Babies Documentary: A Celebration of the First Year
Babies documentary, a French film directed by Thomas Balmes, is a beautiful celebration of the first year in the lives of four newborns who live in very dissimilar environments. The babies, Ponijao from a rural village in Namibia; Bayarjargal from Mongolia; Mari from Tokyo, Japan and Hattie from San Francisco, California, all follow a similar pattern of development during their early months. However, there are differences in their social interactions and cultural surroundings that have a direct impact on their developmental growth.
The Influence of the Physical Environment
The physical environment that the babies were raised in has also influenced their development. For example, Hattie lived in an urban setting and had various objects and toys to interact with, while Bayar and Ponijao grew up in rural settings and only interacted with basic items such as rocks, sticks, and livestock.
These differences in the baby's physical environment may have a significant effect on their physical growth and development during the first year of life. The movie shows that the difference in the baby's physical environment can influence their ability to crawl, stand up, and walk on their own.
Language Development
There is also a significant difference in the way that each of these babies developed their language skills. It is not clear if this was due to genetics or because of the way that they were raised. In any case, the babies all learned to coo and babble when they were around other people or in a group.
Social Interaction and Development
Another important factor in a child's development is their social interaction with other children and adults. The film shows how the social environment that each of these babies was raised in affects their ability to play with other children, to emotionally self-regulate, and to develop language skills.
Among the most notable examples of social interactions in the film are Hattie's overt attention to the vacuum cleaner and Ponijao and Bayar's ability to respond to different sounds such as the sound of an animal, the sounds of a drum, or the sound of a vacuum.
Development of Fine Motor Skills
The film also shows how the social environment that each of these children was raised in affects their development of fine motor skills. For example, Mari and Hattie were raised in urban environments and had many things to play with such as toys, books, and musical instruments. During this time, they developed their fine motor skills such as placing a sticker on a piece of paper and peeling bananas.
They also learned to crawl and stand up on their own. This is a very important part of a child's development because it allows them to explore their environment.
An Adorable Journey
The babies in the movie are very adorable, and it makes you want to hug them tightly. You will not want to miss this movie!
