Infants learn new things about their external environment every day; whether it be that hitting the drums makes loud noises or that objects are able to be picked up if you reach for them. But when do babies understand that they are people too? In other words, when do they become self-aware of themselves?

The given article answers these questions, addressing a popular test used to assess self-awareness in infants. The mirror test, also called the ‘rouge test’, is where a mark of red coloring is smudged on the infant’s nose. If the infant sees their reflection in a mirror and wipes the mark off, they are thought to have developed a sense of self. Babies who do not attempt to clean the smudge believe the reflection is another infant and not themselves; suggesting that these younger infants have not yet become self-aware. 

Self-awareness is typically acquired around two years of age, however studies have shown cross-cultural differences for this phase in children’s developmental trajectories.

Read the full article here!

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Today’s Friday Feature is Lucie Lopez

Lucie is an Undergraduate Student Investigator is Dr. Rhiannon Smith’s Social and Emotional Development Lab. She is currently working on a project through the UConn IDEA Grant Program researching the relationship between participation in free and reduced school meal programs and sense of belonging in school, particularly among adolescents.  Her project entails a two part study: the first part is a survey that asks college – aged people to think retrospectively about their experiences receiving free and reduced meals during their K-12 education in CT and how it impacted their sense of belonging. The second part is a survey for parents/guardians and their children in high school who participated in the free and reduced meal program before and throughout the COVID-10 pandemic. She is very excited to analyze her data and see how changes from the COVID pandemic impacted sense of belonging.

Lucie is from Avon, CT and is a senior at UConn, pursuing a dual degree in Psychological Sciences and Spanish. After completing her undergraduate education, she plans on attending graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in School Psychology. She is very passionate that more research in school psychology needs to focus on the social, emotional, and behavioral aspects of learning. With her research she hopes to inform policy allowing all schools to provide universal free meals to students. She is also a teaching assistant in the First Year Experience program, the student coordinator for the language and literacy programs in Community Outreach, and a peer research ambassador in the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Lucie loves to read, listen to music, walk outside, paint/draw, and play with her cat, Gary!

(Lucie and Rhiannon Smith at and IDEA Grant event last semester)

Not only is cooking with preschoolers a fun way to bond, but it can also help further their development. Cooking can help young children learn basic math skills by counting items, following step-by-step directions, or using measuring cups. Reading the recipe with your child can also promote literacy by introducing new words to their vocabulary. On top of this, it encourages children to have an adventurous palate. Kids may be more likely to try food if they play a role in preparing it. 

A boost in self-confidence is a big part of cooking with children. It allows them to showcase new skills they’ve learned, giving them a sense of accomplishment. Whether it’s stirring pancake batter, assembling a pizza, tearing lettuce, or simply adding ingredients, praise children and let them know that their help is important.

Read the full article here.

Emma Dineen

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

In this article, a popular topic in the world of child development is addressed surrounding critical periods. The critical period is thought of as a window in time where children must receive input from the world around them to properly develop important skills used later in life. There is a multitude of research that has been done on animals which have found critical windows for the development of the visual system as well as for the auditory system.

Researchers in this article were interested in whether or not this sort of window for auditory input exists for congenitally deaf children. In other words, is there a specific age in development where congenitally deaf children should receive a cochlear implant or engage in other forms of intervention? Is earlier better? 

In all tests of speech perception conducted with children ages 2-13 who received cochlear implants, researchers consistently found that earlier implantation is always better. More specifically, two year olds who received the implant significantly outperformed their older counterparts; showing possible evidence for a critical period of cochlear implantation for congenitally deaf children.

Read the full article here!

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Good afternoon and happy Trivia Tuesday! Today’s trivia question may be easier for those who examined your child’s critical thinking skills and watched as they gained a better understanding of how the world around them functions physically!

When it comes to understanding conservation, around what age do children start to understand this? **bonus: which stage in Piaget’s stages in sensorimotor development does this occur?**

1. 12 years old or older
2. around 7 to 12 years old
3. from birth
4. 2 to 5 years old

As promised, the answer to the last question on which of the five senses is developed first, the correct choice is touch! In the womb, fetuses develop touch as their first sense with hearing then developing after about 4 months in the womb.  Tune in next week to discover what the answer is for this week’s question and to learn more on child development!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Babies are naturally curious. They love to look around and examine what is going on in the environment that they are in, but did you know that infants look at what you look at most of the time? This process is called joint attention; infants will often look at you and take note what you are glancing at, and then will shift their gaze to that direction to match you! Infants and younger children tend to learn an enormous amount through mimicking behaviors that are displayed around them, so this is no surprise that infants engage in behavior like this. Recognizing and tuning into this aspect of social development can help you understand why your child may look to you when meeting a new person or look at you after looking at an object themselves. This can help build unspoken connections with your child and foster growth in this domain.

