Have you ever smiled back at a giggling baby or played peek-a-boo with a toddler? Did you know you were helping build connections in that child’s developing brain? At the Center on the Developing Child, we call these responsive interactions “serve and return” because they go back and forth—like players with a ball in a game of tennis or volleyball. … [Read more...] about Serve and Return: How to Build a Child’s Brain in 5 Easy Steps
Early Education
An Early Start in the Most Challenging Circumstances
Ansumana sat listening intently to her teacher before playing happily with her friends when I met her earlier this year. Just three years old, she and her older brother Bandu are students at the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) early childhood class serving urban refugees in Kampala, Uganda. Their father, whom I spoke briefly with, told me they fled the Central African Republic … [Read more...] about An Early Start in the Most Challenging Circumstances
Three Contributions to Childcare Quality Research
Childcare services are all about quality. We have discussed this idea many times in this blog. … [Read more...] about Three Contributions to Childcare Quality Research
Are We Paying Attention to Children’s Emotional Development?
Scientific evidence shows that the seeds for emotional development are planted in the first years of life and provide the foundation for social functioning. What is our role in nurturing this development? How can we support children in becoming socially competent adults who care about others and society? … [Read more...] about Are We Paying Attention to Children’s Emotional Development?
The ‘Inconvenient Truths’ of Early Childhood Education and Care
The United States needs to rethink its approach to early childhood education and care (ECEC) based on the experiences of innovative systems around the world and develop a cohesive system that is high-quality, equitable, sustainable and efficient. This is the principal finding of the groundbreaking study from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), The Early … [Read more...] about The ‘Inconvenient Truths’ of Early Childhood Education and Care