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Washing machines, cats, your glasses… is there something random that endlessly interests your baby?
As they start to learn about the world around them, it’s very common for young children to be fascinated by very specific things.
And while these can seem pretty bizarre, they’re actually a sign that your baby is starting to make sense of what’s going on around them. “They are trying to understand how the world works, their place in it and what impact they can have,” says Professor Elizabeth Ann Wood from the University of Sheffield, an expert in children’s learning.
Mine has a fixation with toilets. As soon as he sees one he gets very excited and tries to climb on it.
And there are patterns, however unpredictable your baby’s interests might first appear: they all tend to be things that stimulate their senses, explains Elizabeth. “For example, if your child’s fixated with a vacuum cleaner, it might be about the vibration, the noise, the physical backwards and forwards movement, and them imitating what they’ve seen you doing.”
My son finds ripping sounds hilarious! He spent one baby group chuckling away to me, ripping strips of paper. The sound of sticky tape always gets a belly laugh too.
Using their fascinations as bonding opportunities
“When people ask me ‘what’s the best thing I can buy my child?’ I always say: it’s not about buying anything; the most important things are playing, talking and interacting with your child. And their deep and meaningful interests are a great starting point for this,” adds Elizabeth.
For example, if like one mum who messaged us, your baby is mesmerised by scrunching paper – this could be a chance to do some creative crafts together. If it’s animals they’re into, a walk together to spot some wildlife, could be a great activity. Or if they love watching you cook and using pots and pans, how about a music jam once you’ve done the washing up?
Building their communication skills
“Research shows that if you talk about what your child is naturally interested in, you’re going to have a much more satisfying conversation,” adds Dr Danielle Matthews, a development psychologist at the University of Sheffield.
And their fascinations can help you build your baby’s communication skills, even before they can speak. Your baby might not be able to express it in words, but pay attention for when they are trying to communicate their excitement. This way you’re following their lead, developing the skills they’ll use in conversation one day. “If your child’s excited about something they will want to tell you about it however they can. It can be a great way of helping them discover the value of communicating,” adds Danielle.
What’s captured your baby’s interest?
We asked you what weird and wonderful things interest your baby and we got some pretty unusual answers back…
"My eldest was obsessed with Jamie Oliver. He would crawl up to the TV, laugh and shout ‘oi’ at the screen. We had a little knitted chef made that he still calls ‘My Jamie’. He’s two and a half now."
"My eight-month-old is desperate to chew the dog's squeaky ball."
"My son is obsessed with touching ears."
"My 10-month-old loves empty plastic bottles."
"Natalie Imbruglia."
"Toilet paper. She takes it and hides it in her room. I think she just likes holding it!"
"The egg cups in my parent’s house, we have exactly the same ones and he’s not fussed on those. But will make a beeline to the other ones!"
"The vacuum cleaner. He cries when I turn it off and try to put it away and he now has his own little one and wonders around saying ‘hoowah’. So cute!"
"My son is totally fascinated by my breast pads – he just steals them and hides them."
"His bath sponge. Sends him CRAZY, sucks it to death… and we have had to hide it in case he sees it. Always ends in tears."
