes place at around 6 months old.
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First Finger Foods for Your Baby
Check out the following list of fingers foods for some inspiration:
soft cooked vegetables, such as carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnip, butternut squash
fruit (soft, or cooked without adding sugar), such as apple, pear, peach, melon, banana
grabbable bits of avocado
cooked starchy foods, such as potato, sweet potato, cassava, pasta, noodles, chapatti, rice
pulses, such as beans and lentils
fish without bones
hardboiled eggs
meat without bones, such as chicken and lamb
sticks of pasteurised full-fat hard cheese (choose lower salt options)
It’s important that finger foods are cut up into pieces big enough for your baby to hold in their hand with a bit sticking out.
As a rule of thumb, the pieces should be around the size of your finger. This reduces the risk of choking.
In Summary Small chunks of food in a wide variety of flavours, colours, and textures are a great way to get your little one excited about food. They can include soft cooked veggies; soft cooked fruits; cooked starchy foods; pulses; fish and meat without bones; hard-boiled eggs; and sticks of pasteurised full-fat cheese. |
Finger Food Safety
During this time babies are more likely to swallow foods without chewing them, whether they have a few baby teeth coming in or they have no teeth. There is a difference between gagging and choking. Gagging is a completely normal reflex and typically loud. Choking, on the other hand, is quiet. It is often accompanied by the following symptoms:
Sudden cough
Trouble breathing
Gasping or wheezing
Skin turning bluish
Appearing panicked
Being unable to talk, cry or make a noise
Becoming limp or unconscious.
Avoid giving any finger foods that require a grinding action to chew (this type of chewing is typically mastered around the age of 4), as these may pose a choking risk.
Offer finger foods that are soft, easy to swallow, and broken or cut into pieces that your baby cannot choke on. A good rule of thumb is that soft and mushy finger foods are safe for your baby. Small, round, coin-shaped, hard, chewy, crunchy, slippery, or sticky foods may lead to choking.
Here’s a list of foods you should avoid giving your little ones and the reasons why:
Sugary snacks, which may result in tooth decay.
Raw jelly cubes, which may get stuck in your baby’s throat.
Salty foods like bacon, sausages, crisps, ready meals, takeaways and gravy as salt can damage a baby’s kidneys.
Soft cheeses that can contain listeria, including cheeses such as brie, chevre, roquefort and unpasteurized cheeses.
Honey, which is capable of causing infant botulism.
Raw shellfish, which can increase the risk of food poisoning.
Shark, swordfish or marlin due to high mercury content, which is capable of damaging your baby’s growing nervous system.
Whole nuts and peanuts due to the risk of choking.
Fresh pate made from meat, fish or vegetables due to the risk of food poisoning.
In Summary Whether your baby has teeth or not, they’ll be more likely to swallow finger foods without first chewing them, which is why it’s important not to offer foods that can cause choking. Foods to avoid include sugary snacks; raw jelly cubes; salty foods; soft cheeses; honey; raw shellfish; shark, swordfish or marlin; whole nuts and peanuts; and fresh pate. |
Note on Food Allergies
The NHS recommends introducing foods that can trigger allergic reactions one at a time and in very small amounts so you can stop any reaction.
This approach can help reduce your baby’s chances of developing food allergies later on. However, if you notice any sneezing, a runny nose, wheezing, a red, itchy rash or a worsening of asthma or eczema, your baby may be allergic to these foods.
The following foods may trigger an allergic reaction:
Cows’ milk
Eggs
Foods containing gluten
Nuts and peanuts
Seeds
Soya
Shellfish
Fish
RELATED ARTICLE
If your baby does not react to them, these foods should be introduced to your baby’s diet from around 6 months. Your baby is more likely to be allergic to these foods if
food allergies run in your family
your baby is known to have an egg allergy
your baby has eczema.
We recommend talking to your health visitor of GP if any of the above apply to your little one.
FAQs AT A GLANCE
Soft cooked veggies; soft cooked fruits; cooked starchy foods; pulses; fish and meat without bones; hard-boiled eggs; and sticks of pasteurised full-fat cheese are all great foods to introduce to your baby’s diet.
It’s important to make sure that whatever you’re serving is cut into small pieces so that your baby doesn’t choke on a piece that’s too big.
