Babies do a lot of bizarre and seemingly illogical things, and there are enough instances all over the internet to prove so. In a collection of clips in a recent viral video, toddlers can be seen intentionally avoiding grass, a response that has led to hilarious observations on social media.
Interestingly, as several netizens pointed out, babies do it because grass can lead to sensory overload in infants. A baby's nervous system develops swiftly throughout the first few months of its life, as it gets comfortable with various sensations and sights.
Explaining the phenomenon, Dr. Gina Posner, pediatrician of the Memoria Care Orange Coast Medical Centre, informed the e-magazine and blog, Parents, on January 9, 2023, that babies are often scared of the texture of grass.
“The prickly texture and feel of grass are far different than the softer and more comfortable feeling of carpet, tile, and wood surfaces on their feet, hands, and body, so babies are often scared of it.”
Twitter user @Hana721107 and Instagram user @maythesciencebewithyou uploaded the video on May 21, 2021, and July 22, 2023, respectively. As the delightful compilation of videos, where infants can be seen avoiding the grass, makes the rounds online, internet users are cracking up observing the antics of the tiny humans.
Reacting to the incident, social media users took to the comments section of the Instagram video to leave hilarious remarks, with one netizen noting how infants behave like "average valorant players."
There is a scientific reason behind why babies avoid grass
The popular video posted by Instagram user @maythesciencebewithyou has gone viral online. The video gained massive attention and has received over 455,500 likes. The clip shows barefoot babies aggressively avoiding grass while having little trouble touching other surfaces.
The children can be seen doing pretty much anything to stay off the grass. The compilation shows a baby doing the splits in mid-air while wearing a pink frock, while another strikes the floating Buddha position.
Several instances of this strange behavior are captured in the video, including many infants crossing or stretching their legs to keep their feet off the ground. The babies often lift their legs as high as they can, extending them away from the grass, and even express discomfort when being dragged closer to patches of grass.
According to a study that was published on October 24, 2013, in the journal Cognition, infants are often suspicious of plants. As per the writer, compared to other things, infants as young as eight months show stronger resistance to coming in contact with plants.
Netizens react to viral video of infants avoiding grass
Internet users were quick to share their opinion about the video, and many viewers reacted hilariously under the comment section of the adorable clip.
Further, in response to the video, many people also shared their opinion as to why babies never touch grass. They have commented on the video, offering their explanations for the same.
How can you encourage your little one to come in contact with grass?
Babies learn about the world around them through sensory play. Thus, parents can also help them with the process by engaging in similar play with them.
One way to do this is to place the baby on top of a blanket that has been laid on the grass. This way, they can experience the different sensation of the grass under them, without touching it directly.
Therefore, if parents are comfortable with their kids being around grass and supportive of this new experience, the kid may be a little more receptive to touching it in the future.