50 Ways to build your baby's brain

How can you help your baby with crucial brain development?  Maybe not in ways you'd expect. 

Babies' brains grow and develop through sensory stimulation, attachment and the repetition of interesting activities.

Here's 50 simple ways to build your baby's brain.

1. Breastfeed.
2. Read to your baby, and repeat some favorite books often.
3. Wear your baby in a sling or pouch.
4. Massage your baby.
5. Sing lullabies.
6. Play different types of music.
7. Watch fish in a fish tank together.
8. Stroke a cat or dog's fur with baby's hand and talk about how soft it is.
9. Hold your baby in front of a mirror.  Encourage her to smile and see "that baby" smile back.
10. Expose baby to nature, such as the feel of grass and sand on toes.
11. Talk to your baby.
12. Have some visually interesting patterns around baby, especially black and white ones in the early months.
13. Play peek-a-boo.
14. Give baby cloth books and toys that crinkle and stimulate the senses.
15. Recite nursery rhymes.
16. Respond right away to cries and meet baby's needs.
17. Smile at your baby and make eye contact.
18. Give baby rattles and other noise makers.
19. Give baby "butterfly kisses" -- light touches on his back or belly.
20. Allow older babies to learn about cause and effect, such as by dropping a toy off of a high chair again and again.
21. Show baby pictures of other babies and children.
22. Wiggle your fingers for baby to watch.
23. Gently touch your baby's hand to a variety of textures and surfaces like brick, silk and velvet, and talk about how they feel.
24. Give your baby safe toys that provide soothing sensory stimulation, as opposed to overly bright, loud plastic toys.
25. Allow your baby to interact with other babies and young children.
26. Play with your baby.
27. Be silly for your baby, doing things like making funny faces or putting a funny object on your head and calling it a hat.
28. Give your older baby objects to explore, such as cups to stack and nestle, pans to bang with a wooden spoon, and balls to roll.
29. Expose baby to a variety of healthy and interesting tastes when he's old enough, such as mashed avocado, banana, sweet potato and organic tofu.
30. Give your baby musical instruments to use, such as bells, hand drums and maracas (aim for unpainted materials to avoid lead risks from some paints).
31. Carry your baby facing out when she's alert, so she can watch the world.
32. Give your older baby foods to interact with, such as rice cereal tinted with some mashed strawberry on the high chair tray.  He can smear it, taste it, smack it and otherwise explore it.
33. Help your baby safely play in the bath.
34. Play patty cake.
35. Laugh together.
36. Give baby a few objects in his environment with time and quiet to explore them at his own pace.
37. Rock your baby.
38. Mimic baby's sounds and facial expressions.
39. Show baby how to clap hands.
40. Watch the ocean or other soothing, interesting natural elements together.
41. Go on walks outside, with baby facing out in a stroller or carrier to see the view.
42. Give your baby soft "lovies" to hold and snuggle.
43. Dance with your baby.
44. Place a bird feeder near a window and watch the birds together.  Mimic the flapping of wings with your hand as you talk about the birds.
45. Hang an interesting mobile above baby's changing area or sleeping area.
46. Babyproof your home so your baby can safely explore her world with your supervision.
47. Show your baby pictures of loved ones.
48. Play "this little piggie" and other baby games.
49. Protect your baby from sources of lead and other neurotoxins, such as keys, antique cribs, dirt around some older homes, some jewelry, and painted toys from unreliable companies.
50. Kiss your baby and say "I love you" often.

Want to learn more about your baby's brain development?  See part one of this article:

Attachment Parenting 101:  Your baby's brain development

Want to stay in the loop?  Click the subscribe button to be notified of new articles in this column.