Babies Mimic Movement – Shaping Lips

A baby’s ability to focus on his parents’ animated facial expressions is the foundation of the development of visual attention in these face-to-face interactions. In the early months babies respond to drawn-out vowel sounds and consonant combinations that grow in intensity. Parents can engage their baby: by their focused attention, exaggerated facial expressions, smiling and vocalizing.

A recent study published by Florida scientists discovered that around 6 months babies start to study mouths when people talk to them to figure out how the shape of their lips makes the sound they are hearing. This new research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Even newborns mimic a parent’s tongue game that has been well documented by Andrew N. Meltzoff, Ph.D.

Visit our Baby Guide, Month 1 Slider to view a baby’s focused attention on his mother’s mouth in her tongue wiggle-waggle game. Be patient and notice how your baby responds.

• Download the Amazing Babies Moving eChapters 1 and 2 to learn more.