Growing your Baby’s Brain: For Parents and Caregivers of Young Children

The brain is like a muscle, it needs exercise to grow.

The way that parents (or grandparents, teachers etc.) “exercise” a baby’s brain is through interaction. That means doing something, almost anything, nice with your baby. Helping your baby or young child with the basics (pooping, peeing, eating, sleeping, protecting, keeping her warm and cool as needed) grows their brains. You are already doing this. Great!

Helping your baby calm down when she is upset or sick will grow her brain. Playing with your baby is a very important way to help her grow her brain.

Watching television does not grow a young child’s brain because it is not an interaction between them and you.… Read more