The building blocks of a healthy young brain: Early brain development essentials

The human brain is astounding. It goes through periods of rapid growth, then prunes itself. It’s capable of rewiring itself after an injury. And it forms new neural pathways in response to the right stimuli.

Your child’s brain development begins in the womb and continues at a rapid pace during early childhood. Here’s what you can do to lay a good foundation.

Understand what’s going on in your child’s brain

Your child’s genes provide the basic building blocks of their brain development. The interactions between those genes and your child’s environment then shape their growing brain.

And it’s growing fast. By the age of 3, your child’s brain has around 1000 trillion brain connections (synapses). Your child is soaking up everything they encounter in their relationships and experiences. Their brain is firing on all cylinders during these early years. In fact, 90% of your child’s brain has developed by their 5th birthday.

After that, the brain begins to prune itself. It focuses on the synapses that have proved most relevant and allows ones that aren’t used often to weaken and fade.

Nourish and protect

A healthy pregnancy allows your baby’s brain to develop in optimal conditions. During pregnancy, it’s important to:

  • Eat a healthy, nutritious diet
  • Avoid cigarettes and alcohol
  • Try to protect yourself from viruses like cytomegalovirus or Zika
  • Reduce stress and try to prevent or manage conditions like depression or anxiety.

Brain development continues throughout infancy and early childhood. A healthy diet continues to be important. Your child needs protein, zinc, iron, vitamins and other nutrients that support their brain development.

You can also protect your child by:

Nurture

A safe, caring environment nurtures your child’s growing brain. Reading, talking and playing with your child are simple yet powerful ways to support their brain development.

There are no perfect parents – we all have our off days! Good parenting involves building a strong relationship with your child. That’s done in numerous little ways each day when:

  • Your child cries and you come to them, pick them up and soothe them
  • You have fun playing hide and seek
  • You go for a walk and talk about the birds you see
  • You snuggle on the sofa and read stories together.

Enrich

Play supports brain development in early childhood. It’s not frivolous – it’s essential.

Through play, your child’s brain develops its structure and function. It also develops higher-order skills like executive function, which helps them to prioritise tasks, control their impulses and remain focused.

Play:

  • Creates mutual joy, fun and shared time together
  • Reduces stress
  • Enables children to explore freely and create their own experiences
  • Builds relational and communication skills, including taking turns.

When looking for a childcare centre or preschool, look for ones that provide plenty of time for play-based learning and enrichment opportunities.

As your child grows, you may choose to give your child more structured learning opportunities through things like dance classes or art programs. But try to avoid overscheduling your child with extracurricular activities that mean there’s no time for simple play. Ensure your child has time just to be themselves and have fun.

How can we help?

At Think2Be Healthy, we take a next-generation approach to family health. We support you and your family to cultivate practices that promote mental refreshment and resilience as you raise your children.

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Disclaimer

All information is general and not intended as a substitute for professional advice.

References

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