Increasingly over the past decade, some educators have recommended teaching academics to infants. They reason that infancy represents one of the richest times for acquiring knowledge, and that if we can teach infants while they're ripe for new learning, we'll set them on the right track for success in later life.
While this reasoning is generally valid, the method in such approaches often involves flashcards and other equipment more typical of the modern elementary school classroom. Parents should be warned that these methods may actually confuse infants or create stress that can block, not promote, new learning.
Infants learn about the world through their bodies and through interaction with the concrete world. Flashcards and other academic materials have little connection with the real world of infants. If infants seem to respond to these materials, it may be because their behavior is being subtly modified to respond accordingly.
Avoid these artificial attempts to impress friends and relatives with your baby's intelligence and seek instead to expose your infant to developmentally appropriate experiences. These experiences can include singing, talking, hugging and holding, and lots of concrete materials.