Responsive and attentive child-adult relationships with many back-and-forth interactions build a strong foundation in a child's brain. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child defines five easy steps to practice serve-and-return with babies. Read More
Mothers’ support during children's preschool years is linked to robust growth in the area of the brain involved in learning, memory and stress response.
Read MoreBabies’ brains are not little sponges waiting for someone to pour information into them. They are built during the earliest years through very specific kinds of interactions. Read More
On the first day of kindergarten, the child who is ready to learn is not necessarily the one who can count to 20 or name all the colors in the rainbow, rather it’s the child who can pay attention, take turns, get along with others and follow directions. Read More
Lincoln Public Safety Director Tom Casady has called on lawmakers to expand high-quality early care and education to lower crime. Casady spoke on behalf of Nebraska’s 80 members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Read More
The more we learn about early childhood development, the more we realize the truth behind Lincoln’s words. We now know that brain architecture is profoundly affected by our earliest experiences and interactions, and mothers and fathers are a child’s first and most influential relationships. Read More
As social and economic pressures facing families continue to mount, the incidence of stress as a chronic physiological condition is increasing. The effects of prolonged stress on individual adults are high enough—its relationship to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, suppressed immune function and other health issues is well documented. Read More
April 6-12 is the Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Nebraska AEYC. “Early Years Are Learning Years” is the focus this year. Read More
Do you remember songs from your childhood? Does hearing a particular song evoke memories of people, events or places in your past? Dick Clark said music is the soundtrack of our lives, and just as music can have a powerful effect on us as adults, it can have an equally strong impact on the developing brains of young children. Read More
It's no secret that children benefit greatly when adults read to them. The positive interaction builds neural connections in their developing brains, reinforces basic speech skills and boosts self-esteem by making them feel secure and cared for. We invite you to celebrate International Children’s Book Day next Wednesday, April 2, by finding a good book and reading to the special kiddos in your life! Read More