Your baby always stares hard at those tabletop portraits of his faraway grandparents, but he can't possibly remember them, right? In a way, he might, say researchers. Infants are actually better than adults at recalling unfamiliar faces -- a skill that's strengthened when exercised. Try these tactics to get the most out of photos:

Mobilizing
Several store-bought mobiles allow you to add portraits, but you can also make your own. (Hp.com has great instructions.) Black-and-white photos are best for tiny tots.

Writing the book
"Babies like to look at anything resembling a face," says Michael Frank, a brain and cognitive sciences researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That's why there are so many board books of them. But why buy pics of strangers? Sites like Mypublisher.com will help you turn your own portraits into a bound book for as little as $13.

Saying good night
Put portraits of the family in the hall or in his room, and make a shout-out part of his bedtime routine.

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