This paper examines current research on environmental factors that influence cognitive development in infants and toddlers. It evaluates the effectiveness of audiovisual educational products, finding little scientific support for their claims and evidence that overstimulation may hinder development. The paper then explores the well-documented benefits of self-directed play, humor, and adult-child interaction — including the distinct role of father involvement — on early cognitive outcomes. Additional topics include visual attentiveness, the cognitive benefits of shared storybook reading, and the impact of socioeconomic status. The paper concludes that a relaxed, play-centered parenting approach better supports healthy cognitive development than intensive early stimulation programs.
Children are complex creatures who develop in various ways at various developmental stages. According to Thompson (2001), children grow in four interrelated areas — body, person, mind, and brain — and these four components involve the complex interplay of many factors: physical size, motor coordination, general health, thinking, language, symbolism, concepts, problem-solving, relationships, social understanding, emotions, and neural synapses. With respect to overall cognitive development in infants and toddlers, while countless environmental factors appear to have a measurable effect, the degree of significance of genetics remains under debate. Abundant recent research covers a wide range of topics related to environmental effects on the development of intelligence, learning, memory, and problem-solving in very young children. Some areas studied and analyzed include the effects of audiovisual stimulation, playtime and fun, interactive story time, father involvement, and socioeconomic status.
Audiovisual stimulation from "Baby Einstein" type DVDs has become a popular way for parents to occupy infants, and computer game-based toys are also gaining popularity with parents of very young children. Books such as How to Multiply Your Baby's Intelligence (Doman, 1984) have been around for years and encourage parents to begin teaching their infants math, English, and other languages immediately after birth (Akiba, 2009). These products are purported to accelerate development of the mind, affect, and creativity (Akiba, 2009). Yet recent research suggests this type of multi-sensory stimulation may be unnatural and excessive, leading to overstimulation (Akiba, 2009). This overexcitement can actually be a hindrance to cognitive development (Akiba, 2009).
In fact, none of the aforementioned educational products was developed in collaboration with professional scholars of cognitive development (Akiba, 2009). Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence to support the advertising claims that these products accelerate development in infants and toddlers (Akiba, 2009). The common misconception that listening to classical music enhances intelligence is based on studies of college students and children over the age of two, not infants or toddlers (Akiba, 2009; Van der Linde, 1999).
On the contrary, sound scientific evidence does exist suggesting that early sensory overstimulation can inhibit cognitive development (Akiba, 2009), particularly if it occurs too regularly. According to the neuroscientist Huttenlocher (2002), "early cognitive stimulation may be counterproductive to the enhancement of children's intelligence, because brain cells reserved for unspecified future development may be prematurely occupied by information to which children are exposed early in their lives" (as cited in Akiba, 2009). Other researchers' work suggests that a child's genetics and natural interests may play such a critical role that very early efforts to boost cognitive development and IQ may be a waste of time (Akiba, 2009).
Many parents and teachers will attest that children learn best when they are actively engaged and having fun — that is, when they have a personal, emotional investment in the activity, such as when they are allowed to direct their own play. According to Cameron et al. (2008), "few areas of development are as important to early intervention as play" (p. 5). Play is the natural way to simultaneously stimulate the intellect involved in language, symbolism, general cognition, sensorimotor skills, self-realization, and emotion (Cameron et al., 2008; Leppo et al., 2000; Fletcher & Sabo, 2006). Gottfried (1984) viewed play as "a complex, multidimensional sequence of behaviors that changes considerably in process and morphology, particularly during infancy and the early childhood years" (as cited in Smith, 1995). Furthermore, "Sutton-Smith (1993) expressed the opinion that '...the usefulness of parents playing with children...is based on 150 years of accumulated doctrine about the positive values of child play from Rousseau to Piaget'" (as cited in Smith, 1995).
Research also suggests that children are naturally drawn to activities that promote their overall development, so leaving them to their own devices is not always a bad idea (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002). Despite so much evidence in support of the positive effects of play on cognitive development in infants and toddlers, the focus among some parents and educators has recently shifted toward more rigorous, mentally stimulating activities and curricula, even for extremely young children (Akiba, 2009). Akiba's (2009) finding that chronic, heightened stimulation may be counterproductive suggests that the focus should return to allowing more relaxed, self-directed play time (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002). Even the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) advocates the use of play to stimulate overall child development (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002), claiming that increased stress from pressures to advance calls for increased play time to counteract that stress.
Furthermore, play and "inter-mental" activities may stimulate areas of cognitive development neglected by more focused "intra-mental" activities, such as planning, social skills, and creative aptitude (Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002; Cameron et al., 2008). Very young children are also highly egocentric, and play takes advantage of this fact rather than attempting to suppress it. Play time also allows individual children to learn at their own pace and build upon their current knowledge and developmental level, whereas trying to force a child to be "smarter" is likely a waste of time (Akiba, 2009; Isenberg & Quisenberry, 2002). In support of Piaget's theory of cognitive development, children will engage in "practice play" when appropriate (during the sensorimotor period) and in "symbolic play" when they are operating at that level (the preoperational stage) (Casby, 2003).
"Humor and adult guidance quality shape cognitive growth"
"Distinct benefits of father play and attention development"
"Poverty and parental education reduce cognitive outcomes"
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