In the context of childhood development , early learning is the learning that takes place from birth to 3 years old. Numerous research studies confirm that the first three years of life are the most critical for the intellectual and emotional development of an infant.
At birth a baby's brain already has 100,000,000,000 brain cells but it is only about 25% developed, many of these cells still need 'wiring' up. These connections are formed at a dramatic rate by the experiences and the stimuli that the baby receives.
By the age of two a child has the same number of connections as an adult.
By the age of three a child has twice a many brain connections as an adult.
Early learning is all about providing a safe, secure and stimulating environment in the critical early years of their development - an opportunity that only comes once and should not be missed. You do not need to wait to start this learning process until your baby can speak or sit up, or even appear to understand - start as early as possible, you can start from birth.
Parents play an important part in this development process.
The techniques are quite simple, appropriate stimulation comes from the major senses; sight, sound and touch or combinations of these.
Play is very important- babies love to explore and discover things for themselves. The old adage "play is babies work" is very true; they learn through these experiences.
One of the most important factors in providing this learning environment is you, not just as a teacher but also as a parent. You are your baby's best toy.
Make sure your baby's world is safe and secure. Respond lovingly and consistently to your baby's cries. Stress can slow brain development.
Remember don't overdo the activities if you see baby is getting distressed or bored just stop.
More importantly this should be fun for you and your baby - don't make this a chore.
The way to make your baby happy whilst learning is to make it fun.
Stuart Hutchings is a father of four children with ages ranging from 5 to 20 years of age. He has a passionate belief that all children have the potential to be great in their own way. He is a contributor to the content at
From
Little Acorns Academy
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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