A–Z Glossary

Oral exploration

Oral exploration is a normal developmental behavior in which babies learn about objects by putting them in their mouths.

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Safe toys for babies

Safe toys for babies

Why toy safety changes so quickly in infancy Babies do not use toys in the way adults expect. A newborn may briefly track a high-contrast object, while an older infant may grasp, shake, bang, throw, pull, crawl toward, and mouth the same object. Oral exploration is developmentally normal, but it means every accessible surface and […]