Follow the Object!
Parent uses a distinctive object to engage baby's visual attention, then moves it in different directions to practice visual tracking and focus shifting. The agent coaches the parent to observe fixation, multi-directional tracking, and the ability to shift focus between objects.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby alert and awake, lying on back or slightly propped. A colorful, distinctive toy or object ready. Good lighting. A second object available for focus-shifting exercise.
How it works
- 1~20s
Start by smiling warmly at your child to get their attention. Then slowly hold up your colorful object about arm's length from their face. Give your child a moment to spot it and lock on. At this age, they should be able to look at something at arm's length pretty easily. Can your child find the object and focus on it?
Watch for: Baby fixates gaze on an object at arm's length, maintaining steady focus.
- 2~40s
Now that your child is focused, let's move the object slowly in different directions. First left to right, then right to left. Then try up and down. Go slowly — about one inch per second. Watch your child's eyes and head. Does they follow smoothly? Is any direction harder than others? Take your time with each direction.
Watch for: Baby tracks an object moving in multiple directions — horizontal and vertical.
- 3~25s
Let's try something a bit more advanced. Hold your original object to one side. Then hold up a second object on the other side — maybe a different colored toy. Watch your child's eyes. Can they shift their focus between the two objects? This is called focus shifting, and it's an important step up from just following one thing. What happens?
Watch for: Baby shifts visual focus between two objects held in different positions.