Some finger foods can be a choking hazard for your baby and should be avoided. For this reason, it’s best to avoid raw jelly cubes, whole nuts and peanuts, and other foods that aren’t small, round, coin-shaped, hard, chewy, crunchy, slippery, or sticky.
As soon as your baby starts solid foods, it’s great to encourage them to start touching and exploring food by introducing finger foods. This typically begins at around 6 months. Your baby may also be using their pincer grasp by this time, which will make it easier to eat independently.
The Bottom Line
You can start to introduce finger foods in your baby’s diet when they’re around 6 months old. This age tends to coincide with the time your baby starts to develop fine motor skills such as their pincer grasp and making chewing motions.
Combined with the ability to sit up, these are great indications that your little one is ready to start venturing into solid foods.
In the beginning, you’ll want to introduce finger foods that are soft and easy to swallow, since babies at this age tend to swallow instead of chew even if they have a few baby teeth. Soft cooked fruit and vegetables are great options. You can also introduce cooked starchy foods, like potato, sweet potato, pasta, noodles and rice, provided they are cut into small pieces.
Avoid raw jelly cubes, whole nuts and peanuts, and other foods that aren’t small, round, coin-shaped, hard, chewy, crunchy, slippery, or sticky. All these items can pose a choking hazard.
Transitioning to finger foods marks a big step in your baby’s development and independence. It might be a little messy at first, but you’ll both get the hang of it soon enough. Learn more about developmental milestones for your 6-month-old baby.
How We Wrote This Article
The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the National Health Service (NHS).
The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.
Finger food - Encyclopedia Baby food
Viktoria Levchuk©
Finger food is baby food prepared in the form of pieces of boiled soft food so that the child can independently take it and transfer it to the mouth, chew it or swallow it without anyone help and any problems.
Finger food is a fun way to encourage the development of motor coordination and skills for biting, chewing and self-feeding. Food in pieces should be easy to grasp by children's fingers and long-term storage, and should not contain bones or seeds.
As soon as the child begins to take food with his fingers and put it into his mouth with reasonable hand-eye coordination, then the fun begins! Let your child experiment with soft snacks such as a banana or peach that can be “hand-mashed” to the right consistency.
The more a child experiments with finger food, the faster he will masterfully feed himself.
Finger food helps keep a child's food interest. As soon as he begins to feed himself on his own, then new taste horizons open up for him. What child refuses to try to bring the product to his mouth on his own, even if he didn’t really like it before.
Contents:
Very often mothers think at what age should they give finger food to their baby.
Honestly, even for me it's a difficult question. It's just that sometime between eight and nine months, the baby began to eat small pieces of food. The change in the consistency of food by age is very well described in the WHO recommendation, so it should be guided by.
Food consistency up to a year. Click on me!!!
However, you should not do it blindly and try to feed the baby in pieces at a certain age, perhaps he will not be ready yet. Children are all different, some want food in pieces, almost from the beginning of complementary foods, others are not ready for lumpy food for up to a year or more.
Therefore, any decision on finger food is made based on the child and his readiness. An excellent preparation for finger food is a nibbler, which will prepare the child for lumpy food.
The child has no teeth
Click on me!!!A child's gums are incredibly strong, as is the tongue, so the number of teeth is not an indicator of whether to give finger food or not. If the decision has been made to start complementary foods and the baby is doing well with mashed foods, then you can safely start giving small pieces of soft food when the baby is ready for it. At this stage, it is important to let the child try to eat food of a different consistency, more complex, in order to train the maxillofacial apparatus. Thus, the child gradually prepares for the full chewing of food with the help of the entire jaw, teeth and tongue.
Knowing if finger food is safe for a child
A good rule of thumb to help prevent choking is to avoid anything hard (e.
g. raw carrots), round (e.g. whole grapes), sticky (e.g. , spoon of nut butter) or too much gummies (such as gummies). At first, the child is given pieces of food in the form of sticks, which can be easily clamped in the child's chick, later, when the child begins to control the finger grip better, you can move on to cubes. At first, finger food should be soft, boiled and melt in your mouth. As a child learns to manage with such products, it is possible to complicate the task and switch to fresh soft foods, etc.
