Isn’t my baby’s brain already developed when he / she is born?

Your child’s brain begins developing within a couple of weeks of conception. Neurologists estimate that between 50,000 and 100,000 new brain cells are generated each second between the fifth and twentieth weeks of life. The brain will grow to about 80 percent of the adult size by the age of 3 and 90 percent by the age of 5. While your newborn child is born with most of the brain cells he/she will need to function, it is the experiences that your baby has or does not have that help to finish the brain’s development.

Most of a child’s experiences are dependant on their caregiver. What they experience by hearing, touching, tasting and sensing becomes the building blocks of the brain. These early experiences, nutrition and stimulation will have an impact on the formation of lasting learning.

While your child is born ready for feelings and ready to learn, early environments matter and healthy relationships are essential.

Content from: ‘Teaching with the Brain in Mind’, Eric Jensen and the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation of Miami

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How does attachment contribute to early brain development?

Many early experiences that guide brain development occur in the warm and secure relationship between a young child and a parent or caregiver.

When playing with young children, caregivers must be sensitive and responsive. The young children develop an understanding of cause-effect relations and their own effectiveness in getting help from others.

The emotional security that young children get from their parents and caregivers encourages them to explore their environment with confidence.

Parents and caregivers provide a sense of security by helping children manage their emotions (when they become upset) and by limiting their exposure to situations that are too much for their coping skills. This sense of security supports growth of slowly developing structures in the brain that control self-regulation and self-control.

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How can parents and caregivers nurture healthy brain development?

• Give consistent loving care.
• Provide balanced and nutritional feeding.
• Listen and talk to infants and young children.
• Keep children safe and healthy.
• Provide a stable and consistent environment.
• Provide age-appropriate activities.
• Maintain positive environments.
• Well-child visits to a pediatrician.

What are 10 things I can do to ensure proper development for my baby’s brain?

1. Get your prenatal care as soon as you know you are pregnant.
2. Always place your baby in a secure car seat when transporting your child in a car.
3. Baby-proof your house.
4. Take care of yourself and develop a support system to help you when you feel overwhelmed and need a rest.
5. Breastfeed and provide healthy food at the appropriate times.
6. Nurture and love your baby by talking, reading and singing to your baby.
7. Be sure to see the doctor for all scheduled appointments.
8. If you need to put your baby in care outside of the home, look for providers who will take good care of your baby and are licensed and accredited.
9. Do not smoke or expose your baby to secondhand smoke.
10. Place your baby on his/her back to sleep.

• Bonus: Remember, you cannot spoil an infant by showing too much love.

What are some environmental things that affect my baby’s brain development?

• Be sure that you are in the best health possible.
• After your baby is born, nurture (love, feed, read, play with, hold, and speak to your new baby) your child.
• Make sure anyone caring for your child (childcare providers, babysitters, and friends) show the same love and attention that you would.
• Allow your baby to explore the environment safely.
• Lessen the stress on your baby.
• Do not take out your stress on your child. If you are too frustrated to take care of your child at the moment, ask someone to help you.
• If you feel depression, ask for help. Your emotions impact the emotions of your baby.
• Do not use television as a babysitter.

What can I do during the different phases of my child’s life to help stimulate and facilitate brain development?

Age 0 - 6 months

• Talk to your baby during everyday routines. Changing a diaper, bathing, eating can all become ‘teachable moments’ if you sue them to talk to your baby.
• Sing songs and read to your baby. Point to pictures and colors as your read.
• Call objects by name. Your child is developing a vocabulary even though he or she cannot speak yet.
• Provide a stimulating environment for your baby to look at.
• Hold and touch your baby often.

• Imitate the sounds that your baby makes.
• Sing songs and read to your baby.
• Play simple games with your baby, such as pat-a-cake or peek-a-boo.
• Continue to do all those things you did with your child at age 0 - 6 months.

• Read and sing to your baby.
• Have your child begin to point to body parts.
• Ask your child for hugs and kisses.
• Continue to use everyday routines as teaching opportunities.
• Encourage your child to move around in a ‘baby safe’ room.
• Talk with your baby.
• Have your child pick out pictures in a book.
• Play with large puzzles and blocks.
• Encourage your baby to help undress himself/herself.
• Dance to music with your baby.

• Set limits on behavior and explain why they are necessary.
• Use appropriate words to describe past or future events. (today, tomorrow, before, after, next)
• During story time ask your child simple questions about the story.
• Encourage your child to sort and match objects during routine tasks. (Where do the forks go?)
• Teach your child songs and finger plays.
• Talk about the sequence of events, tell what comes next.
• Provide access to a computer with appropriate software. Use the computer together.

• Read storybooks to your child.
• Ask your child questions about stories and have your child retell stories.
• Encourage your child to act out stories from books using his/her imagination and different voices for characters.
• Engage in ‘what if’ games to encourage your child’s own storytelling.
• Expand the range of computer software available to your child.
• Arrange trips to the library, zoo and special events.
• Play rhyming games with your child.

Content from the ‘Early Childhood Initiative Foundation of Miami’

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