1 Investing in Our Youngest Learners 0 to 5 year olds The purpose of this video is to share with you...

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Investing in Our Youngest Learners—

0 to 5 year olds

The purpose of this video is to share with you the importance of quality early experiences for young children and why these experiences are an investment in our future.

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Brain development occurs most rapidly and easily in the first 3 years.

By age 2, we have 90% of our eventual brain weight.

85% of a child’s intellectual and social development takes place by age 5.

The Latest Brain Research Tells Us:

These three facts emphasize the importance of what happens during the FIRST 3 YEARS of a child’s life.

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Neuron Development

6 Year Old24-Month Old BabyNewborn Baby 3 Month Old Baby

Source: Magic Trees of the Mind. 1999

These are images of the synapses or “connectors” in a child’s brain at various

ages.

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As a result of new information, the baby’s brain grows by creating more synapses or connections to make sense of this information.

Newborn Baby 3 Month Old Baby

As you see in these images, many new connections have been made by only 3 months of age!

Each new synapse leads to additional synapses, helping the baby become more and more capable.

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Newborn Baby 3 Month Old Baby 24- Month Old

By 24 months of age, the number of connections has increased tremendously!

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6 Year Old

By 6 years of age, the synapses or “connectors” begin to decrease. Those that are not used or stimulated are “pruned” in order to make the brain more efficient.

Therefore, it is more difficult to learn new things as there are fewer synapses available, and fewer new connections can be made.

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Nurturing Leads to a Healthier Brain

Healthy Child Neglected Child

Images of the brain of a healthy child (on the left) and a neglected child (on the right).

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The temporal lobes of the healthy child show much more activity which, in this case, means greater capability.


Notice the temporal lobes in these brain scans

Red and yellow indicate activity

Red= most activity

The temporal lobe is responsible for many functions such as acting in a socially acceptable manner and controlling one’s emotions.

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The brain stem of the neglected child shows much more activity. This increased activity actually interferes with the child’s ability to learn. The child’s brain is so focused on safety/survival that it is difficult to focus on learning.


Notice the brain stems in these brain scans

Red and yellow indicate activity

Red=most activity

The brain stem is responsible for many functions including the “flight and flight” response for survival.

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Overall, there is much more activity (color) in the brain of a healthy child. This indicates a greater capacity for learning.

A child’s environment does impact brain development.

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What Do Young Children Need to Grow Up Ready to Learn?

Healthy mother and prenatal care

A child’s prenatal experiences can also impact brain development. Substances such as alcohol and tobacco can have a negative impact on a child’s health and development.

Nurturing relationships with caregivers

Parent/caregiver relationships with children have been found to have significant impacts on areas such as language, physical growth, learning, and social-emotional development.

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Safe & healthy environment- Stable home life

Some children live in chaotic environments. A child who can rely on a safe, predictable environment and caring adults feels secure and able to explore and learn.

Immunizations and regular check-ups

A child needs to receive regular health and dental care, and learn good health habits. Beginning at birth, a child needs regular well-child check-ups with the same doctor to monitor and assure healthy development.


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Exercise and a well balanced diet

Childhood obesity is an epidemic facing our nation. To reduce the risk, our children need to exercise, eat a well-balanced diet, and get enough sleep.

Stimulating learning experiences

These are opportunities that are consistent with the child’s ability to take in and process information. Having someone there to make an over-stimulating environment manageable for the child can also help.

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Where Do Stimulating Learning Experiences Occur?

• Faith-based programs• Preschool• Playgroups• Playgrounds

• At home• Babysitter• Daycare home• Childcare center

Regardless of the setting, each child must have quality early learning experiences.

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Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?

Quality experiences promote motor development

Large muscles are used for actions such as walking or bending.

Small muscles are used for actions such as pointing, picking up things, and writing.

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Quality experiences promote social and emotional development

0-6 mo - Likes to be near a special person - Gives warm smiles and laughs

6-12 mo - Shows feeling by crying, smiling and pointing - Unsure of strangers

1-2 yr - Is curious and likes to explore people - Plays beside other childrenResponsive, caring relationships with a parent or caregiver enhance the development of these skills.

