5 Ways The Desi Dot Book Supports Infants’ Development
Our first book, The Desi Dot Book, is now available for purchase!
As our debut title, we wanted this book to be meaningful from day one of a child’s life. Our goal was to create something that families could cherish for themselves or gift to others, with features that are developmentally appropriate for infants yet still engaging for older children.
From tummy time to cultural connection, here are five ways this book is designed to grow with your family.
1. Accordion Format: Perfect for Tummy Time and Floor Play
Instead of a traditional spine, The Desi Dot Book opens like an accordion. This means you can spread the pages out flat or stand them upright on the floor or a table.
Why this feature matters: Pediatricians recommend starting supervised tummy time just days after birth to help babies build core strength and motor skills. Early sessions are short (just a few minutes at a time), but by about two months old, babies benefit from 15-30 minutes of tummy time throughout the day. Having engaging visual stimuli during this time keeps little ones interested, encouraging them to lift heir heads and begin tracking shapes and patterns (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2023; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, n.d.). The accordion design makes it easy to prop the book up within your baby’s view, turning tummy time into a fun, stimulating activity.
2. Board Book Construction: Built for Little Hands
The Desi Dot Book is made with thick, durable board pages, so it can stand up to children’s daily use. Board books, unlike paperbacks, are intentionally designed with babies in mind.
Why this feature matters: Infants explore the world through all their senses, including touch and even mouthing objects. Sturdy board pages allow babies to safely handle the book, turn pages with a bit of help, and begin building the motor skills needed for reading later on. The durability also makes it easy for caregivers to introduce routines like “reading time” from the very beginning (Cornwall, 2023).
3. High-Contrast Patterns: Black, White, and Red
In the first few months of life, babies can see most clearly within 8-12 inches and respond most strongly to bold, high-contrast designs. That’s why The Desi Dot Book features striking patterns in black, white, and red.
Why this feature matters: Black and white colors provide the sharpest contrast for newborn eyes, helping stimulate retinal and brain development (Boyd, 2024). As vision sharpens around 2-3 months, red is one of the first colors babies can distinguish, adding an extra layer of engagement (Skelton et al., 2022). By incorporating authentic South Asian patterns like rangoli and kolam, we’ve paired this early visual learning with cultural connection, giving little ones both the stimulation they need and an artistic introduction to their heritage.
4. Baby-Safe Mirror: Early Self-Discovery
One page of The Desi Dot Book includes a baby-safe mirror. While mirrors are certainly fun, they’re also powerful developmental tools.
Why this feature matters: Infants’ recognition of self is a developmental journey. Around two months, babies enjoy looking at human faces, including their own. By around six months, they begin to recognize that movements in the mirror match their own. And around 18-24 months, many children pass the “mirror test,” realizing the reflection is truly themselves (Rochat, 2003). In addition to self-recognition, mirrors also support visual tracking and social bonding. For instance, you might use the mirror to practice expressions, play peek-a-boo, or make silly faces together.
5. Bonus Activities: Growing Beyond Infancy
The Desi Dot Book isn’t only for babies. We’ve included simple extension activities so siblings and older children can join in on the playful learning:
- Math: Each page has a different number of red dots from 1-9. Point and count the red dots together.
- Literacy: Trace the patterns with your fingers or use tracing paper to turn this into a drawing activity.
- Cultural learning: Explore more rangoli and kolam patterns and create your own designs with chalk or rice flour paste.
Why this feature matters: These activities extend the book’s usefulness beyond infancy. They build on the same pattern recognition skills that support early math and literacy while also encouraging cultural exploration and creativity. This way, children of different ages can learn, play, and connect with heritage together.
The Desi Dot Book is now available for purchase, and we can’t wait for it to find its way into your homes and communities!
With Love,
Madhu
References
American Academy of Pediatrics (2023). 3 Tummy Time Activities To Try With Your Baby. HealthyChildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/The-Importance-of-Tummy-Time.aspx
Boyd, K. (2024). Vision Development: Newborn to 12 Months. American Academy of Ophthalmology. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/baby-vision-development-first-year
Cornwall, G. (2023). Solid Stories: Why Board Books Are Key Developmental Tools. School Library Journal. https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/Solid-Stories-Why-Board-Books-Are-Key-Developmental-Tools
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (n.d.). Tummy Time for a Healthy Baby. Safe to Sleep®. https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/reduce-risk/tummy-time
Rochat, P. (2003). Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life. Consciousness and Cognition, 12(4), 717-731. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-8100(03)00081-3
Skelton, A. E., Maule, J., & Franklin, A. (2022). Infant color perception: Insight into perceptual development. Child Development Perspectives, 16(2), 90–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12447