Tracking Moving Objects
Parent uses colorful objects to encourage baby's visual tracking skills. The agent guides the parent to slowly move objects across baby's visual field, observing fixation, smooth pursuit, and midline crossing — building the foundational visual skills needed for hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby lying on back, alert and calm. Two to three brightly colored objects within parent's reach. Good lighting so objects are clearly visible. Objects held 8-12 inches from baby's face.
How it works
- 1~20s
Take one of the objects and hold it about eight to twelve inches in front of your child's face — that's about an arm's length away. Hold still for a moment and watch your child's eyes. Does they notice the object? Does their gaze lock onto it? You might see your child's eyes widen or their body become still as they focuses. Tell me what you see.
Watch for: Baby fixates gaze on a colorful object held at arm's length, maintaining visual attention.
- 2~25s
Now that your child is looking at the object, very slowly move it to one side. Go slowly — like a lazy cloud drifting across the sky. Watch your child's eyes and head. Does they follow the object? Move it from one side all the way across to the other, past the middle. How far does your child track before losing interest or focus?
Watch for: Baby tracks a slowly moving object with eyes and/or head, following across the visual field.
- 3~25s
Now let's try something interesting. While your child is looking at the first object, slowly bring a second one into view from the other side. Watch carefully — does your child shift their attention to the new object? Switching gaze between objects shows that your child is not just tracking but also processing what they sees. What happens?
Watch for: Baby shifts gaze from one object to another, showing ability to disengage and refocus visual attention.