Brain Development

Books and babies and brains! Oh my!

Babies are born learning. The science of brain development tells us that the first three years of life are very important for building the young child's brain. Over the first year of life the brain more than doubles its size. By the age of three a child's brain is twice as active as an adult's brain. During this time the brain is preparing the groundwork for a lifetime of learning and for future school success.
Parents, grandparents and caregivers have an important role. They can make a huge difference in this early brain growth. Babies and young children learn best through warm, responsive caregiving. Holding, talking and reading to young children causes connections in the brain to form. A healthy child's brain will eventually form trillions of such connections!
Scientists also tell us that stimulating a baby or young child's brain can be done through simple acts - singing silly songs, talking about the colors and textures they see in the grocery store, holding and reading to them daily. Simple acts with amazing results.

New thinking about baby's brain development

Brain research is complex, but its message is simple: Babies are born learning!
The newest discoveries in neuroscience in the past few years are giving us a whole new understanding of how the brain develops. This research has been facilitated by the development of sophisticated brain imaging technologies, such as PET scans.

Brain structure is not genetically determined.

How the brain develops hinges on a complex interplay between the genes you're born with and the experiences you have. Clear evidence has emerged that suggests that activity, experience, attachment, and stimulation determine the structure of the brain.

Early experiences directly affect how the brain is "wired."

At birth, baby's brain is remarkably unfinished. Most of its 100 billion neurons are not yet connected in networks. Some neurons are programmed for specific functions-breathing and heartbeat, but most are not yet designated for tasks and are waiting for the experiences in the environment to determine their function. Connections are created by the sensory experiences-seeing, smelling, touching, and especially tasting, stimulate the growth of neural connections. Forming and reinforcing these connections are the key tasks of early brain development.

By the age of three, a child's brain is twice as active as an adult's--and it stays that way throughout the first decade of life.

A child's brain forms twice as many synapses (connections) as the child will eventually need. If these synapses are used repeatedly in a child's day-to-day life, they are reinforced. If they are not used repeatedly, they are eliminated. In this way, experience places a crucial role in the "wiring" of a child's brain. Activity levels drop naturally during adolescence when the brain "prunes" unused connections.

Brain development is non-linear; there are prime times for acquiring different kinds of skills and knowledge.

The human brain has a remarkable capacity to change but timing is crucial. While learning continues throughout the life cycle, there are "prime times" for optimal development. Negative experiences or the absence of appropriate stimulation at certain times has more serious and sustained effects. This ability of the brain to change in response to the environment is called the brain's "neuroplasticity."

Early interactions have a decisive impact on the nature and extent of adult capacities.

Children learn in the context of important relationships. Early care and nurture have a decisive, long-lasting impact on how people develop, their ability to learn and their capacity to regulate their own emotions. Research on the impact of early attachments confirms that warm, responsive caregiving is essential to healthy brain development.