« The Grubbiest Toddler In Town! | Simple Toddler Toys » |
Sign up FREE to ToucanLearn to receive hundreds of activities, games and craft for preschool children!
Find out more...
Every baby seem to go through that stage, where they pick up objects, off the floor, and put them straight toward their mouth; why on earth do they do this?! The answer is simple - it's all about exploring objects and textures! There are more nerve endings in a baby's mouth per square millimetre than any other part of their body. If they want to learn about or explore a new object, putting it into their mouth is an effective way to learn about it.
Whether they want to taste it, feel it or smell it, without much exception the item will end up in their mouth. This is perfectly natural and there it no real need to worry if you are sure that you home is relatively clean and that your baby has access only to things that are age appropriate.
How do I stop a baby putting things in their mouth?
The simple answer is keep things out of reach! A baby should only be able to get at things that are designed for an appropriately aged baby and nothing more! If you don't want dribbly keys, don't give the baby your car keys. If you don't want your mobile phone to be sucked, then don't give it to a baby! Certainly don't let them have access to anything small enough to be swallowed.
When will they stop putting things in their mouth? Babies up to the age of two may still put things in their mouth. This is because they want to learn about the world around them. By two they can use their hands much better to for exploring and experimenting, so putting things in their mouth should become less frequent. By the age of 3 it shouldn't be an issue any longer.
Why does it happen?
Just don't worry too much about it. It's something all babies do in varying quantities.
©2021 by ToucanLearn Ltd.
Credits: Free CMS