Babies learn faster when fathers play with them
BABIES learn faster if their fathers engage with them, a study suggests.
It found that infants with more remote fathers tended to be slower at recognising colours and objects.
The study, by researchers at Imperial College London, King’s College London and Oxford University, is one of the first to examine the impact of men, rather than women, on a child’s development.
Fathers were monitored playing with their children at the age of 3 months and reading to them at 2 years.
The results suggest it is hugely important that men speak to a child in a positive tone of voice.
It is thought this superior social interaction helps babies make sense of the world, making them more intelligent as toddlers.
“Even as early as 3 months, these father-child interactions can positively predict cognitive development almost two years later,” said Paul Ramchandani, the Imperial College professor who led the research.
Playtime with men has been found to be more stimulating and vigorous than that provided by mothers, encouraging children to take risks and explore.
The researchers asked 128 men to play with their 3-month-old babies, without toys, for three minutes.
The fathers, all well educated, were then filmed reading a book to their child at 2 years old.
Mental development tests were carried out when children were 2, finding those with greater paternal engagement and less controlling fathers did better.
These included men who responded to their children spotting something of interest.
When reading a book, they were more likely to notice a child focusing on a picture, asking them about it and relating it to real life.
These children were then better at mental development tests, displaying the ability to follow directions and name objects. – Daily Mail