What is the primary way babies explore items according to developmental practices?

Babies primarily explore items by placing them in their mouth, as this is a natural and instinctive behavior for infants. This practice is known as "oral exploration" and is crucial for their sensory development. Mouths are one of the most sensitive parts of a baby’s body, rich with nerve endings, which provides them with a unique way of understanding the world around them. When babies mouth objects, they not only gather information about texture, temperature, and taste, but also learn about the object's shape and size, the degree of hardness or softness, and even safety factors.

This method of exploration supports cognitive development as it encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and understanding of physical properties of objects. It is an essential part of how infants learn to interact with their environment, promotes their motor skills, and is also a preliminary step towards more complex cognitive tasks as they grow. Therefore, this practice plays a vital role in their overall developmental progress.