Family Literacy Month :: How Caregivers Can Boost Young Brains via Usable Knowledge

How Caregivers Can Boost Young Brains

Five simple steps for stimulating interactions with young children — at home, in daycare, or in preschool

GSE Harvard: 11.14.2017 by Usable Knowledge

Adapted from resources developed and tested by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

When adults react and respond to young children’s babbles, gestures, and cries, they are doing more than providing good, nurturing care. They're actually laying the groundwork for children's future growth and development — helping to build the neural connections in the brain that support communication and social skills. 

Ordinary back-and-forth interactions between a caregiver and child — called "serve and return" — can shape brain architecture in powerful ways, creating a strong foundation for future learning. Here are five simple ways for parents, daycare providers, and early educators to practice these interactions.

1. Notice What Grabs Your Child's Attention

Is your child looking or pointing at something? Making a sound or facial expression? Moving her arms and legs? Pay attention to what she is focused on.

2. Respond with Support

Return the serve by responding to your child. Offer comfort with a hug and gentle words, offer help, or acknowledge what he's doing. You can make a sound or facial expression — saying, “I see!” or smiling and nodding to let him know you’re noticing the same thing.  READ MORE >>