Soothing, Cuddles, and Peekaboo: The Real Learning Milestones of Infancy

ByVandana Bhatia
Updated: 25 Nov 2025, 11:00 am

From cuddles to peekaboo, the most ordinary moments are shaping your baby’s brain in extraordinary ways. This guide celebrates the joy and fun of parenting, explaining how affection, play, and soothing responses are real learning milestones that help your baby grow into an intelligent, secure, and socially aware child.

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When people talk about milestones, they often mention rolling, sitting, or walking. But the real learning milestones of infancy start much earlier — through moments of connection. Every smile you return, every cuddle you give, every round of peekaboo you play is teaching your baby how to think, feel, and relate to the world. These interactions create neural connections that form the foundation for emotional intelligence, memory, and communication. In simple terms, love and play are your baby’s first teachers.
In this article:

Why Soothing and Comfort Matter

Newborns don’t come with instructions. They rely entirely on caregivers to meet their physical and emotional needs. When you soothe your baby by holding, rocking, or whispering, you’re doing far more than calming them.

You are shaping their stress response system. Every time a baby is soothed, their body learns to regulate their emotions and recover from discomfort. Emotional resilience begins there. Studies show that regular soothing helps babies develop stronger bonds, sleep better, and have more stable moods as they grow older. Therefore, instead of treating your baby's cries as noise, consider them communication. Your calm manner is the answer they're looking for.

The Power of Cuddles

Cuddling is more than affection — it’s biology. When you hold your baby close, your heartbeat, warmth, and scent create a sense of safety that no words can convey.
Cuddles:
  • Release oxytocin (the love hormone) in both parent and baby.
  • Lower cortisol (the stress hormone).
  • Support immune function and growth.
  • Strengthen the parent-baby bond.
For premature or anxious babies, regular skin-to-skin contact even improves weight gain and oxygen levels.

Frequent touch doesn’t “spoil” your baby. It builds the emotional wiring for trust, confidence, and love — the true pillars of development.

Peekaboo: The First Game of the Mind

It may seem like a simple game, but peekaboo is one of the most potent brain exercises for infants. When you hide your face and reveal it again, your baby learns something called object permanence — the understanding that things exist even when unseen. It is a crucial early cognitive milestone that lays the foundation for memory and trust. Through peekaboo, babies also learn:
  • Predictability (that you’ll always come back)
  • Attention focus
  • Joy and anticipation
And most importantly, they learn that relationships are safe and fun. So, those giggles during peekaboo aren’t just cute, they’re proof your baby is learning complex concepts through play, and it's a joyous journey for both of you.

Why Play Is More Than Entertainment

Play is how babies explore the world. When your baby shakes a rattle, stares at your face, or kicks during diaper changes, they’re discovering cause and effect. The brain grows through repetition and positive feedback. Your smile after their giggle tells them “I’m seen” and encourages them to try again.

It builds curiosity, problem-solving, and emotional connection. Play is not optional. It’s the foundation for lifelong learning, and you are the key to unlocking your baby's potential.

How Babies Learn Through Connection

These brief exchanges of information are referred to by scientists as "serve and return." It resembles a tennis match. Your baby smiles back at you when you smile at them. They coo as you speak. The brain circuits that govern language, empathy, and emotional control are strengthened with each "serve and return."

Additionally, social timing—when to react, when to wait, and how relationships function—is taught by this rhythm of back-and-forth. Thousands of brain connections are formed every second by even brief periods of focused play.

Building a Secure Emotional Base

Consistent love and responsiveness help your baby feel safe. This sense of safety becomes the emotional base from which they explore the world. Babies who feel secure are more likely to:
  • Develop strong motor and cognitive skills
  • Adapt better to new situations
  • Form healthier attachments later in life

Emotional safety today becomes confidence tomorrow.

Simple Ways to Support Learning and Bonding are as follows:
  • Talk Often: Describe what you’re doing in simple words. Your baby learns language through your tone and rhythm before actual meaning.
  • Respond to Every Cue: Smile when your baby smiles. Pick them up when they cry. These small responses tell your baby they matter.
  • Read and Sing Aloud: Even at a few months old, babies love voice patterns. Reading or singing strengthens vocabulary and emotional connection.
  • Create Routine: Predictable feeding, naps, and playtime give your baby a sense of security and structure.
  • Play Interactive Games: Peekaboo, gentle tickles, and mimicking faces are great examples of interactive play that boost your baby’s awareness and confidence.
  • Give Undivided Attention: Put your phone away during bonding time. Babies notice your focus more than your words.

The Real Milestones That Matter

Parents often track first teeth or first steps, but the invisible milestones — trust, attention, joy — are just as vital. Look for signs like:
  • Eye contact and social smiles
  • Reaching for you during play
  • Laughing, cooing, or babbling
  • Calms faster when held
These are early indicators that your baby feels safe, connected, and curious — the best markers of healthy emotional growth. Recognising these signs can reassure you that you're on the right track in nurturing your baby's emotional development.

When to Seek Guidance

While each baby develops at their own pace, consult your paediatrician if:
  • Your baby avoids eye contact or rarely smiles by 3 months.
  • Shows little response to sounds or faces.
  • Seems unusually fussy or unresponsive to comfort.
  • Doesn’t engage in any interactive play by 6–8 months.
Remember, each baby develops at their own pace. Seeking guidance is a regular part of parenting. If you notice any of these signs, consult your paediatrician. Early evaluation ensures that developmental or sensory challenges can be addressed quickly, giving your baby the best start in life.

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FAQs on Soothing, Cuddles, and Peekaboo: The Real Learning Milestones of Infancy

  1. Why is peekaboo necessary for babies?
    It teaches object permanence and helps build memory, trust, and emotional connection through fun and anticipation.
  2. How often should I cuddle my baby?
    As often as you like. Babies thrive on physical affection. It helps regulate their emotions and boosts brain development.
  3. Can responding too quickly spoil a baby?
    No. Consistent responses build emotional security. Spoiling isn’t possible in the first year.
  4. How does play help in brain development?
    Play stimulates multiple senses, strengthens neural connections, and encourages curiosity and problem-solving.
  5. Should I talk to my baby even if they don’t understand words yet?
    Yes. Babies learn tone, rhythm, and emotional cues long before they understand language.
Disclaimer: Dr. Aastha Gupta, Senior IVF consultant & fertility expert, Obs/ Gynae at Delhi IVF, New Delhi