Fun ways to make your baby’s world a whole lot brighter
When your baby is a newborn, their vision is blurry, and for the first few months they can only process the world in black and white, with shades of grey.
“Black and white books with simple lines and bold patterns are easier for newborn babies to see. The bold images stand out against a typically blurry world,” explains Lindsay Quayle, early years co-ordinator at the Scottish Book Trust.
But don’t worry. It won’t be long before your baby is ready for colour!
Seeing in colour
“Around the 3-month mark, babies start being able to distinguish between colours more easily and will start to perceive other colours as we see them,” says Sophie Pickles, baby and toddler development expert, aka @mummypickles.
‘At this stage they will start to tell the difference between colours, and will also notice shades of colour. They will enjoy bright primary colours as opposed to pastel and muted colours, which comes a little later at around 5 months,” she says.
So, what better way to let them explore and enjoy colour than through play? If you’re not sure where to start, try these colourful ideas for starters.
6 fun ways to introduce colour through play
1. Make a splash
Bathtime is a great way to bond with your baby and pass some time, especially if you’ve been stuck indoors. Add some brightly coloured bath toys, such as yellow ducks or squirty toys that can peep through the bubbles. Look for the ones they notice and how they react to them. If they have a favourite that may be because of its colour – or just because it squeaks or splashes the most!
2. Scarf play
“Use colourful sensory scarves or muslins to play with your baby,” says Sophie Pickles. “They will love watching the colours of the scarf as they move around. Try turning on some music and dancing together or use the scarf to play peekaboo. This is a much-loved game for babies that encourages bonding, physical skills, depth perception and helps to keep separation anxiety at bay which can typically rear its head at around 8 months old.”
3. Paint the rainbow
It’s never too soon to get creative and get those (washable!) baby-safe paints or colouring crayons out. Try painting rainbows, as this will let babies see a range of colours side by side, a full spectrum.
4. Pick up a baby book
Around this age is the perfect time to take advantage of that fast-developing colour vision. Grab those adorable baby books and spend time looking at the bright pictures on every page. See which colour they react to, if any, and offer lots of praise and cuddles with every smile or gurgle.
5. Play on a mat
At this age, playmats are perfect for babies. Not only do they allow weary parents a chance to sit down for 10 minutes while their baby is safely entertained (with you nearby), they’re also carefully designed to introduce colour, texture, sound and patterns.
“Playmats and play gyms are a great way to get your baby noticing different colours," says Sophie. You may notice they’re gravitating towards one particular colour, such as red or green – or that they are more interested in black and white or high contrast patterns. Either way, it can be an interesting insight into the stage of your baby's eye development, as well as their personal preferences,” she says.
6. Make a colourful ribbon ring
For this activity, Sophie recommends tying lengths of colourful ribbon to a bangle or a wooden spoon. “Your baby will enjoy watching the colours move as you waft the ribbons above their heads. This is a great way to develop eye strength and tracking, too,” she says. “As they reach 4 or 5 months, your baby will start to reach out and try to grab the ribbons as they perfect their hand-eye coordination skills.”
So, what are you waiting for? There are so many cute and colourful ways to play with your baby at this age. Enjoy it before they’re on the move and playtime becomes a whole different ball game!
