The science of early brain development can inform investments in early childhood. These basic concepts, established over decades of neuroscience and behavioral research. Therefore help illustrate why early childhood development. Particularly from birth to five years—is a foundation for a prosperous and sustainable society.
Young children continue to develop listening and speaking skills as they communicate their needs and desires through sounds and gestures, babble to themselves and others, say their first words, and rapidly add new words to their spoken vocabularies. Most children who have been surrounded by language from birth are fluent speakers by age three, regardless of intelligence, and without conscious effort.
Many children do not reach their full human potential. As a result of their families’ income status, geographic location, ethnicity, disability, religion or sexual orientation. They do not receive adequate nutrition, care and opportunities to learn. Therefore many children and their families can be helped. It is their right to develop as well as to survive.
Childhood Reading
Good nutrition and health and consistent loving care and encouragement to learn in the early years of life help children to do better at school. In addition to be healthier, have higher earnings and participate more in society. This is especially important for children in poverty.
How much you read to your child is completely up to you and your family, but I suggest you aim to read at least 3-4 books a day, even while your child is very young. As she gets a little older and can sit for longer stretches of time, make it a family goal to read together for at least 20-minutes each day.
A good foundation in the early years makes a difference through adulthood and even gives the next generation a better start. Educated and healthy people participate in, and contribute to, the financial and social wealth of their societies.
Investing in the early years is one of the smartest things a country can do to eliminate extreme poverty. This will boost shared prosperity, and create the human capital needed for economies to diversify and grow. Early childhood experiences have a profound impact on brain development—affecting learning, health, behavior and ultimately, income.
Reading Aloud
An increasingly digital economy places even greater premiums on the ability to reason, continually learn, effectively communicate and collaborate. Those who lack these skills will be left further behind. There is an easy way to improve your child’s chances at school. It will entertain and delight him. It will strengthen the bonds between him and you. And it is virtually free. Sound too good to be true? Actually, it isn’t. The magical method: taking time to read aloud to your child.
Health services, health workers and community providers have an important role in promoting development of young children. Focusing exclusively on targeted interventions such as health and nutrition without considering the holistic nature of Early Childhood Development risks the hindrance of children’s complete growth and development. Both biological and environmental factors affect brain development and behavior.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of early literacy? For most people, it’s books. But storybook reading is not the only way to help your child learn reading skills.
Child Development
Parents should not push their children too hard when they’re learning to read. Many caregivers care so much about helping their children to read that they may give their children extra reading homework assignments or mandate a certain number of minutes that children must read every day. Though well intentioned, such assignments can backfire and end up causing reading to be seen by children as an onerous chore.
You’ll find that your toddler wants to be independent and successful. Encourage this by offering three or four books to choose from, praising the selection, letting your toddler help you turn pages, and asking for help as you find things on a page. Your child will love to finish sentences in books with repetitive phrasing or rhymes. When you come to a repetitive phrase or rhyme in a book, pause and let your child finish.