STREAM Activity: High Contrast Cards
Create high-contrast stimulation cards for your little one!
Activity best for children ages four and up
Did you know that at birth, babies can only see three colors: black, white, and some gray? Additionally, most of their vision is blurry. Images that have a high contrast or have many opposite colors such as black and white, are easier for newborns to focus on at this stage of development. Photos with high-contrast patterns or images can help encourage and stimulate infant vision development and curiosity. Today, we’ll make our own high-contrast stimulation cards for you to use at home!
Vocabulary:
Contrast: The representation of two elements of design in opposite ways.
Cognitive: Mental action or process and understanding through experiences and senses.
Guiding Questions:
What are other ways to help newborns focus on things?
Materials:
White construction paper
Sharpie or black marker
Scissors
Directions
Step 1
Start by gathering the materials for your high-contrast cards.
Step 2
Begin by cutting your piece of paper into four squares.
Step 3
Now, think of four contrasting patterns and draw them out. You can do designs as complex as a checkerboard or as simple as diagonal lines.
Grown Ups- Are you looking for more ways to extend your child’s learning? Check out these extension activities to build upon today’s STREAM activity!
Reading Connections
Hello, My World: A High Contrast Book by DuoPress Labs
This simple board book displays different patterns and images that we see every day to help newborns.
Share your high-contrast cards with us on Instagram by tagging @sdcdm320!
Questions about this activity? Email education@sdcdm.org
