0:02 Have you ever wondered what simple
0:04 everyday things you can do to help your
0:06 baby learn and grow right from the
0:08 start? I'm Dr. Mona, a board-certified
0:09 pediatrician and mom of two. And today
0:11 I'll share five practical and effective
0:14 strategies you can use to nurture your
0:16 baby's growing mind and cognitive
0:17 development. And if you're new here,
0:19 make sure to hit that subscribe button
0:20 so you don't miss out on videos that
0:22 help you navigate your child's health,
0:23 development, and behavior with
0:36 When we think about baby development, we
0:38 often focus on gross motor skills like
0:40 rolling and walking or speech milestones
0:42 like first words. But cognitive
0:43 development, the ability to think,
0:45 learn, and process the world, is just as
0:47 important. It's what allows babies to
0:49 make sense of their surroundings,
0:51 recognize patterns, problem solve, and
0:53 even reach those language and motor
0:54 milestones. The reason cognitive
0:56 development often gets overlooked is
0:58 that it's not always as visible as
1:00 physical milestones. A baby rolling
1:02 over, obvious. A baby making millions of
1:04 microscopic neural connections while
1:06 staring at a mobile, less obvious. But
1:08 the brain is exploding with activity in
1:10 these early months, laying down pathways
1:12 that will shape everything from memory
1:14 to reasoning skills later in life. And
1:16 the best part, you don't need fancy toys
1:18 or elaborate lessons to boost cognitive
1:19 development. It's just simple,
1:21 intentional interactions that we'll talk
1:23 about today. Number one, encourage
1:25 interactive play and social engagement.
1:27 Your baby's brain thrives on connection,
1:29 and one of the best ways to support that
1:30 is through serve and return
1:33 interactions. It's basically like having
1:35 a little conversation. When your baby
1:37 coups, babbles, or gestures, respond in
1:39 a way that keeps the interaction going.
1:41 Like if they coo, you might say, "Oh,
1:43 you're saying hello." These back and
1:45 forth moments aren't just cute. They
1:47 actually help strengthen synaptic
1:49 connections that lay the foundation for
1:50 speech, language, and even emotional
1:52 regulation. And here's a fun fact.
1:54 Babies as young as 2 months old can
1:56 recognize the patterns in conversation
1:58 like pauses and tone shifts even before
2:00 they understand words. So even if it
2:02 feels like you're talking to yourself,
2:03 you're actually building critical brain
2:05 pathways. Other ways to boost
2:07 engagement. Peekaboo. This is very
2:09 helpful after 7 months. Not only does it
2:11 teach object permanence, but it
2:13 strengthens memory and problem solving.
2:15 Mirroring. Copy your baby's facial
2:17 expressions and movements. This helps
2:20 them learn social cues and also empathy.
2:21 Sensory play. Let your baby feel
2:23 different textures like a soft blanket
2:26 followed by a bumpy toy to build sensory
2:28 processing skills and learn differences.
2:30 These little moments add up so much, so
2:32 have fun with it. Number two, introduce
2:34 a variety of stimulating experiences.
2:36 Babies are naturally curious. It's how
2:38 they learn. Exposing them to a variety
2:39 of new sights, sounds, and textures
2:41 encourages that curiosity and helps
2:43 build neuroplasticity, which is the
2:46 brain's ability to form and reorganize
2:48 connections. And want to supercharge
2:50 your baby's learning, try crossodal
2:52 experiences, combining multiple senses
2:54 at once. An example, take them outside.
2:57 Let them hear birds chirping, watch the
2:59 leaves rustle, and feel the grass for
3:01 the first time. Play different types of
3:03 music while they explore a texture toy.
3:05 This strengthens multiensory
3:06 integration, which is crucial for speech
3:09 and problem solving. Rotate their toys
3:11 regularly. Even familiar objects feel
3:13 new when presented in a different way or
3:15 after a certain time period. By mixing
3:16 up their daily environment, you're not
3:19 only keeping things exciting, but also
3:20 laying the groundwork for lifelong
3:23 adaptability and learning. Number three,
3:24 foster language development through
3:26 communication. Did you know that your
3:28 baby's brain is like a sponge for
3:30 language, even in the womb? Research
3:31 shows that babies start recognizing
3:33 speech patterns and rhythms from around
3:37 27 weeks gestation. Yes, in a uterus. So
3:39 talking to your belly helps. But once
3:40 they're born, talking to them is one of
3:42 the best things you can do for cognitive
3:44 growth. And here's why. By 6 months,
3:46 babies already recognize the sounds of
3:48 their native language. By 9 months, they
3:50 start associating words with meaning,
3:52 even if they can't say them yet. This is
3:54 why they may turn to their name or turn
3:56 when you are looking at something that
3:58 they're familiar with. By 12 months,
4:00 they understand simple instructions even
4:02 before they can talk. And how can you
4:04 boost these language skills? Narrate
4:06 everything. Now we're putting on socks.
4:09 One sock, two sock. Use exaggerated
4:10 speech. Babies respond well to that
4:13 parent singongy voice we naturally use
4:15 with infants. It actually helps speech
4:18 processing and attention. Turn babbles
4:19 into conversations. When your baby
4:21 babbles, respond like it's a full
4:24 discussion. Oh yes, tell me more. Read
4:26 daily or as often as you can. Books with
4:29 rhymes and repetition are best for early
4:30 language skills. And for even more
4:32 language and communication tips from
4:34 birth to two years, check out my other
4:36 videos on my channel. Number four, find
4:38 the right activities. Want to give your
4:40 baby's brain a little workout. Certain
4:41 activities are especially good at
4:43 boosting cognitive development. And the
4:46 best part, they feel like play. Two
4:48 brain boosting concepts to try. Object
4:49 permanence. This means understanding
4:51 that things exist even when they're out
4:54 of sight. Play hideand seek with toys or
4:56 cover objects with a blanket. then
4:58 reveal them like magic. Cause and effect
5:00 play. Let your baby press buttons on a
5:02 toy that lights up or makes sounds. This
5:05 helps them realize, "Hey, I did that." A
5:07 critical skill for early problem solving
5:09 and self-awareness. Also, open-ended
5:11 toys like stacking cups, blocks, and
5:13 simple household items promote
5:15 creativity and executive function, which
5:17 is the brain's ability to plan, focus,
5:20 and complete a task. And the best part,
5:22 your baby is learning so much while
5:24 having fun, and you get to enjoy those
5:27 adorable wow moments along the way.
5:29 Number five, provide opportunities for
5:31 movement and exploration. Movement isn't
5:32 just about getting those little arms and
5:34 legs going. It's actually huge for
5:36 cognitive development. When babies move,
5:37 they're learning about spatial
5:39 awareness, coordination, and even cause
5:41 and effect. For example, when a baby
5:44 spots a toy just out of reach, their
5:46 brain starts problem solving. How do how
5:48 do I get that? And this leads to
5:50 stretching, scooting, or rolling.
5:52 Crawling isn't just for mobility. It
5:54 strengthens crossbody coordination,
5:56 which can help with later reading and
5:58 writing skills. Free movement encourages
6:01 proprioception, aka the body awareness,
6:02 which helps with balance and
6:05 coordination down the line. And if you
6:07 want to dive deeper into development,
6:09 check out my resources and courses for
6:11 baby's first year and my new mom
6:13 survival guide. The bottom line,
6:15 cognitive development is a journey, and
6:17 you are your baby's first teacher.
6:19 Through simple, intentional interactions
6:20 and experiences, you can help them build
6:23 a strong foundation for a lifetime of
6:25 learning. Celebrate the small milestones
6:27 and know that your efforts are making a
6:29 big impact. What's one thing you're
6:31 excited to try with your baby to support
6:32 their cognitive development? Do you want
6:33 to learn more about cognitive
6:35 development throughout the years? I'd
6:36 love to hear your thoughts in the
6:38 comments below. And if you found this
6:39 video helpful, please give it a thumbs
6:41 up sign, share, and subscribe for more
6:44 content tailored to help you understand
6:46 your child's health. I cannot express
6:48 this enough. You got to subscribe so you
6:49 can learn more about development and
6:51 behavior and help with confidence. Have
6:53 a suggestion on a future topic? Drop it
6:55 below. And my team of medical
6:56 professionals and myself are always in
6:58 the comment section. I hope I brought
6:59 more confidence into your parenting
7:01 journey. Stay informed, stay empowered,
7:03 and I'll see you all next time. Stay well.
