Can you make your baby smarter? You bet - and you don't need special toys or videos to do it. In fact, YOU are the best IQ-boosting tool your baby has.
We’ve all seen them on TV at one time or another: child prodigies. The ones who can identify the presidents at two years old and tell you everything you want to know about dinosaurs at age six. The ones who sit at a grand piano with their feet dangling well above the floor and proceed to play a shockingly beautiful rendition of Für Elise. “It started at a very early age,” their mothers proclaim to the respective talk-show hosts. You look over at your own baby, drooling as he gnaws contentedly on a toy, and wonder if perhaps you have a prodigy of your own – a great untapped well of hidden talent just waiting to be revealed.
This is why books and videos such as the Baby Einstein series are flying off the store shelves, and why toys with some educational value are the hottest sellers. We all want our children to be intelligent. Maybe not the prodigies we see on television shows, but smart enough to get along well in life – and, let’s face it, smart enough to impress others with their intellect. It seems to be a universal desire, with parents the world over striving for the same result.
Case in point, Thailand; in 2005, under the direction of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Thai government began handing out gift sets to the parents of newborns. These gift sets contain items specially designed to boost the child’s IQ, including books, music CDs, multicolored blankets, soft toys and bath books. The Prime Minister said that a child’s brain is “like the CPU in a computer … the practice of thinking will develop different parts of the brain to work together and to boost the power of thinking.” He stated that these gift sets were being distributed in order to foster a generation of “quick and clever minds.”
But despite the trends, all the toys, books, music, and gadgets in the world can’t garner the same effect on Baby’s brain as the single most important learning tool: you, the parent. You can purchase the extras if it makes you feel better, but it’s the everyday, loving interactions you share with your baby that develop his brain the best.
About Baby’s Brain …
Your baby’s brain is an marvelous thing. At just four weeks gestation, before the baby even remotely resembles a human being, its neurons – the first brain cells – are forming at the astounding rate of 250,000 every minute. At birth, your baby’s brain contains one hundred billion of these neurons. In the first few years of his life, he will develop trillions of brain-cell connections; these are called neural synapses, and they’re built through external stimulation. In other words, the more stimulation you give your baby through interaction and language-enriching experiences, the better wired his brain’s neural connections and pathways will be. And the better his “wiring,” the better his language and reasoning skills will be. But it’s a use-it-or-lose-it concept; synapses that haven’t been connected via stimulation are automatically “weeded out” by the brain as the child grows. In her book Baby Prodigy: A Guide to Raising a Smarter, Happier Baby, author Barbara Candiano-Marcus gives this simple explanation: “My favorite analogy to illustrate how synapses are strengthened or discarded over time compares them to the trails created by travelers who are making their way through a previously uncharted wilderness. Footpaths that are frequently traveled soon become easily accessed and eventually become roadways that allow travelers to move quickly and efficiently. Other paths, which started out as equally possible routes but that are not traveled frequently, soon become overgrown, unused, and finally impassible.” Therefore, it is of utmost importance to shape your baby’s brain while it’s at its most pliable, during the first years when experiences build so much more than just memories.
Making Your Baby Smarter
Although a certain amount of a person’s intelligence is genetically inborn, there are definitely ways to maximize that innate brain power and give your baby (or toddler) an advantage.
Start before baby is born.
Even if your baby hasn’t even seen the outside world yet, you can still get a head start on boosting her brain by keeping yourself healthy. Children exposed to alcohol and/or illegal drugs in utero often have learning disabilities and severe behavioral problems, such as aggressiveness. Even cigarette smoke can be harmful to the mind of a growing fetus; studies show that children whose mothers smoked while they were pregnant have lower reading scores than children of nonsmoking mothers.
Get to know your DHAs.
You may have heard commercials for baby formula touting that their product is better because it contains “DHA.” The DHA they’re speaking of is docosahexaenoic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, and it’s important that a mother has a sufficient level of this compound during pregnancy in order to reap the benefits for Baby. A study conducted in 2004 showed that DHA plays a critical role in proper brain development. According to Salynn Boyles of WebMD Medical News, “Researchers found that infants born to mothers with higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at delivery had advanced levels of attention spans well into their second year of life. During the first six months of life, these infants were two months ahead of those babies whose mothers had lower DHA levels.” Natural sources of DHA include algae, fish, eggs, flaxseed oil and organ meats. Of all these sources, fish is by far the best. A general rule of thumb for measuring DHA content: the colder the water, the higher the omega-3 content in the fish oil. Atlantic cod and Pacific salmon are two examples of DHA-rich fish. If you don’t like fish, there are algae-based DHA supplements on the market.
Choose choline.
Choline supplements may also be beneficial in the prenatal development of your baby’s brain. Researchers at Duke University discovered that choline improves learning and memory in animals, and in the babies of those animals who received prenatal choline supplements. The theory is that choline “super-charges” the brain cells, making them larger and faster at sending off their electrical signals. However, be sure to consult with your doctor before you take anything other than your prenatal vitamin during pregnancy (which, by the way, is also important – so don’t skip a day!).
Breastfeed – or at least choose the right formula.
