Finding Ways My Baby Uses Her Eyes

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How does your baby use her eyes? Complete these activities to find out.

1. Find a bright ball, shiny spoon, a mirror, or any toy your baby likes. Hold it close to your baby. What does he/she do? Check as many as you see.
   • Gets still
   • Eyes get bigger
   • Gets quiet
   • Looks at it while you count to 3
   • Doesn't really look at it; looks around
   • Keeps moving
   • Keeps making sounds
   • Fusses
   • Looks away, pulls back
   • Yawns
   • Makes faces
2. Now move it far away from the baby (the length of your arm). Now what does he/she do? Check as many as you see.
   • Gets still
   • Eyes get bigger
   • Gets quiet
   • Looks at it while you count to 3
   • Doesn't really look at it; looks around
   • Keeps moving
   • Keeps making sounds
   • Fusses
   • Looks away, pulls back
   • Yawns
   • Makes faces
3. Now, hold it very close to the baby's face (1 to 2 inches, right at his/her face). What does he/she do? Check as many as you see.
   • Gets still
   • Eyes get bigger
   • Gets quiet
   • Looks at it while you count to 3
   • Doesn't really look at it; looks around
   • Keeps moving
   • Keeps making sounds
   • Fusses
   • Looks away, pulls back
   • Yawns
   • Makes faces

Get two pieces of white paper. On one of them, draw bright red circles in the shape of a bull's eye. On the other piece, draw a big circle and fill it in with a lighter softer color (pink, yellow, peach, etc.). Hold them together close enough for your baby to see. Hold them far enough apart from each other so you can tell which one your baby looks at. Notice:

1. Does your baby look at each of them? Yes or No
2. Does your baby look at one of them more than the other? Yes or No
3. If so, which one?
4. Which one do you think your baby likes best?
5. How can you tell?