It’s incredible how quickly newborns’ eyesight can improve! Your little one might only be about a month old (or rather, new!) but already prepared for a huge jump in vision development! Just in a couple of weeks babies’ eyes are prepared for the next visual challenge, which is the Montessori Octahedron mobile. You can introduce it for babies 5-8 weeks old or until they like observing it.
Is this going to be as attractive for your baby’s eyes as the Munari was? Spoiler alert, yes! Let’s have a look, why.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
When we really look into and compare the details of the two mobiles, it might be surprising that from the flat, black and white, two-dimensional world of the Munari mobile newborns are ready to take on the Octahedron’s three-dimensional elements. Have you noticed that this lovely mobile is also made up of geometrical shapes? The octahedron’s clear-cut, simple equilateral triangles continue to expose your baby to mathematical concepts.
The primary colours of the elements provide an added challenge to their still developing eyesight. However, they are contrasting enough that such a young baby can perceive the difference in the vivid colours. Not to mention the variation in size, which adds even more depth to the mobile.
SO WHY IS THIS MOBILE SO ATTRACTIVE FOR BABIES?
The strong colours of the octahedra are simply fascinating for newborns! Red is the most visible colour for them, this would be the biggest element. Then comes the yellow, middle-size, and finally the blue, the smallest of them. As babies’ sight slowly develops, this mobile provides an ongoing interest for their eyes.
The elements are very lightweight, therefore they swing gently in the slightest air current. The shiny, metallic paper can easily catch and reflect the light. As a result, they attract babies’ attention for a sustained period of time.
WHAT ARE THE SCIENTIFIC BENEFITS OF THE OCTAHEDRON MOBILE?
- It develops their eyesight with age-appropriate stimulus
- It strengthens the muscles in the eyes, neck, arms and even core muscles
- Binocularity – the two eyes working together
- Dynamic visual tracking – being able to follow a moving object
- Encourages switching their gaze between objects
- By offering images that babies find extremely attractive, it encourages focus and concentration, starting the foundation for their cognitive development. (Here’s a post dedicated to how to develop babies’ concentration skills.)
- With its geometrical shapes and the precise Mathematical relationship between the elements the mobile provides your baby with their first STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) experience.
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TIPS AND TRICKS
There is a variation to this mobile. You can have the octahedra in the same size but hung in ascending order. Here the red hangs the lowest, in the middle. On one side hangs the yellow, mid-length, and on the other side is the blue, the highest of all. Take your pick!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I find it purely ingenious how something so simple as three colourful octahedra can make such a huge difference to your baby’s developing sight! This gorgeous, easy-to-put-together mobile is the perfect next step for a visual challenge. If you’re intrigued about what comes next, make sure to click on my next post!
If you’d like to make it yourself, just type ‘Octahedron mobile DIY’ in your search engine. Alternatively, you can buy it from my Shop individually or as part of the DIY Montessori Mobile Set.
Click on the links to read more about how the Montessori Visual Mobiles, the Montessori Tactile Mobiles or the Sensory Baby Play help your baby’s development.
How did your baby react to this mobile? Please share your photos on my Instagram site. #montessoriedited, @montessoriedited