Baby's Senses: Vision
Baby's vision, or sense of sight, is one of the slowest senses to develop. And it makes sense when you think about it: Baby spends months in a dark womb, so their eyes don't get much practice before birth! In the first few months, Baby's eyes are still learning to work together. You may notice their eyes move independently or even look crossed at times—that's completely normal.
Newborns can only focus on things about 8 to 12 inches away, which just happens to be the perfect distance to see your face while being held. They can only see light and dark contrasts, which is why black-and-white patterns are so engaging for them. In their first year, Baby's vision will go through many changes, from tracking with smoother movements to seeing further distances. Their vision will continue to sharpen over the next couple of years until it's around 20/20.
How It Develops
Vision in the first year
How to Help
Expert-designed activities to try
When to Get Support
Vision checks & concerns
⚑ How Vision Develops
See how Baby's vision develops in their first year!
While you can't see through Baby's eyes, there are other ways to see how their vision is developing, like tracking a toy with smoother eye movements or recognizing you from across the room! Watch for these signs of vision development in Baby's first year:
At Birth
Can only focus on objects and faces 8 to 12 inches away
Sees shades of black, white, and gray
Eyes may cross or drift, as eye muscles are just beginning to strengthen
2 Months
Tracks a moving toy from side to side while lying on their back
Makes consistent eye contact when calm and alert
3 Months
Focuses more clearly on faces and nearby toys as vision sharpens
Tracks objects with smoother eye movements and both eyes working together
Reaches out to swipe at toys held above them, an early sign of hand-eye coordination developing
4 Months
Sees farther distances
Keeps their head centered while following objects with their eyes
5 Months
Begins seeing a full range of colors
Starts to develop depth perception, helping them understand how far away something is
9 Months
Recognizes familiar people and objects both near and far, including from across the room
Shows interest in exploring toys of different shapes, sizes, and textures
Improves hand-eye coordination as crawling begins
12 Months
Uses stronger depth perception to judge how far to crawl or cruise to a desired toy
Picks up small objects more accurately using the pincer grasp
Releases objects into a container with a large opening, showing maturing hand-eye coordination
Helping Vision Develop
Try these expert-designed activities to help develop Baby's vision!
When to Get Support with Vision
Baby will get their vision checked at well-baby visits and their first eye exam between 6–12 months to make sure it's developing as expected.
If you notice ongoing concerns with how Baby sees or tracks, write down what you see and share it with Baby's healthcare provider.
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