December 14, 2008
Babies Do See Colours
Brown and grey are babies' least favourite colours, while blue, red, purple and orange are their favourite. This is the findings of the Surrey Baby Lab which surveyed 250 babies to check their response to colours.
"It's a myth that newborn babies are colour-blind. They can see colour, but it does develop over the coming months," said Anna Franklin, the doctor who led the study.
One of the tests involve showing babies as young as four months different colours on a monitor and watching the response and timing how long they looked at the monitor.
Individual babies showed individual preferences, but variety was key to retaining their interest.
"Some babies show a striking preferences for just one colour, while others will like a few colours," Franklin said.
"What we have shown is if you repeatedly show babies a blue, then another shade of blue, they will treat it as same and get bored."
"But if you show them a green, they will perk up and start looking again. That shows babies are aware that blues fall into the same category of colour."
Showing colours in pairs revealed that babies looked longest at blue, red, purple and orange and shortest at brown,
Franklin said that one practical application of the research was that if parents knew which colour their baby liked best, they could paint the nursery in that colour.
"But my hunch would be that it is best to expose babies to a whole range of colours for their development," she added.
My Website
Filed under Babies by Sally
Spread the Word!
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to comment


Comments on Babies Do See Colours »
Can gerbils give birth to different colours babies?
I have 2 gerbils both are brownish. Can they give birth to different colored babies.
yes they can but both brown so im not sayin ther come out golden but mabe a darker grey or black mabe
References :
yeah my hamster had babies and the mom and dad were golden but the babies turned out to be black and white also light gold and white
References :
yes! to blake brow greay light brown some with spots !
References :
Yes! My gerbil, Coco (brown) gave birth to a brown, grey, grey (but with little bits), champagne, champane and two white.
References :
yes
References :