Do you have a baby? If so, have you ever taken them for a walk in the park and noticed that they seem to hate grass? It’s not just your baby – almost all babies avoid grass.
But why is that? Is there something about grass that makes it inherently unappealing to babies? Or is it something else entirely that makes babies scared of touching grass?
Why? No one knows for sure, but there are many theories.
Why does it seem that babies don’t like grass?
Some believe that it’s because the blades of grass are sharp and can prick their skin. Others believe that it’s because the texture of grass is rough and uncomfortable. And still, some parents think its because the smell of grass is strange and unfamiliar to babies.
But the most likely explanation is that it’s simply because grass is new to them and its a sign they are having sensory overload. Babies are used to being inside, where they’re surrounded by soft surfaces and familiar smells. Out in the open, they’re exposed to a whole new world of sights and sounds – including the blades of grass waving in the wind. And that can be a little scary for them.
Surprising Science Behind Babies Hating Grass
The Infant Cognition Center revealed that newborns took five seconds longer on average to touch plants than other unfamiliar items, indicating a possible evolutionary genesis of the habit. According to the researchers, this activity is an inbuilt defensive mechanism against threats such as poisons or thorns on the plants and this might be why babies avoid grass.
According to one research published in the journal Cognition, newborns are often distrustful of plants. “When compared to other organisms, infants as early as eight months demonstrate higher reluctance to manually study plants,” the authors write. The explanation for this is that they may be hard-wired to be sensitive to “ancestrally recurrent dangers” derived from plants, such as being exposed to something harmful.
Sensory OverLoad is Why Babies Are Scared of Grass
Grass can trigger sensory overload in a newborn. During the first few months of life, a baby’s nervous system is fine-tuning, rapidly evolving in such a manner that noises, feelings, and sights become strong and disturbing. Grass may be too much for a baby to handle during this critical period.
Newborns Experience Different Stimuli Than Adults
Another theory is that newborns experience different stimuli than adults do. For example, babies are more sensitive to movement and tend to focus on objects that are close up. Grass blades waving in the wind may be too distracting for a baby, while an adult may not even notice them.
Unfamiliar Experience is Why Babies Hate Grass
It’s also possible that the aversion to grass is simply due to it being an unfamiliar experience. Babies are more likely to fear things that they don’t understand or that are new to them.
Babies Are Born With Innate Preferences
Yet another theory is that babies are born with innate preferences. Maybe they instinctively prefer certain colors or textures over others. It could be that grass just doesn’t appeal to them for some unknown reason.
No Matter the Reason, Babies Will Outgrow Their Hatred of Grass
One thing is for sure – babies will outgrow their hatred of grass. By the time they reach toddlerhood, they’ll be more than happy to explore all that the great outdoors has to offer!
Is it okay for babies to eat Grass?
There’s no definitive answer, as grass contains tiny bits of dirt and other debris that could potentially cause a baby to get sick. Lord knows what animals have emptied their bowels on it in the past! Also you don’t know what chemicals or pesticides have been used on the grass in the past.
But, it seems almost impossible to stop babies putting it in their mouth, if this happens simply try and clean there mouth with water. It generally won’t hurt your kid to chew on some grass as long as it’s not toxic or a choking danger! In fact, several research suggest that children who are exposed to dirt and other microbes may have a decreased risk of asthma and allergies.
Viral Videos Showing Babies Scared of Grass
We’ve all seen the viral videos of where babies avoid grass (not see them, check these out). Most babies in the viral video react when touching grass probably down to the sensory experiences that the new environment provides. Grass is one of the many things that babies can be afraid of because it’s a new experience to them.
Babies are used to being inside and around soft surfaces with familiar smells, so when they’re outside and see grass for the first time, it’s unfamiliar to them which causes them discomfort. More comments on the videos suggest kids and children imagine that there are monsters or bugs under the grass.
Take Away on Why Babies Avoid Grass
Babies will usually outgrow this fear by the time they reach toddlerhood and be more than happy explore all that the great outdoors has to offer! Although there’s no definitive answer as to why babies hate grass, there are several theories that attempt to explain it.
One reason may be that newborns experience different stimuli than adults do. They’re more sensitive to movement and tend to focus on objects that are close up. Grass blades waving in the wind may be too distracting for a baby, while an adult may not even notice them. It’s