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2-3 yr - Begins to take turns - Enjoying the company of others

3-4 yr - Begins to form friendships - Expresses emotions in a healthy way

4-5 yr - Shows empathy for others - Has one or two friends of the same sex


Quality experiences promote social and emotional development

Opportunities for play and interacting with other children enhance the development of these skills.

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Children have a natural curiosity about the world around them.

Opportunities to explore and discover promotes such characteristics and leads to learning and self-expression.

Quality experiences promote curiosity and creativity

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Cognitive development is the ability to think, listen, understand others and follow directions. This also includes the way children reason and solve problems.

Quality experiences promote cognitive development

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Language development is speaking, listening, sound/letter awareness, grammar (how words go together), and word meaning.

Language development is the foundation for the child’s later success in reading and writing.

Quality experiences promote language development and literacy skills

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The Impact of QualityEarly Learning:

Opportunity makes a difference.

A child between ages 2-5 learns an average of 2-8 new words a day. The more words a child knows, the more words a child will read in the future.2 words a day x 4 yrs = 2,920 words by kindergarten

8 words a day x 4 yrs = 11,680 words by kindergarten

Why the difference? Some children haven’t had as many experiences to hear and learn new words.

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Quality Early Childhood Experiences Lead to School Success:

Children who participated in one early learning program (preschool) increased MEAP test passage by 30% in 4th grade. (Source: MI School Readiness Program)

Children who participate in high-quality child care are more likely to attend college.

These statistics indicate the lasting impact of quality early experiences on later school performance.

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Where Do We Invest Our $$$ Today?This graph shows that most public funding is spent after a child reaches the age of 5. However, the greatest amount of brain growth (i.e. learning) happens before the age of 5.

We need to invest more resources during the first 5 years of life.

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Increases school preparedness

Increases long-term economic success

Increases post-secondary education

Improves occupational success

Improves quality of life

Benefits of Investing in Quality Early Childhood Development

We need to consider the LONG term return on our investment in children.

Positive Impact on Child

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Increases earning capacity/income taxes paid

Increases job productivity

Increases graduation and marriage rates

Reduces special education expenses

Reduces teen pregnancy rate

Reduces crime

Reduces poverty


Positive Impact on Society

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Develops quality workforce

Reduces cost of training and retraining

Reduces absenteeism on the job

Increases worker productivity

Increases decision making abilities

Increases home ownershipand financial responsibility


Positive Impact on Workplace

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What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?

Great Start Shiawassee

We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families

Coordinates early childhood initiatives

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Shiawassee ABC


Offers services to any family with children

birth to five years old (e.g. home visits,

playgroups)

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Early On®


Serves children birth to three with

medical/health conditions and/or

developmental delays

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Head Start


Offers free preschool for

income eligible 3-5 yr

olds.

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Early Head Start


Offers center-based and home-based child

development programs for infants, toddlers and

pregnant women

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Great Start Readiness Programs (GSRP)


Offers free preschool

program for qualifying 4 year-olds

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Reach Out And Read ®


Distributes free children’s books

through participating Memorial Healthcare

physicians who encourage reading to

young children

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Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP)


Provides support to Medicaid eligible

pregnant women and children to promote

healthy pregnancies and healthy babies

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Mother to Mother Program


Provides breastfeeding support and

encouragement to women throughout

their infant’s first year of life

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Developmental Screening Project


Provides for developmental screenings by participating

physicians during well-baby visits

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Shiawassee Preschool Scholarship


Provides scholarships to

qualifying families to supplement the cost of a quality

preschool experience

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Infant Mental Health


Provides services for families with children

birth to three with mental health needs such as attachment/bonding

issues

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And more…


For more information about any of these programs or other

available programs or services,

contact 866-725-7792

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Easy Steps You Can Take to Make a Difference:

Learn about the importance of brain development

Spend time with your child: play, talk, read a book Find out about programs to support

parents & young children Donate books, toys, clothing, money or

volunteer at a local early childhood program Provide info to new parents, co-workers

and employees Write or e-mail your legislator

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For more information about programs and

services in Shiawassee County or if you have any

questions about early childhood development,

call toll free 866-725-7792 or visit www.sresd.org

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the importance of QUALITY early experiences and their impact on a child’s development.

http://www.sresd.org/

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1 Investing in Our Youngest Learners 0 to 5 year olds The purpose of this video is to share with you...

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