Copy your baby to help them learn
Your baby loves when you imitate them ❤️
A 2020 study from Lund University in Sweden found that 6-month-old babies smile and interact more than usual when an adult playfully copies them.
Imitation is one of the main ways your baby learns about the world: they watch something being done, and then they try it out for themselves.
Researchers once believed that babies were born with the ability to imitate, but some now believe it’s an acquired skill. Seeing you mimic them is one of the best ways for your baby to learn.
The link between imitation and learning
Imitating your baby’s actions and sounds helps engage their ‘mirror neurons.’ Mirror neurons are tiny nerve cells that activate when a person observes and understands an action, then mirrors it. Over time, your baby starts to link their gestures with yours and learns to copy you, too.
Imitation skills are important for the development of motor and language skills. Imitation involves coordinating actions with another person’s, making it a key part of early social interactions.
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