It's All In The Glove

The learning curve for infants may be enhanced by—of all
things—Velcro. Researchers at Duke University, led by Amy Needham,
Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology, have found that giving 3
month-old babies Velcro-covered mittens and toys helps to increase their
motor skill development.

By being able to pick up objects with their mitted hands, infants
are more likely to explore a wider variety of items than their
bare-handed counterparts. This interaction with more objects appears to
activate the beginning stages of mental classification at an earlier
age.

While no research has been done yet to determine whether the
effects last over the long run, interest is strong enough that Needham is
considering marketing the gloves to the public. Her findings were
published this month in the journal
Infant Behavior and Development.