Foods that squeeze easily between fingers are good for older children and for younger children. Around 16-18 months, many babies are ready for more complex textures. During this period, cutting food into pea-sized pieces is also a good idea - many babies tend to put large pieces of food in their mouths, so small cubes are used to avoid choking. We always adjust the sizes of products according to the age and eating experience of our own child.
Usually the first finger food is biscuits or baby biscuits, which are very soft and dissolve easily in the mouth. The baby first sucks it, procrastinates, and learns to roll pieces of food in the mouth with the help of the tongue. A little later, when the teeth appear, you can give the product a little harder, for example, a soft apple, some parents play it safe and give a baked apple without a peel. Later, as new foods, vegetables and fruits are introduced into complementary foods, they are offered in the form of finger food, such as boiled broccoli or cauliflower. In general, the child can be offered almost all products in the form of finger food, which is introduced into baby food.
Should the product be peeled or not?
We give an apple to a child without a peel. The first finger foods in the form of vegetables and fruits are given without skins. Yes, the skin of many fruits and vegetables contains valuable nutrients. It is often recommended to leave the skin on in order to take full advantage of the nutrients contained in the product.
But removing the top layer from fruits and vegetables helps reduce the amount of pesticides that may be in the product. Peeling fruits and vegetables helps avoid choking hazards due to the rough texture of the skins. The peel also usually sticks to the palate in the child's mouth, thereby hindering him, and can be there for a long time, and when the child swallows, the probability of choking in the absence of an adult nearby is higher. Getting rid of the skin at the beginning of complementary foods also helps prevent disorders
digestion. And we also take into account that there are some vegetables and fruits, such as pumpkin and avocado, which need to be peeled, because their peel is really inedible. It is not worth getting rid of the product from the peel for a long time, only at first. Usually the first couple of months of complementary foods and exposure to finger food. Then the product with the peel is given to the child in the presence of an adult, after which it is advisable to check the baby's mouth to see if he swallowed everything.
Forcibly open your mouth should not be, play the game "Show your tongue or where are your teeth." By the age of 1.5, the child copes well with the peel of fruits and vegetables, if it is too rough, then it easily spits it out.
Choking
The presence or absence of teeth does not mean that a child can chew. Sometimes children can bite off a piece of food, try to swallow it whole and choke, so never leave a child alone while eating. Some children can store food in their mouths like hamsters, so we always check to make sure the child has swallowed everything before leaving the kitchen. You can read the article on suffocation here.
Our finger foods
At first I gave biscuits to my first child, later I switched to a fresh apple, mostly fresh fruits, he sucked and procrastinated them more than he ate. Later, food appeared in the form of a toy, i.e. we crumbled it, crushed it, and sometimes something got into our mouths. However, since breast milk is always given at the end of complementary foods, I was not too worried about whether the baby was full or not.
With the second child, finger food was a gradual transition from the nibbler. We used it for about a month, then I ventured to give the first pieces of food. But to be honest, the child himself tried the first pieces of food, namely, he stole an apple and took a bite. The first experience of finger food is always scary, because at first the child often coughs and spits out food, he is learning, so it is important to be with the child, if something goes wrong, then the parent will be able to provide first aid. I remind you that the child is suffocating quietly, not a single sound. If he coughs, clears his throat, then everything is within the normal range, you need to help get rid of the food that interferes. Rules for helping with choking know before introducing finger food into complementary foods. It is imperative to look and study, and then give a new consistency of complementary foods.
Of course, at first, only one type of finger food is placed in front of the baby, later a plate is bought, divided into three to five sections, which is filled with finger food.
The baby is already given a choice of what to eat, so you can easily determine the taste preferences in nutrition.
Finger food quick hacks
- The first finger food should be well kneaded between the gums.
- Food in pieces should be age appropriate - do not offer whole eggs to an 8 month old baby .
- If the child cannot raise his head and sit up without help, do not offer him finger food.
- The child should always sit in an upright position, not walk, especially at the first meeting, when he is offered baby food in the form of pieces, to avoid suffocation.
- NEVER leave your child unattended when serving finger food.
Examples of finger food
The first finger food is a biscuit or a baked apple. Those. food that does not need to be chewed, it melts easily in the mouth without additional help from the child. You can start with foods that have been well received by the child in a pureed form on a spoon, serving them in convenient cubes or pieces - the size of a pea for harder items, the size of a stick or wedge for softer foods.
