• Babies touch their hands together at 2 months.                
• Babies' eyes begin to move with less movement of the head ("doll's eyes" appearance begins to fade).                
• Babies inspect their surroundings.                
• Babies' eyes begin to follow moving objects and people.                
• When spoken to, babies watch the speaker's face and hold eye contact (at 3 to 4 months).                
• Both eyes move together in a coordinated way at 4 months.         
     

Milestones from 6 to 12 months

       
• Babies will turn their eyes inward while inspecting their hands or a toy.                
• Babies' eyes will move with little or no head movement ("doll's eyes" look disappears).                
• Babies begin to have a measurable attention span.                
• Memory and vision begin to connect. When toys or items are dropped or moved, babies will look for them.                
• Babies begin to use their intelligence to visually inspect toys. Even though most toys end up in their mouths, babies start examining toys with their eyes and begin to notice differences and changes.               
• Babies will see toys and then crawl toward them.                
• Babies will begin to evaluate their surroundings using complex eye movements (moving their eyes methodically over what they see).                
• Babies will respond visually to the facial expressions of those around them, and will coo or gurgle in reply.
     

What toys should my child play with?

Inexpensive or homemade toys, as well as children's games, can be just as effective in developing vision as more expensive aids.

When purchasing toys, pay attention to size and quality. Make sure the toy is too large for your baby to swallow and that it won't come apart into smaller pieces that could be swallowed. Babies can choke on small toys or toy pieces, with deadly results.

Manufacturers often suggest age categories for their toys, but each child develops at a different rate. You, as a parent, should make the final decision as to when your child is ready for a particular toy.

    From birth through 6 months

    
• Sturdy crib mobiles Rattles (both hand and foot) Rubber squeak toys and musical toys
    
• Gyms and "playmates"

    From 6 to 12 months

    
• Colorful stuffed animals, floating bath toys
    
• Colorful soft balls