So you got yourself a Montessori mobile and the time has come when you finally present it to your baby. How exciting! But what kind of actions do babies make when they first see the magic of Montessori mobiles? It depends on a lot of things, whether this really is the very first time, the age of the baby, or whether they see the most age-appropriate mobile. Let’s have a look at some of the common responses that you can expect.
Very small babies
Babies that are only a few days old might not even look at it at first. They cannot turn their heads yet so if they are lying with their heads rolled slightly to one side then the mobile won’t be in their line of sight. We can correct this by gently adjusting the head to be straight. Their vision is so under-developed at this point that all they might only see first is the element that hangs the lowest. As their visual skills and neck muscles develop, they will slowly be able to observe more and more of the other elements as well.
For such a tiny thing, observing a Montessori mobile is hard work! Turning their heads is an enormous effort! They also have to practice focusing their eyes and this sometimes results in them looking cross-eyed. Which is pretty hilarious!
Observe how the upper body of this baby is slightly tilted to one side
but his eyes are focused on the mobile
Newborn babies
Many babies react by staying completely still, their faces showing rapt attention. It is quite shocking to see these tiny humans not moving a muscle, when they don’t even have the ability to control their bodies!
You will notice that just within a few weeks their ability to concentrate on the mobiles is growing as well (read more about how you can help to build your baby’s concentration in this post). At first, they might have observed them for only a few minutes at a time, now they can do it for 20-30 minutes! Just enough time for a tired mummy to sit down and have a nice, hot (!!) cup of tea.
Slightly older babies
Staying still for a long time also happens to older babies when they a new mobile the first time. One little girl stared at the Dancers for several minutes before she started chatting to it.
Then, most of them get more animated, especially when an air current catches the mobile and they see the elements dancing above them. They start kicking, opening and closing their hands, and, when they are able to, they often babble or sing to it.
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Even though these mobiles serve to improve babies’ vision, they do much more than that. They motivate them to turn their heads, therefore their neck muscles strengthen. When their feet kick about and their arms move their core muscle is exercised to keep the body straight. Finally, as they are so aesthetically pleasing to the eye, they tempt them to reach and try to grab them.
Make sure that the mobile hangs high enough so that your little one can’t reach it. Always supervise when your baby is using a mobile.
FINAL THOUGHTS
These are the most common reactions you might see when you’re watching your baby is under the magic of Montessori mobiles. I can watch them for hours, their joy is infectious! Would you like to have a go and making your own? Take a look at my Shop to get all the resources, a detailed Instruction Guide and tutorial videos. If you’d like to know more about the Timeline of the Montessori mobiles, have a peek into this post.
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