Remember the DHA that we just talked about? Well, another naturally occurring source of this particular omega-3 is breast milk. Breast milk also contains other compounds crucial to brain development, such as arachidonic acid (ARA), which is also an omega-3. Studies have shown that formula-fed babies may have IQs that are five to nine points below the IQ of breastfed babies. However, there’s a catch: infants who are fed formula enriched with DHA and ARA did not show this discrepancy in the study. So if you can’t breastfeed your baby, look for a formula that is enriched with these two important omega-3 fatty acids – DHA and ARA.
Make eye contact.
Even though babies’ vision is quite fuzzy for the first few months of life, they are still able to recognize faces from a very early age. So when your newborn’s eyes are open, take advantage and look into them; he is memorizing every detail that he can take in.
Make faces.
Even babies that are just a few days old have been shown to mimic facial movements and expressions. Stick out your tongue, raise your eyebrows, or form your mouth into an “O” shape and watch as your baby concentrates on imitating you.
Hold “conversations.”
Even when your baby is too young to talk back, you can be sure that language is still an important part of her life. She’s listening intently to your speech patterns and variations, and learning to understand you. In the early months, respond to her cooing noises by enthusiastically praising her, raising your voice to a higher pitch. Speak a bit more slowly, enunciate your words, and make sure there’s a lot of eye contact – you should be fairly close to your baby’s face when you talk to her.
Make the most of changing time.
When changing your baby’s diaper, use the time to teach body parts and articles of clothing. Or simply stroke your baby’s skin and hair; studies show that babies who aren’t touched enough have smaller brains than babies whose caregivers are physically affectionate.
Massage your baby.
It’s remarkable what the power of touch can do; it can actually help your baby grow. For example, premature babies who are massaged three times a day are ready to leave the hospital days earlier than babies who don’t get massages.
Use black, white, and red.
Very young babies – until they are about four months old – see black, white, and red better than any other colors, especially when they’re a part of bold, geometric patterns. These patterns are easy for Baby to focus on, and are said to be mentally stimulating. There are many products available on the market today that incorporate such colors and patterns, ranging from mobiles to blankets.
Sing a song.
Singing enhances Baby’s learning of rhymes, rhythms and speech patterns. It’s also good for bonding. Don’t worry; your baby won’t care if you don’t sound like Celine Dion!
Dance the day away.
Like singing, dancing helps your baby to learn rhythm. Plus it’s good for physical development, a good parent-child bonding experience, and just plain fun!
Build Baby’s trust.
Be attentive to your baby’s needs. Babies who are strongly emotionally attached to their parents get more out of exploration and learning. Your responsive soothing and cuddling also helps Baby build emotional intelligence by stimulating the limbic area of the brain, which relates to feelings. Babies who feel neglected are under stress, and stress impacts brain development.
Make Baby laugh.
Laughter is the best way to instill a sense of humor in your child. Tickling and playing games like “peek-a-boo” will also help Baby learn to anticipate events. And there are few things more satisfying than watching your baby laugh.
Read stories.
No matter how young your baby is, he will benefit from being read to. Choose books with large, brightly colored pictures and age-appropriate storylines (for very young infants, the content of the story doesn’t really matter; it’s your voice inflection that makes the most difference). Point at animal pictures and make the sound that the animal makes. Change your voice for each different character. Encourage Baby to talk with you about what happens next (even if he may not talk much yet). Read his favorites over and over, pointing at the words as you say them.
Keep in “touch.”
It’s important to give your baby lots of sensory experiences. Let her feel different textures and temperatures, and with each one, say, “This ice cube is cold,” or, “This sandpaper is rough.”
Describe tastes.
If your baby is eating foods other than breast milk or formula, you can begin teaching about different tastes. Identify each taste as sweet, sour, or salty as he eats.
Let Baby help.
Even toddlers can “help” with household chores. Laundry, for example, is a great way to teach her to distinguish between clean and dirty, wet and dry.
Teach Baby to sign.
Infants can learn basic sign language before they can even speak. Many companies are taking advantage of this fact by producing books, videos and toys designed to help babies communicate by using simple signs. Whether the benefit comes from the signing itself, or from the parent-child interaction involved in the teaching process, babies who sign seem to have markedly better communication skills.
Mirror, mirror.
Let Baby look at herself in a mirror. She’ll love seeing the “other” baby’s reactions.
Teach cause and effect.
Clue your baby in before you perform an action: “I’m going to turn off the light now.” This way, he learns to expect certain consequences, and learns to anticipate what causes them.
Love the library.
Most public libraries have scheduled story times or even puppet shows. Even if you miss these activities, the library can still be a wondrous place where your baby can have fun choosing the books he likes best.
Build the brain at bath time.
There are lots of fun things to do in the tub. Give your baby cups of different sizes and show her how to pour water from one cup to the other. Buy a package of soap crayons and practice writing different letters, or even her name, on the wall. Whip up a frothy mound of bubbles and give your baby a bubble beard or hairdo, then let her look in a mirror and laugh at her silly appearance.
Clean up.
