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Why do it?
- Baby’s vision develops through opportunities to look at things.
- These experiences make connections between brain cells inside the vision centres, and between vision centres and other parts of the brain.
- Around 3 months old baby can move their head and eyes to follow something — or someone — moving past them. This skill is called ‘tracking’.
- Baby is attracted to look at things that move.
- Tracking ability increases with practice.
How to do it
- Have baby lying in a safe place, such as on a blanket on the floor.
- Place yourself where baby can see you, and move something slowly from one side of baby to the other side.
- The distance between baby and the moving object should be about the distance between mum’s face and baby’s face when baby’s feeding (about 30 cm).
- Baby could track (follow with their eyes) your face, a page of a black and white book, or a strongly coloured toy.
- You could try holding a rattle in front of baby, and invite them to hold it.
- Keep repeating these activities a few times each day and watch what baby learns.
Using more reo Māori
Titiro |
To look |
Tirohia |
Inspect, examine |
Kite |
To see |
Mātakina |
To gaze at, to watch |
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Roro |
Brain |
Karu |
Eye |
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Karu hōmiromiro |
A person with sharp eyesight |
Titiro ki tēnei |
Look at this |
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Nukunukua |
Move about |
Anō |
Again |
Āta |
Gently, slowly |
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Mua |
Front |
Muri |
Back |
Taha |
Side |
Matau |
Right |
Mauī |
Left |
Runga |
Up |
Raro |
Down |
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Kei hea te ….? |
Where is the ……..? |
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Mea |
Thing |
Taonga tākaro |
Toy |
Ngā taputapu tākaro |
Play things |
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