Examples of finger food are:
Click me!!!- pieces of soft bread or crackers
- Soft cheese, Chedder or Mozarella
- Banana
- Ripe pear without peel
- Ripe soft green apple without a peel, the first time you can give boiled
- Boiled cabbage
- . carrots
- Boiled potatoes
- Boiled green peas
- Boiled pumpkin
- Boiled fish
- Boiled meat in the form of meatballs
- Pasta
- Quail eggs, etc.
*All products must be familiar to the child or introduced into complementary foods.
Finger Foods to Avoid
When it comes to feeding your baby with morsels, the biggest problem is preventing choking. So we do not allow him to eat anything without the presence of parents or any adult nearby. And we exclude any food that can get stuck in the child's airways:
Click me!!!- Popcorn,
- Nuts, peanuts,
- raisins and other dried fruits,
- raw vegetables (e.
g. carrots), - grapes,
- Cherries without bones, hard fruit and vegetables with a peel of
- Zhivalino Confinctions
- popcorn, pretzels, corn chips and other snack foods
- marshmallows, etc.
Most doctors do not recommend these foods until the child can eat them safely - around 4 years (although it depends on the child, closer to 3 or 5 years).
Development of vision in children of the first year of life
In the first year of life, the child's visual perception develops very rapidly. Let's see how this happens.
While still in the womb, around the 28th week, the baby begins to react to bright light and may blink his eyes. Having been born , the baby finds himself in a world completely unfamiliar to him, filled with new smells, sounds, sensations, objects ... Nature took care of the newborn and protected him from such an abundance of information, reducing his perception and making his vision "imperfect" (children can to distinguish light and shadow, to see blurry blurred contours of objects).
Nature also endowed the baby with a set of unconditioned (innate) visual reflexes that help him adapt to the world around him: a pupillary reflex to light, closing of the eyelids (a protective reflex to a sudden bright light) and a short-term reflex of turning the eyes and head to the light source.
However, according to the results of recent studies (England, Italy, Great Britain, etc.), it turned out that children intuitively use their eyesight from birth to establish contact and communicate with their mother, and already 15 hours after birth they can recognize her face. And a little later, during communication, meet her eyes and focus on her face.
On the 7th-10th day the child has attempts to follow a slowly moving object, the movements of the pupils are spasmodic, slow and inconsistent with each other. But already by 3-4 weeks the baby begins to look at objects with both eyes at the same time, while eye movements become smoother, concentration is longer, and contours are clearer.
Light and "object" stimulation from the very first days of a child's life (bright toy, black and white images, clear contours, contrasting images, rounded and straight lines, moving objects, etc.) and, of course, the mother's face and eyes - all this serves as the basis for the formation of the visual system and its functions.
During the 2-3rd month of life, the child begins to master the near space. He is improving visual acuity - from the ability to detect an object to the ability to distinguish and recognize it. The child notices the size, color, shape, texture, volume, location, distance of static and moving objects. But it is still difficult for him to switch his attention from one object to another. It will be easier for the baby to look away if you distract him with something. During this period of time, the baby begins to feel interest in his hands, and in his brain there is a connection between what the child sees and what his hands do. Up to three months, classes with the baby should be short - no more than 2-3 minutes.
In parallel with the development of vision, color perception develops. A baby almost from birth is able to perceive and recognize colors: first red, yellow, a little later green and blue. Therefore, starting from the middle of the first month, the child needs to start showing colored solid toys and cards. You may notice that if the baby is first shown a toy of one color, and then another, he will look at the new one for a longer time - this is how the visual memory of the crumbs begins to develop.
By the end of the 3rd month the child develops the ability to establish visual-auditory and visual-motor connections. Now the baby is learning to observe: he does not just see the object, but looks at it intently and follows its movements for a long time. If the object disappears from his field of vision, the baby turns his head after him, thereby expanding his horizons and forming a stable field of vision. At this age, the baby learns to independently look from one object to another.
In the 4th month , the grasping reflex develops in children. Using visual cues, the baby stretches out his arms and "stumbles" on the toys. Gradually, the interactions of "eyes and hands" become more coordinated, and the baby can purposefully take what he sees. At the same age, the baby learns to perceive his reflection in the mirror.
