Parents have always recognised the newborn's basic need for safety, nourishment, warmth and nurturing. Now science has added stunning revelations about human development from birth to age three, confirming the critical influence of parents and other adult caregivers.
The importance of the first three years of life lies in the pace at which a child is growing and learning. In no other period do such profound changes occur so rapidly: the newborn grows from a completely dependent being into one who walks, talks, plays and explores. The three-year-old is learning and, perhaps more important, is learning how to learn.
What research tells us
Scientists have now proven, beyond reasonable doubt, what many parents and early childhood educators have believed for years - that loving and nurturing caregivers, along with positive play experiences, significantly affect the brain development of babies and young children.
At birth, a baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons. Few of these neurons are connected at birth. As the child experiences life and makes attachments to parents and carers, the connections among the neurons form. These connections are known as synapses, and the brain's 'wiring' is a complex network of these synapses. Everything you do and say as a parent or carer can help to 'wire' a child's brain - for thinking, feeling, moving and learning.
By about the age of three, the brain has made many more connections than it will ever need. Just as you might cut back the branches from a tree so that the roots grew stronger, the brain gets rid of the connections that are rarely used. This is known as pruning. The brain keeps only the important connections.
In the early years, the child's synapses are formed and reinforced to become permanent connections in the brain. Therefore, stimulating experiences for young children are needed to develop the brain fully, making many of the synaptic connections permanent. If no stimulation occurs, some connections may never be formed.
Scientists tell us that there are times when certain parts of the brain can learn new information more easily than at other times. These times are known as 'windows of opportunity.' Some windows open and then close during the first few years of life. For example, the window of opportunity for motor development is from birth to 24 months, with enhancement opportunities from ages two to five years. After a child reaches five, enhancement ability decreases with age.
Other windows remain open longer, but learning is easier at certain times.
These are known as sensitive periods. For example, the first five years are the prime time for learning language. This does not mean that children will know all there is to know about language by the age of five. Learning continues to take place throughout life. Rather, the child is structuring the brain for language, with maximum receptivity up to the age of five and progressive building of brain connections based on stimulation from the environment until adolescence. By that time, the brain structuring for language is nearly complete and learning new language structures becomes arduous - as any learner of a new language in high school will attest.
Support for early learning
The research into early brain development has confirmed how the actual practice of crawling, handling, looking and communicating builds the neural connections in young brains.
* Once they are independently mobile, older babies and toddlers engage in a great deal of physical play and experience joy in using their skills.
* Practice in physical skills firms up those vital connections in the brain. Children need to be able to move in comfort, with pleasure - and to be safe enough. They do not need to be hurried or bullied into sitting 'nicely', being 'quiet' or told to 'stop fidgeting'.
* Babies and toddlers learn through doing and need plenty of opportunities to use their physical abilities and to apply their ideas. The clear preference of very young children for 'doing it again!' is ideal for their learning.
* Brain connections get made and become firm because very young children have had plenty of hands-on practice. They have been able to experiment with their current skills with varied play materials.
Considerations
Health and nutrition: The health and nutrition of even the youngest baby should always be considered. The need for high-quality foods and a positive sleep and rest plan should go hand in hand with regular visits to a designated health care team. Safety should be considered before introducing the young child to any new area or experience.
Communication: Young children need to realise that your communication with them is driven through care and love. It is not enough to only communicate to pass on knowledge and information; it should be in order to create an intimate bond with each child. This will offer them security and the confidence to respond in a warm and happy way.
Talk, sing and read: Learning to use language is a difficult process, and the more we interact, the more we will support and enable the youngest child to develop his listening, concentration and talking skills. Listening and speaking to him in a positive way will encourage him to initiate conversation, express his feelings and enjoy using his language.
Routines: Having established bonds with an adult the young child should be offered consistency of care and nurturing relationships through the routines of his day. A child thrives in being able to predict his environment without too many 'obstacles'.
Play: Playing with very young children should always be enjoyed in a relaxed, calm manner. While the adult is there to become involved as appropriate, they should never be tempted to dominate, lead or stretch the play.
Touch: Demonstrate your enjoyment through the verbal and body language you use. Gentle strokes are often more appropriate with very young children. A hand placed on the shoulder of a toddler who is 'busy' lets him know he is being supported and cared for.
Space: No matter how young or small a baby, toddler or young child, they need space to explore. Creating an interesting area to roll, crawl, toddle and explore offers many opportunities for learning to take place.
Cues: Watching and listening to young children and sharing time with them allows the adult to identify the skills a child already has. This in turn allows the adult to select suitable resources and activities. For example, Robert, a child who does not enjoy 'waking up', was placed on a small 'pillow mountain' to allow him to come around in his own time. When ready, he started to use the pillows to gain attention from the adults by hiding items under the pillows. Then other children joined the 'mountain of giggles'. It was obvious that Robert thoroughly enjoyed this experience, so the adult followed this up by asking all staff to bring in pillows for him - with the result that the next day, 48 large pillows wrapped in fabric, jumpers, jeans and skirts appeared. Bells, herbs, spices and so on were hidden inside. Robert had set his own curriculum, which was planned by the staff member and enjoyed by all.
Understanding: Take time to listen to a young child babbling, to allow him to lead you around, to tune in to his communication. Always attempt to identify the object of his communication, as this will help you understand where he is going next.
The way forward
It is important to acknowledge that over-stimulation of the under-threes can be harmful. Early experience does matter; babies and young children really benefit from developmentally appropriate experiences. However, we must recognise what the research into early brain development has not said.
There are some serious misunderstandings and misuse of the information, especially coming from the United States, and from commercial sources which are far more interested in marketing resources than in the genuine well-being of young children.
In many ways, the task of early years practitioners is to resist inappropriate pressures over how to plan and spend the days with very young children. Early years practitioners, advisors or college tutors need to highlight what really matters for children's well-being and what will get in the way of learning and even harm them. Under threes, and even more so under-twos, do not need a colour table, shape of the week or topic-based learning. Opportunities to actively explore and experiment with colours and shapes are much more relevant. Avoid any sense of 'fast tracking' the younger children in the setting. They are not getting ready for pre-school.
Plan their days and activities around what, and how, they are ready to learn now.
Information
Kevin Kelman and Alice Sharp will be writing a new series on caring for the under-threes in 2003, along with child psychologist Jennie Lindon. The series will focus on how to create a stimulating and appropriate environment for babies and the youngest children.
There will also be an occasional series by Professor Lesley Abbott and Ann Langston, based on Birth to Three Matters, the new Government framework for practitioners working with under-threes. Their first feature appeared in Nursery World 12 December 2002.
