VisionExplore · 8–12 months

Flashlight games

In a dimly lit room, you move a flashlight beam across the wall and they follow the light with their eyes.

To do with your baby between 8 and 12 months. It works on: gross motor skills, visual focus, object tracking and visual discrimination. You'll need: flashlight and toys.

In the app, one activity a day for their age →

What do I need?

• Flashlight
• Toys

How do I do it?

1. 01

   Dim the lights

   Dim the lights in the room. Sit your baby on your lap or on the floor, facing a bare wall.

2. 02

   Move the beam

   Turn on the flashlight and shine it on the wall. Move it slowly, in circles or from side to side.

3. 03

   Play with the light

   Switch it off and on in a steady rhythm, saying “Light!” and “Dark!” You can also shine it on nearby toys, one at a time, so they look for each one.

4. 04

   Let them chase it

   Watch how their eyes follow the light. If they reach out to catch it, bring the beam closer until they can touch it.

5. 05

   Wind down gently

   When they look away or start to fuss, turn the room lights back on and leave it for today.

What are they learning?

To follow the spot of light, they have to keep their eyes on it and move them along at the same pace. When the light switches on and off, or lands on a toy, they practice focusing on what stands out. When they try to catch the beam, they guide their hand with their eyes.

• Gross motor skills

  Twists, stretches or crawls to go after the light

• Visual focus

  Keeps their eyes on the spot of light for as long as the game lasts

• Object tracking

  Follows the beam with their eyes as it moves across the wall

• Visual discrimination

  Tells the lit-up toy apart from the ones left in the dark

What the research says

1. A big-picture look at how movement develops

   Adolph & Franchak · 2017

2. How visual attention develops in babies

   Colombo · 2001

3. How young babies learn to follow moving things smoothly with their eyes

   von Hofsten & Rosander · 1997

See all 9 references

1. Adolph KE, Franchak JM. The development of motor behavior. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews Cognitive science. 2017;8(1-2). doi:10.1002/wcs.1430 doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1430
2. Gerber RJ, Wilks T, Erdie-Lalena C. Developmental milestones: motor development. Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31(7):267-277. doi:10.1542/pir.31-7-267 doi.org/10.1542/pir.31-7-267
3. Adolph KE, Berger SE, Leo AJ. Developmental continuity? Crawling, cruising, and walking. Developmental Science. 2011;14(2):306-318. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00981.x doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2010.00981.x
4. Colombo J. The development of visual attention in infancy. Annual Review of Psychology. 2001;52:337-367. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.337 doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.337
5. Courage ML, Reynolds GD, Richards JE. Infants' attention to patterned stimuli: developmental change from 3 to 12 months of age. Child Development. 2006;77(3):680-695. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00897.x doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00897.x
6. von Hofsten C, Rosander K. Development of smooth pursuit tracking in young infants. Vision Research. 1997;37(13):1799-1810. doi:10.1016/S0042-6989(96)00332-X doi.org/10.1016/S0042-6989(96)00332-X
7. Rosander K. Visual tracking and its relationship to cortical development. Progress in Brain Research. 2007;164:105-122. doi:10.1016/S0079-6123(07)64006-0 doi.org/10.1016/S0079-6123(07)64006-0
8. Vassella F, Giambonini S, Heits B, Kaufmann R, Kehrli P, Wälti U. Development of visual discrimination (pattern preference) in normal infants. Helvetica paediatrica acta. 1977;32(4-5):319-329.
9. Farzin F, Rivera SM, Whitney D. Spatial resolution of conscious visual perception in infants. Psychological science. 2010;21(10):1502-1509. doi:10.1177/0956797610382787 doi.org/10.1177/0956797610382787

Reviewed by Javier Atance Ibar, PhD in Education