By five months the child takes the toy from the hands of an adult, tries to hold it, acts with it. He distinguishes colors, size and shape of objects. Allocates mother and recognizes "friends" - "strangers" in appearance.
From the second half of the year of life, the baby begins to explore distant space, his interest in the environment increases. A variety of actions with objects introduce the child to their properties, teach them to find differences, develop coordination, accuracy and dexterity of movements. Crawling and walking allow you to form visual-spatial landmarks.
At 8-9 months visual perception becomes more subtle - the baby notices small objects (a speck on the floor, a pebble on the ground, a mole on the arm, etc.
), with pleasure looking at pictures in books, isolating individual details (eyes a cat, the sun in the sky, etc.). The baby comprehends the meaning of what he saw and understands that things and people continue to exist, even if he does not see them yet.
By the end of the first year , children already know how to distinguish contrasting objects - a cube and a ball, a cone and a pyramid, a cat and a hare, a plate and a cup, etc.
How can you help your baby develop visual perception:
Vision develops only when it is used
• From birth, in order to establish contact with the mother, it is important for a child to see her face. Look at your baby as often as possible, communicate with him, smile. To help your baby see you better, lift and hold his head slightly.
• Decorate your child's room and bed. Toys, scraps of fabrics, color pictures, cards with graphic drawings can be attached to the walls of the crib.
Arrange large toys on the shelves, hang drawings on the walls, you can tie balloons to the chandelier. Replace the old exposure with a new one every week.
• In the first month, let the baby look at contrasting and simple images (for example, a black line on a white background, but the baby will not appreciate the pale and complex pictures anyway).
• For the first month, show the baby objects at a distance of 20-30 cm, after 1.5 months - 40 cm, and so gradually increase up to 70 cm.
• Offer your baby as many objects and pictures as possible to look at, feel, touch and "take apart".
• Do not be carried away by the development of only visual-orienting reactions. For a holistic perception of the child, it is important to stimulate and interact with all his organs: hearing, touch (taste), smell, tactile sensations.
What you need to know about baby's vision development
10 days. Looks into the eyes of an adult.
Squinting in too bright light.
Keeps a moving object in view (step addition).
18-20 days. Focuses on an immovable object and on the face of an adult speaking to it.
1 month Attempts to follow a slowly moving bright object or an adult's face at a distance of 20-40 cm. Notices objects, examines them for a short time.
1.5 months Fixes a steady gaze on an adult's eyes.
He smiles when he sees the face of a familiar adult.
Follows the object when it is taken a little to the side.
2 months For 1-2 minutes, he can visually focus on a stationary object.
Examines the details of an adult's face, objects, patterns.
Prefers to look at contrasting simple shapes: black and white stripes, circles and rings.
Distinguish between "own" and "foreign" faces.
3 months Moves the gaze to the object that has appeared in the field of view: from the side, from above, from below.
Follows an object moving in all directions, the face of an adult at a distance of 20-80 cm.
Can visually focus in a vertical position (on the hands of an adult) on the face of an adult talking to him, on a toy.
Looks at the object he is holding in his hand.
Waits for the appearance of an object that has disappeared from its field of vision.
4 months Observes a moving object, shifts his gaze and turns his head in its direction.
Examines volume objects with interest.
Recognizes a loved one (rejoices) and familiar objects.
Purposefully stretches out his hand to the object that he sees (coordination of movement and vision appears).
Focuses on objects within 3 meters.
5 months Distinguishes close people from strangers in appearance.
Reacts differently to the face of a familiar and unfamiliar adult.
Surprised by objects placed "upside down".
Take turns looking at the toys shown to him.
6 months Sees large interesting objects that are far from him (near the opposite wall).
Shows with a glance at the object in front of him, about which he was asked (“where is the pyramid?”).
Tries to crawl to the seen object (there is a relationship between vision and movement)
7 months. Examines individual details of objects (wheels for cars, pyramid rings).
Tries to divide an object into parts, disassemble a building (for example, a tower from a designer)
He searches with his eyes for an object that has disappeared from his field of vision.
When asked "where" he looks at objects that have a permanent place (clock, window, bed, etc.)
8 months For a long time he looks at everything that he meets on the way (for example, on a walk)
When asked “where”, he finds objects with his eyes that can be located anywhere (ball, cat, etc.
