It was once believed that premature newborns could not feel pain. Today, however, researchers have located specific pathways in the

Newborns do see the world in some color, but they have trouble discriminating blues from greens and reds from yellows.

In their first month or two, babies attempt to reach for dangling toys or other interesting objects (this is called

Several different experiments show that babies will turn toward patterns with high contrast and away from simple patterns with little

Babies are born with limited vision, but soon after birth they are able to focus on objects that are about

Although vision is limited at first, moving objects catch newborns’ attention. Babies are likely to track an object with their eyes

Even before birth, babies have been shown to respond to sound stimuli within a limited range of sound frequencies. At

Newborns are attracted to the smell of breastmilk, and experiments show that they will vigorously turn away from bitter or

Young babies are attracted to the scent of their mothers’ breastmilk and prefer it to the scent of other women’s

Infants are born with some basic taste preferences. In one research study, babies would suck faster and stronger for sweet

Babies are born with a variety of innate reflexes. The rooting reflex prompts a baby to turn his head from

Soon after birth, most babies can raise their heads for brief periods when lying prone (on their stomachs). This is

Infants soon after birth have limited color vision, and they have trouble discriminating blues from greens and reds from yellows.

By the end of a baby’s first month, she will be able to focus briefly on objects up to three

During the first few months of life, babies persistently attempt to bring their hands to their mouths but have not

During the first 3 months of life, babies’ hands and arms develop rapidly. Initially their hands are often tightly clenched

Between their first and third months of life, babies gain the skills to grasp and shake hand toys; they may

One of the challenges babies face is discriminating separate objects from what surrounds them. Experiments have shown that by 2

Within their first few months, babies are capable of integrating some types of sensory information. One experiment showed that babies

In their early months infants may reach for things, but these early attempts (called pre-reaches) are generally uncoordinated swipes at

Babies as young as 2 to 3 months have shown that they have some form of depth perception. One method

Color vision doesn’t fully develop until about four months. After four months, babies are able to distinguish between even closely

Babies’ growing curiosity and abilities lead them to try new things, so parents and caregivers should arrange the environment to

Around 5 months, most babies become more skilled in their reaching and grasping attempts. This includes the ability to grasp

At this age, most babies are stable and can sit for longer periods of time. This is a major achievement,

Between 8 and 12 months of age, babies are in constant motion. They arch their necks to investigate their surroundings when

As babies gain the skills to open and close their fingers, they often delight in dropping and throwing small objects. They

At 8 months, most babies have not acquired the hand and finger skills to use the pincer grasp, instead clumsily

As they approach 12 months, babies use their improved coordination to thoroughly investigate the objects they encounter, picking them up,

Most babies around 12 months use their improved coordination to thoroughly investigate the objects they encounter, picking them up, banging

Although crawling gives babies a new perspective on the world around them, they observe people walking and strive to do

Babies will learn to stand momentarily without support until they have enough confidence to stand for longer periods and eventually

At first, a baby may will walk with his feet wide apart to help with balance. As he becomes more

Toward the end of the first year, babies become more skilled at using their thumbs and forefingers to investigate objects.

By the end of the second year, children are gaining more and more control over simple movements and integrating these

Approximately 6 months after their first steps, most toddlers adopt a much more mature walking style, keeping their feet closer

Throughout their second year, children become more skilled with their hands. This includes being able to hold crayons and scribble

Although it’s easy to see improvements in large motor skills, one-year-olds are also improving their ability to use their hands

Most infants show no clear hand preference (left- or right-handedness) for years. Instead, many seem to alternate between favoring the

Most babies start walking unassisted sometime between 12 and 18 months; mastering this skill is the major physical milestone of

Approximately 6 months after their first steps, toddlers develop a more mature walking style. They keep their feet closer together