Interactions among babies in daycare: what do studies show us?

The aim of the present research is to understand how studies have introduced interactions among babies in daycare. The study is based on Colwyn Trevarthen's theory of innate intersubjectivity; thus, we consider that babies always seek out others to interact with, provoking others. We believe this sociability occurs between babies and adults, but also between babies and their peers, hence the choice to conduct research in a collective daycare setting. It is a qualitative, theoretical study also called “State of Knowledge”. According to the collected data, although babies in the age group 4 to 6 months participated in the research, their presence is not significant in the analyzed data in comparison to “older babies” who are already capable of sitting, crawling, walking or verbalizing a few words. This findings confirm the need of broadening research based on new technologies that allow studies to be conducted with both newborns and “older babies”. Thus, this study allows for reflections on new research in the field of language and intersubjectivity. These are factors that directly impact everyday pedagogical practices dedicated to babies.