In the research article Infant responding to joint attention, executive processes, and self-regulation in preschool and children, it covers various aspects on joint attention and dives deeper into what really happens when an infant is engaging in joint attention. The result of the study demonstrates that there is a connection between self-regulation and regulation of execute attention with joint attention. The study also mentions that there needs to be a better understanding of this process as it might lead to a better understanding of social cognition. This article was written in 2011, so we do know more about how this process plays into social cognition and development, however more studies still need to be done examining various cultural aspects and developmental delays. That being said, the research article adds the ability to gain a clearer understanding on what exactly joint attention is, how it works, and how children engage in it within other areas of development.

This innate developmental tool is so important. It allows your child to engage and connect with you in such a simple, unspoken manor while also providing learning experiences that help your child socially, emotionally, and even linguistically. Next time you are with your little one, pay attention to how they exhibit their own forms of joint attention. You might catch them gazing at what you are looking at every once in a while!

Read the full article here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

Hello, hola, bonjour! Knowing more than one language comes with many benefits and opportunities for individuals. In this article, researchers discuss the topic of bilingualism and its impact on child development. Common myths about bilingualism are debunked and scientific facts are addressed. 

The article points out how research has shown that exposing children to a second language promotes cognitive development in the same ways early musical training does. The topic of the critical period for language acquisition is also mentioned: A time where children must be exposed to a language in order to develop that language. Researchers agree that earlier exposure is always better considering how significant the first few years of life are for children, and that learning a second language becomes much more difficult as we age. 

Overall, the article provides an insightful view of facts and misconceptions for parents to be aware of as they navigate through raising their little ones. Much research remains to be done about the topic of bilingualism and whether or not it provides children with other advantages throughout their course of development.

Read the full article here! 

Nolyette Verastegui

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

We all know that there’s no single way to parent a child. Different parenting styles cater to different kids. Many parents worry that their kids will not be successful if they don’t closely monitor their every move. Julie Lythcott-Haims, an academic author, believes that hovering too closely over children can lead them to live a “checklist childhood.” These childhoods cross off all the basics: ensuring children are in the right schools, getting good grades, helping them win awards, and involving them in extracurricular activities. Many parents believe that raising kids this way will help them achieve perfection. However, if every child is raised this way, how can we expect our children to thrive and stand out? 

Lythcott-Haims emphasizes the importance of teaching children to build self-efficacy. Teaching self-efficacy helps kids see that their actions can also have meaningful outcomes, not their parents’ actions but their own. It’s essential to broaden the idea of success that we teach children. Being successful is more than getting good grades. Being successful comes from happiness, love, confidence, and passion. Living with this definition of success can help children become the exceptional individuals they truly are.

Watch the full Ted Talk here.

Emma Dineen

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

We all have experiences doing art projects when we were younger. From paintings to chalk drawings, we all have some memory whether it was in school or at home; but how did this improve your development? Art is not just some elective that you’re required to take, it fosters development in multiple domains that you might not even realize!

The article “An introduction to the visual arts in early childhood education” dives deeper and breaks down what activities in the visual arts really does to help your child develop. Various main aspects of development that are promoted are mediated thinking, facilitated communication, imagination and creativity, appreciation of diversity and cultural knowledge, critical literacy and understanding in art, and even emotional support. Different activities can tune into different themes of development, but by integrating various activities that include arts whether that be by examining historical pieces or creating art of your own, all these positive aspects of development can be touched upon.

Now, when you think back to your own experiences in your art classes, you can see how important each lesson was. Not only was it fun and engaging, but it taught you a lot! Next time your child comes home with a new art project, think about all that was learned in that lesson. It is cool what art can do!

Read the full article here!

Mikayla Clemens

Research assistant, UConn KIDS

All children love to play. Having children who don’t get enough attention or enough play time can really effect the child’s development. It has been found that benefits that come from children being played still aren’t enough for some people as the free time for children to play has gone down tremendously in recent years.

Not only does play have a positive effect on the children but it also effects the parents and gives them an opportunity to spend positive time with their child. This study looks at the positive effects of play on both children and their parents and found very interesting pieces. It was found that play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and their physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.

As we strive to make children’s lives the best we can, it is important for parents, school systems, and other organizations to allow children to get an adamant amount of play time.

Read the full article Here!

Ben Solomon,

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS