Why Babies need High Contrast Resources & How to Use Them

You must have heard of high contrast cards and black and white toys. 

What is so special about these eye-catching play resources, and why do babies need them?

1. A baby’s vision is one of the least developed senses at birth and develops rapidly during the first 6-9 months of their life.
2. They go from barely seeing 30cm from their face to almost adult capabilities within this short period.
3. For the first four months, babies can focus on objects 8 to 10 inches from their face and cannot discern colors
4. Babies Develop color vision by five months
5. High contrast B/W objects help in focusing and developing eye muscles
6. Babies have an easier time focusing on high-contrast objects during the first few months.

Visual stimulation is an essential developmental stage that you can help strengthen very easily.

Research shows that looking at high-contrast images is essential for a baby’s cognitive development. Until about the 5th month, babies use their eyes as the primary source for information about the world and how it works.

Once your baby’s pupils are working and their two eyes start to coordinate, they’ll be compelled to look at high-contrast images, especially from birth to 14 weeks old.

Here’s how to get the most out of high contrast cards and other resources:

 Place the images/resources about 12 inches away from your baby’s face.

1. Hold the images steady until your baby looks away and loses interest.
2. Your baby may stare at the images for many seconds, even minutes at a time, when they lose interest in one, switch to a new image
3. Eventually, you can use more complex images with an additional color like red as their eyes grow stronger.
4. Promote visual tracking by moving an image back-and-forth horizontally in front of their face to help them practice following a moving object with their eyes: this skill is vital for reading, writing, and hand-eye coordination.
5. Offer high-contrast images in the car, during tummy time, bath time, and during alert playtimes for the first 14 weeks.

You can start with our free printable High Contrast Flashcards and as your baby grows, try our unique fun toy, Crinklee, for loads of active play.