As soon as your baby is physically able, have him help you pick up his toys. Keep each type of toy in a categorized plastic drawer or bin; for example, cars in one, dinosaurs in another. Go through a catalog to find a picture of each toy variety, cut the picture out, and tape it to the front of the appropriate drawer. He’ll learn organizational and categorization skills this way.
Allow for messy play.
As much of a mess as they may be, playthings such as finger paints, clay, and even sand, water, and mud are valuable creativity-building tools. Baby needs to be exposed to things he can squish, smear, and smudge, adding to his sensory experiences. Better yet, get “down and dirty” with him!
Be empathetic.
Emotional skills are just as important as cognitive skills. Help your baby learn about feelings, sharing, kindness, and thoughtfulness. When you’re reading a story and the character is sad, talk about it with Baby. Say why the character might be upset, and ask (if your baby is old enough to respond) how she thinks the character might be feeling. Let her see you do nice things for others, and interact with others in a polite manner. Remember, whether it seems that way or not, your baby is modeling her own behavior after yours!
Clue in to Baby’s cues.
Playing and interacting with your baby can be the best brain-building activity there is. When you make a face and Baby responds with a smile, coo, or giggle, you make an even more dramatic face – and this time, you may even get a full-fledged laugh out of Baby. Keep “reading” his reactions to determine what you should do next. Sometimes babies can get over-stimulated, so if he refuses to make eye contact, fusses, or turns away, you should stop trying to amuse him and let him return to his state of calm inactivity.
Color your world.
Use everyday situations – shopping at the grocery store, a trip to the park – as an opportunity to point out different colors to your baby. If she’s able, ask her to find specific colors and point them out to you.
Follow Baby’s preferences.
Figure out what he is particularly interested in, and run with it. If he seems fascinated by trains on TV, show him real ones. Check out books about trains at the library. You can foster an interest in learning if you start with things that he really likes.
Play some baby basketball.
You know how your baby likes to throw things off her high chair for Mommy or Daddy to pick up? Take advantage of the natural urge to play this game; not only will she have fun, she’ll be sharpening her motor skills. Put Baby in her chair and give her crumpled pieces of paper or tissues and encourage her to throw them into a bucket or bowl.
Be choosy with TV.
Unless you’re a family without a TV – very rare in today’s society – there are bound to be times when your baby seems glued to the tube. TV watching isn’t bad, but be selective about the programs that Baby is allowed to watch; even infants are more perceptive than they may seem. And limit television-watching time; creative play and interaction is worlds better than even the most educational children’s TV show.
Don’t underestimate Baby’s intelligence.
Many times when we talk to babies, we tend to use smaller words and even mispronounce them: “Does Baby need his wittle diapey changed?” Speaking in a higher-than-normal pitch isn’t a bad thing; it’s what you say that matters. Talk to your baby like you’d talk to an older child or even an adult, using words you normally use, not trying to “dumb down” your speech on Baby’s behalf. Babies whose parents speak to them frequently and use more “adult” words have better vocabularies and stronger language skills.
Be descriptive.
Your baby is always watching you, and she can benefit from a “running commentary” of sorts. Tell her what you’re doing, and why, as you go about your daily activities. Remember, even if she’s not talking, that doesn’t mean she isn’t listening and learning. According to author and speech pathologist Dorothy P. Dougherty, “The natural way for your baby to learn the meanings of words is to listen to you talk in relation to the events going on around you. In this manner, he will learn to associate the words you say with the actions, objects, or thoughts you describe.”
Take a hike.
Or just a stroll around the neighborhood. Either way, point out different sights, sounds, and smells to Baby as you go.
Teach Baby to socialize.
Social skills are a crucial part of Baby’s development. Whether it’s play groups, neighbors’ kids, or a couple of cousins, supervised play time with other children will not only help Baby develop social skills, but will offer plenty of mental stimulation at the same time.
Allow for natural curiosity.
Confinement to a playpen or bouncy seat may be convenient for you, but it’s not so great for your baby’s brain development. Make sure your baby has a relatively large, safe play area and let her crawl around and explore it. Place her favorite toys around the perimeter to encourage lots of movement.
Repeat … and repeat again.
Babies learn things by repetition, so be prepared to do things over and over.
Elaborate.
Provide extra information about familiar objects. For example, when Baby points and says, “Dog,” you respond enthusiastically with, “Yes – a big brown dog with a white chest!”
Keep Baby healthy.
Ensure that your baby is getting the proper nutrients, especially iron, and is physically active on a regular basis.
Give Baby some alone time.
Yes, I’ve spent practically this entire article saying that stimulation is good, that it helps boost your baby’s brain – and it does, to some extent. But trying too hard to keep things constantly stimulating can be exhausting, for both you and your baby. Make sure you intersperse your play and interaction time with quiet times that allow for Baby to learn to amuse herself. It helps to develop her attention span. And over-stimulation can lead to cranky and irritable behavior, which isn’t conducive to any sort of learning – so if you’re in baby’s face too much, you may be doing more harm than good in the long run.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on pricey flashcards or educational videos. While these extras can certainly be fun, the best way to give your baby a good start in the brain department is to spend ample time playing, talking, and cuddling. There’s nothing that Baby loves more than your attention – give out plenty of it, and you’ll both be richly rewarded.