Top 3 Ways to Ensure your Child Has A Healthy Foundation

From the moment they are born, babies are learning.  From the vocabulary they hear to the colours they see, babies are eager and determined to discover the world around them.

In fact, babies’ brains grow most rapidly during the first 3-years of life – growing to 80% of its adult size by 3-years of age.  This means that the first 3-years set the foundation for a child’s school readiness, academic success and well-being in life.  Early life experiences literally change how a child’s brain is built.

As parents, we want to ensure that our children receive strong and positive environments in which to grow and learn. Below are our top tips to ensure that your child has a strong foundation starting from birth:

1. Create a positive and fun environment at home:

From 4-months of age, babies notice differences in facial expressions and tone of voice.  They are in tune with your feelings, such as sad, angry, or happy.  

This means that it is important for you to be mindful of your emotional state and have healthy ways to manage stress that naturally arises in parenting and in life.  

2. Be responsive when your baby interacts with you:

The most important influences on a child’s development are his/her relationship with adults.  Loving relationships with warm, responsive and dependable adults are essential to a child’s healthy development.  

These exchanges are the building blocks of a child’s early brain development! A caregiver who is sensitive and responsive to a baby’s signals provides a rich environment for the baby to develop.

3. Opportunities to Play:

Play is essential to child development because it enables cognitive (brain), physical (body), social and emotional well-being in children.  Play increases brain growth and creates new connections in the brain, making it most essential for babies to play starting from Birth!

The tips above are simple and effective ways to give your child a strong foundation in his development.  Be sure that you and the caregivers in your home are on the same page.

Visit: www.strongstart.co.ke for more information.  

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