Babies Learn by Mouthing Toys

When babies begin to play with a new toy, they first explore it with their mouths.  Mouthing toys and objects is an essential part of your baby’s self-directed play.  Through these mouthing explorations, babies learn about taste, texture, hardness and the distinctive shapes of toys and objects.

Six-month-old babies enjoy being on their tummy, because this is now a more functional play position.  They are learning to actively coordinate their mouthing explorations and handling skills with a variety of body movements.  Through this dynamic interplay, babies learn about their own actions, discover the properties of the toy they are playing with and experiment to successfully complete a self-directed exploration.