When introducing new foods into the diet of the kids, it is beneficial that they touch them, crush them, feel their texture and taste their taste.
We usually give the baby food in the mouth with a spoon without letting them experience for themselves, but play with food, contrary to what is "well seen", stimulates the cognitive development of the baby.
PapaLobo spoke to us yesterday of a study according to which high chairs help babies learn faster, but this research has another even more interesting part.
Researchers at the University of Iowa (United States) found that babies who play with inconsistent foods acquire a greater taste for exploration and learn their first words faster.
To do this, they exposed a group of babies to this type of food and encouraged them to play with them, to in a second stage check if they were able to identify them and name them through the sound that had been assigned to them. The results showed that children who interacted more with food were more skilled at identifying them by their texture and naming them.
The exploration of food is one of the basic principles of Baby-led weaning, a method for the baby to start introducing complementary feeding guided by their own needs and tastes.
Exploration is the basis of the child's learning, both in the game and with food. It is the way of learning from the baby, and what they should continue to have during the first years of life, therefore we must encourage it in all areas.
Letting him touch, play, experiment, put his hand on the plate and stain up to the ears favors the stimulation of the senses, helps him associate textures with names and flavors. Therefore, in addition to contributing to the baby's relationship with food be positive From the beginning, it will naturally help stimulate your cognitive development.
