How Are Motor, Sensory & Perceptual Skills Developed in Infancy?

Infant development begins before birth as fetuses are exposed to a wide range of experiences. After birth, development continues and motor, perceptual and sensory skills are linked as they evolve. (Once a child can stand, he can reach things and explore what was once unavailable.) The most important factor in development is ample opportunity to safely explore his world and plenty of interaction with other human beings.

  1. Motor Skills

    • With big emphasis placed on the "back to sleep" campaign and its correlation to a decrease in the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, some babies are reluctant to spend time on their bellies, which hampers motor development. Infants need to spend awake play time on their bellies every day. It is good practice for holding the head up and rolling over. Opportunity is critical to all types of development and the more chances for physical play your infant has, the more success she will have with motor development. If your baby is reluctant to spend time on her belly, place some of her toys on the floor with her so that she will have to lift her head to see them. Try for short periods at least twice daily so that she has a positive experience. She will eventually feel more confident in the prone position.

    Sensory Skills

    • The senses include vision, hearing, touch, taste and smell as well as sense of where your body is in space (proprioception) and the sense of movement (vestibular sensation). Activities to encourage development of sensory skills include the usual safe access to experimental play with toys and objects your baby can shake, taste, smell and explore, but also the opportunity to swing, be rocked and held. Singing, reading and talking to your baby will also help him to develop the sharp sensory skills he needs to live a happy and successful life.

    Perceptual Skills

    • Perceptual development is what allows us to figure out the world around us. We understand that if we hear someone's voice, we can expect to see the person shortly. An infant will eventually learn that if he hears his mother's voice or step, she may soon appear in his room, and he expects that. By around 4 months of age, infants demonstrate the concept of object permanence and realize that if you partially cover a toy or object, the rest of it is still there. This is why the game of "peek-a-boo" is fun for them. As with all types of infant development, interaction with others and opportunity to play and explore are the best ways to encourage growth.

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