NEWBORN 101
True or false: A newborn needs a bath every day.
False.
Quick fact: Too much bathing can dry delicate newborn skin. (Canadian Paediatric Society — Caring for Kids)
Complete the rhyme: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star...”
“How I wonder what you are.”
Quick fact: The lyrics began as an early-1800s poem called “The Star.”
During the first month, about how many hours can a newborn sleep in 24 hours?
A. About 8–10 hours
B. About 12–14 hours
C. Up to about 18 hours
C. Up to about 18 hours.
Quick fact: The catch is that those hours are spread across lots of shorter stretches. (HealthLink BC — Baby’s Best Chance / Time for Bed)
Around what age does a baby’s social smile usually become noticeable?
A. Around 2 weeks
B. Around 2 months
C. Around 6 months
B. Around 2 months.
Quick fact: This is when smiles increasingly become a social response to people. (HealthLink BC)
During which age range does crawling commonly begin to appear?
A. About 2–4 months
B. About 6–12 months
C. About 15–18 months
B. About 6–12 months.
Quick fact: There is lots of variation, and some healthy babies skip traditional crawling altogether. (HealthLink BC)
About how far away can a newborn focus best?
A. About 25 cm / 10 inches
B. About 1 metre / 3 feet
C. Across an average room
A. About 25 cm / 10 inches.
Quick fact: That close-up range is perfect for looking at a parent’s face while being held. (SickKids — AboutKidsHealth)
Who sat on a wall before having a great fall?
Humpty Dumpty.
Funny detail: the original rhyme never actually says Humpty Dumpty was an egg.
During the first few weeks, newborns typically wake up how often?
A. Every 30–60 minutes
B. Every 2–3 hours
C. Every 4–6 hours
B. Every 2–3 hours.
Quick fact: Their small stomachs mean frequent feeds. (HealthLink BC — Baby’s Daily Needs)
Around what age can many babies recognize their own name?
A. About 2 months
B. About 5–6 months
C. About 12 months
B. About 5–6 months.(HealthLink BC)
During which age range do many babies take their first independent steps?
A. About 4–7 months
B. About 8–18 months
C. About 20–30 months
B. About 8–18 months.
Quick fact: First steps have a surprisingly wide normal range. *(HealthLink BC — Baby’s Best Chance)*
B. About 8–18 months.
Quick fact: First steps have a surprisingly wide normal range. (HealthLink BC — Baby’s Best Chance)
Which taste do newborn babies generally prefer?
A. Sweet
B. Salty
C. Sour
A. Sweet.
Quick fact: Taste preferences are already present from the very beginning(HealthLink BC)
Mary had which animal whose fleece was white as snow?
A lamb.
Quick fact: “Mary Had a Little Lamb” was first published in the 1830s.
True or false: Newborn babies already know the difference between day and night.
False.
Quick fact: Their day-night rhythm develops gradually during the early months. *(HealthLink BC — Baby’s Best Chance)*
Around what age can many babies sit steadily without help?
A. About 2–4 months
B. About 6–9 months
C. About 12–15 months
B. About 6–9 months.
Quick fact: Sitting arrives as head, neck, and trunk control become stronger. (HealthLink BC)
True or false? Being regularly exposed to and learning more than one language can cause a speech delay.
False.
Quick fact: Learning more than one language can expand communication, support reading and writing in multiple languages, and may boost overall learning ability. (HealthLink BC)
Which of these can many newborns recognize very early?
A. A parent’s voice
B. Their own name
C. Their favourite song title
A. A parent’s voice.
Quick fact: Babies hear familiar voices before birth and can respond to them after birth. (HealthLink BC)
In “Hickory Dickory Dock,” what ran up the clock?
A. A mouse
B. A cat
C. A spider
A. A mouse.
True or false: Keeping a baby awake during the day is a good way to make them sleep better at night.
False.
Quick fact: Enough daytime sleep can help babies settle better at night. (HealthLink BC / Canadian Paediatric Society)
Around what age may a baby start waving “bye-bye” when prompted?
A. Around 3 months
B. Around 9 months
C. Around 18 months
B. Around 9 months.
Quick fact: Gestures often become an important part of communication before many spoken words arrive. (HealthLink BC)
True or false: Giving a crying baby lots of attention will spoil them.
False.
Quick fact: Warm, consistent responses help build attachment, trust, and confidence. (HealthLink BC — Baby’s Best Chance)
True or false: Newborns are born with all five senses.
True.
Quick fact: All five are present, but vision is much less developed than touch, smell, or hearing. (HealthLink BC)
Complete the line: “Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...”
“Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.”
Around what age do baby sleep patterns often start changing into a more organized pattern?
A. About 6 weeks
B. About 6 months
C. About 18 months
B. About 6 months.(HealthLink BC — Time for Bed)
Around what age can many babies say a few single words besides “mama” or “dada”?
A. Around 6 months
B. Around 12 months
C. Around 24 months
B. Around 12 months.
Quick fact: Babies usually understand far more words than they can say at this stage. (HealthLink BC)
Which activity best supports a baby’s early language development?
A. Expensive educational toys
B. Playing with, reading to, and singing to the baby
C. Watching educational YouTube videos
B. Playing with, reading to, and singing to the baby.
Quick fact: Babies learn language best through direct, responsive interaction with people. (Canadian Paediatric Society)