InformatioN, research, AND RESOURCES regarding brain development during the first 3-5 years
Provided by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)
The Importance of Ages 0-3 Years
In the first moments, months and years of life, every touch, movement and emotion in a young child’s life translates into an explosion of electrical and chemical activity in the brain, as billions of cells are organizing themselves into networks requiring trillions of synapses between them. These early childhood years are when experiences and interactions with parents, family members and other adults influence the way a child’s brain develops, with as much impact as such factors as adequate nutrition, good health and clean water. And how the child develops during this period sets the stage for later success in school and the character of adolescence and adulthood...
Read More Provided by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)
Furthermore, 90% of your child’s brain capacity develops before age 5. By age three a child’s brain has formed 3 quadrillion connections. Additionally, brain development between 0-3 years old is the most significant period of development the brain ever undergoes. Three year old’s have a vocabulary of 900 words, a 3x increase from age 2. A four year old’s brain is twice as active as an adult’s, but without proper cultivation children can lag behind...
Read More Provided by the CDC (Center for Disease Control)
In the first moments, months and years of life, every touch, movement and emotion in a young child’s life translates into an explosion of electrical and chemical activity in the brain, as billions of cells are organizing themselves into networks requiring trillions of synapses between them. These early childhood years are when experiences and interactions with parents, family members and other adults influence the way a child’s brain develops, with as much impact as such factors as adequate nutrition, good health and clean water. And how the child develops during this period sets the stage for later success in school and the character of adolescence and adulthood...
Read More Provided by UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)
Furthermore, 90% of your child’s brain capacity develops before age 5. By age three a child’s brain has formed 3 quadrillion connections. Additionally, brain development between 0-3 years old is the most significant period of development the brain ever undergoes. Three year old’s have a vocabulary of 900 words, a 3x increase from age 2. A four year old’s brain is twice as active as an adult’s, but without proper cultivation children can lag behind...
Read More Provided by the CDC (Center for Disease Control)
LEARNING STARTS AT BIRTH
DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES BIRTH- 4 YEARS OLD
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Click graph(s) to enlarge
(graphs pulled from www.early-childhood-education-degrees.com) 
< 3 months
3-6/ 6-9 months
9-12/ 12-24 months
2-3 years
3-4 years
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Checklists
(provided by the CDC)
(provided by the CDC)
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Early Signs of Giftedness Checklist
Birth & Up
Birth & Up
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Positive Parenting Tips (provided by CDC)
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According to the US Department of Education parents should implement the following:
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Helping Your Child Grow: A Complete Parent Guide for Children Birth to Three Years (featured below); This guide is based on research about process, sequences, and long term consequences and benefits of early learning and development.
Each section addresses the following areas of learning:
Each section addresses the following areas of learning:
- Social/Emotional – The ability to develop relationships with others, to develop self awareness and self-confidence, and to understand and cope with feelings.
- Physical – Development of Fine (small) and Gross (large) Motor Skills. The ability to move large and small muscles.
- Cognitive – Gaining knowledge, learning to reason, and solving problems in daily life.
- Speech and Language – Talking, listening, reading, writing, and singing are all creative ways to build speech and language.