When do babies start remembering?

For generations, parents and scientists believed that babies couldn’t form real memories — that those early months were simply a blur of sensations. But new research is proving otherwise.

Today’s scientists are finding that babies begin developing memory systems much earlier than anyone imagined, and those first experiences may leave a lasting mark on how they learn, connect, and grow.

How early memories form in babies

A 2025 study from Yale University used advanced brain imaging (fMRI) to explore how babies’ brains respond to new experiences. The results were striking: even 12-month-old infants showed strong activity in the hippocampus — the brain’s memory center — when viewing and later recognizing images. Source: Yates et al., Science (2025)

This means babies are not blank slates. They’re constantly learning and storing information: the sound of a parent’s voice, the feel of a soft blanket, the rhythm of daily routines. These early experiences form the foundation of what scientists now call baby memory development.

Why we don’t remember our first years

If babies can remember, why can’t we recall our own early years? Researchers now think “infantile amnesia” occurs because memories are stored differently in infancy — and become harder to retrieve later as the brain matures.

A 2025 review published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences found that infants form “episodic-like” memories (memories for specific events or places), but these fade as the brain’s structure and language systems develop. source: Behm et al., Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2025)

In simple terms: your baby is building memories — but over time, their “filing system” changes.

How emotions and connection shape baby's memory

Early memory isn’t just about remembering faces or objects. It’s shaped by emotional and social experiences — what scientists call affective memory.

A 2025 study from the University of Vienna showed that 9-month-old babies sometimes “remember” where another person believes an object is, rather than where it actually is — a phenomenon called the altercentric memory error.Source: Tebbe et al., PNAS Nexus (2025)

This reveals something remarkable: babies’ memories are influenced by the people around them. Everyday interactions — like shared smiles, naming objects, or responding to their cues — actively shape how their brains process and store experiences.

How sleep strengthens infant learning

Memory formation doesn’t stop when your baby sleeps. In fact, sleep may be one of the most powerful tools for memory consolidation in the first months of life.

A 2024 study found that three-month-old infants could form lasting memories for familiar voices while asleep, as shown by changes in brainwave patterns. Source: Bastian et al., Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (2024)

That means your baby may literally be learning in their sleep. Consistent nap and bedtime routines help their brains strengthen what they’ve experienced during the day.

Discover how Onoco’s nap tracker and AI insights help support healthy sleep rhythms.

When toddlers start forming lasting memories

By age two or three, children begin to hold on to experiences longer — sometimes for a year or more.A 2025 study in Nature Communications found that toddlers aged 25–34 months could remember images a year later, and even showed signs of metacognition — the ability to sense when they remember something. Source: Leckey et al., Nature Communications (2025)

This stage marks a turning point: toddlers begin to form the kinds of long-term, story-based memories that will shape their sense of self and their understanding of the world.

Learn how Onoco helps you track your toddler’s milestones and developmental progress

What parents can do to support memory development

The best thing you can do for your baby’s memory development is to nurture repetition, emotion, and connection.

• Build gentle routines — babies thrive on predictability.

• Talk and sing to your baby — language strengthens brain pathways.

• Respond consistently — feeling secure helps babies store experiences as “safe” memories.

• Keep devices away during bonding moments — uninterrupted attention supports focus and memory formation.

Using Onoco’s tools for tracking routines, recording milestones, and sharing updates with caregivers helps you create the consistent environment that supports strong, healthy development.

Key takeaway

Babies may not remember their first birthday party — but they remember the comfort of familiar voices, the rhythm of bedtime, and the love in your arms.

Those early patterns become the emotional and cognitive blueprint for learning, trust, and attachment. Every moment of connection strengthens your baby’s memory — and helps build the foundation for who they’ll become.

References

• Yates et al. (2025). Hippocampal encoding of memories in human infants. Science.

• Behm et al. (2025). The ubiquity of episodic-like memory during infancy. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

• Tebbe et al. (2025). Altercentric memory error at 9 months but correct object memory by 18 months. PNAS Nexus.

• Bastian et al. (2024). Long-term memory formation for voices during sleep in three-month-old infants. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.

• Leckey et al. (2025). Two-year-olds’ visual exploration of response options reveals long-term memory. Nature Communications.