Engage your newborn's five senses to introduce her to a lifetime of learning.

From the moment she's born, a baby builds her brand-new world directly from the experiences she gains using her eyes, nose, ears, mouth and skin.

Research shows that every sensory experience-all so exciting at this point-plows a fresh pathway in her brain and creates the vital web of connections so necessary for brain development.

Luckily, catering to those senses is something most of us do instinctively. Just hovering over your newborn and smiling at him is second nature. And most caregivers naturally do what's best to help children learn: They talk, coo, play and cuddle.

But not all babies react alike. For example, some may prefer listening to you read than hearing you sing. Try different things to discover what your baby likes best. Bottom line? If your baby is interested and involved in an activity-and having fun-he's learning.

Here are some tips from leading child development experts for stimulating and evaluating the senses in children from birth to 12 months.

A newborn can focus only from about 8 to 15 inches away. She can detect light, shapes and movement, but the rest will be a blur. Stick to black-and-white images when showing her pictures. Babies can distinguish shapes and sizes by 4½ months, and her sensitivity to color will continue to develop as she grows. Combine looking at and touching objects together.

Have your child's first hearing checkup before you leave the hospital, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises. Babies have trouble with language development if they have hearing problems. The good news: Children with hearing loss who receive services by 6 months usually develop good language and learning skills.

Infants prefer a quiet environment, but as they grow, add a variety of sounds. Gather objects that make distinct noises (such as rattles), then jingle, tap or shake each one. Let him hold them if he likes; it will enhance both tactile awareness and listening skills.

As soon as they're born, infants appear to be able to distinguish between sweet, sour and bitter tastes, as well as the presence or absence of garlic or alcohol in breast milk, according to a University of Iowa study. If you're breast-feeding and want your child to like fruits and vegetables, you should eat them yourself, say experts at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Then as she transitions to solid foods, give your baby lots of opportunities to taste the same fruits and vegetables.

Babies are born with a sense of smell. Your baby can easily recognize you by scent, and research shows that infants use their noses to guide them to a breast for feeding. Even day-old infants quickly learn to associate a smell with the pleasurable experience of being stroked, according to research conducted at the University of California, Irvine, and Irvine Medical Center. Stimulating that sense of smell sparks learning in the developing infant brain. As your child grows, you'll be able to see how he responds to energizing scents such as peppermint and cinnamon, or calming aromas such as lavender.

As your baby grows, touch plays a role in both motor and brain development. Try the oldie-but-goodie game of So Big. Ask, "How big is the baby?" Then lift her arms and finish with "Sooooo big!" She'll eventually respond to the pattern of the words, sounds and touch. Experience various textures with a copy of the beloved Pat the Bunny book by Dorothy Kunhardt (published since 1940) or make your own set of tactile squares with lace, sandpaper, felt and fur.

Books to Check Out

What's Going On in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot (Bantam, 2000).

Bright from the Start: The Simple, Science-Backed Way to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind from Birth to Age 3 by Jill Stamm (Gotham, 2007).

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