CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Surprise! How to Make Baby Smarter

save article
profile picture of Anisa Arsenault
By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editor
Updated January 30, 2017
Hero Image
Image: Shutterstock

Your mundane game of peekaboo just got a whole lot more meaningful; a new study shows that surprises and unexpected events are critical to babies’ learning experiences.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University essentially showed a group of 11-month-olds a series of magic tricks, testing their innate understanding of cause-and-effect. A researcher rolled a ball down a ramp, toward all wall at the bottom. Thanks to what study authors call “core knowledge,” even babies understand the ball should come to a stop.

“Some pieces of knowledge are so fundamental in guiding regular, everyday interactions with the environment, navigating through space, reaching out and picking up an object, avoiding an oncoming object — those things are so fundamental to survival that they’re really selected for by evolution,” says researcher Lisa Feigenson, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins.

So imagine a baby’s surprise when the ball goes further than expected:

Or when a toy car keeps on “floating” rather than crashing to the ground:

Curious babies were more willing to explore — and retain information about — the seemingly magical objects.

“Consider seeing a ball pass through a wall right in front of your eyes,” says lead author Aimee Stahl. “If you were given that ball to explore, you might want to test its solidity by banging it on a solid surface.” If that ball squeaks, a baby is going to remember.

The way that babies played with the objects indicated they were trying to learn. As for the truck that seemed to float? Babies were big proponents of dropping it, trying to replicate the magic.

If an object behaved as expected — like the ball stopping at the wall — babies were less interested in engaging with it.

The study, published in the journal Science, explains what motivates babies to learn and explore. Find more smart ways to engage baby here.

(via NPR)

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

toddler sitting on couch and having a temper tantrum
Toddler Tantrums: Why They Happen and How to Cope
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
close up of baby's eyes
Signs of an Overstimulated Baby (and How to Calm Their System)
Medically Reviewed by Lauren Crosby, MD
toddlers playing side by side
The Different Stages of Play and How They Help Kids Learn
Medically Reviewed by Dina DiMaggio Walters, MD
ADVERTISEMENT
millennial mother talking to toddler at home
73 Percent of Millennial Moms Share This Parenting Style
By Wyndi Kappes
baby playing alone with toys on the floor
Why Is Solitary Play Important for Babies and Toddlers?
By Lisa Milbrand
toddler touching head in pain
Is Head Banging in Babies and Toddlers Normal?
By Cindy Hovington, PhD
baby lying on pink blanket with tongue out
Pediatrician Goes Viral After Sharing These "Secret" Baby Milestones
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
baby sucking thumb while sitting in stroller outside
Why Babies Suck Their Thumbs—and When to Curb the Habit
By Katherine Martinelli
toddler hugging smiling mom
10 Ways Toddlers Say ‘I Love You’—Without Actually Saying ‘I Love You’
By Lauren Barth
baby with two smiling moms reaching for pet dog
5 Research-Backed Ways Dogs Can Benefit Baby
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
entrance of chuck e cheese's
Chuck E. Cheese Snubs Black Child in Latest Incident of Mascot Racism
By Wyndi Kappes
three proud and confident children smiling outside
How to Raise a Confident Kid
By Nehal Aggarwal
father holding baby's hands while walking
These Are the 12 Best States for Babies to Get a Strong Start
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mother and toddler daughter sitting on the couch reading a book together at home
How to Tell if Your Toddler Is Smart
By Nehal Aggarwal
Praise From Parents May Improve a Child’s Persistence, Study Says
Praise From Parents May Improve a Child’s Persistence, Study Says
By Nehal Aggarwal
mom toddler son washing dishes in sink
Asking Kids to Be 'Little Helpers' Actually Makes Them Less Likely to Help, Experts Say
By Stephanie Grassullo
Child with special needs and her mom playing with montessori toys.
4 Ways the Montessori Method Can Benefit Children With Special Needs
By Monti Kids Learning Team
ADVERTISEMENT
Little girl counting colorful crayons.
Study Confirms Autism Develops Differently in Girls Than Boys
By Nehal Aggarwal
dad holding peaceful newborn baby
Why Babies Stop Crying When Parents Stand Up
By Fatherly
toddler says no to dad
5 Things to Do When Your Toddler Says 'No'
By Tyler Lund
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List