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An extraordinary amount of brain development takes place in young kids during a short period of time during early childhood. The early years of child development are a critical time for brain development, as this is the time that young kids learn an astonishing amount of skills and information that is needed to function throughout the rest of their lives such as reading and writing.

Young kids are born with an innate ability to learn. It is important that parents, family members, and caregivers help kids learn and develop the proper skills to become an independent, successful adult. A nurturing environment is critical for brain development. Young kids best learn in safe environments where they feel protected, as well as less stressed. In order to have healthy brain development in young kids, adults need to limit their exposure to stress and trauma, as they pose negative consequence for a kid’s brain development.

Parents, early childhood educators, and caregivers can help support healthy brain development by playing and talking to children to build on their interests and skills. It is also a great idea to expose young kids to books and stories, as well as songs, in order to strengthen kid’s communication, literacy, and language skills. Doing so will put these young kids on the road to academic success.

Parents, educators, and caregivers can create a stimulating environment to encourage brain development in young kids, by engaging in the following activities:

• Reading : Research demonstrates the importance of reading in brain development of young kids. By reading to children, they begin to recognize the pronunciation of words and sequences of events.
• Playing : It is important to play games that help young kids formulate patterns of thoughts in which they begin to recognize letters, sounds, and words.
• Talking : Having conversations with young kids allows them to hone cognitive skills, as well as language and comprehension skills.
• Singing :Singing to and with young kids helps them to memorize phrases and melodies. Singing helps to improve memory, speech, and comprehension.

Helping young kids with brain development is a very important task. The Latino Literacy Project, provide educators with curriculum and training to help parents encourage brain development in young kids. Additionally, many more publishers focus on dual language books and materials, such as Lectura Books, which offers bilingual books that are suitable for all ages. By teaching young children bilingual literacy skills at a young age, you are encouraging brain development and a lifetime love for learning.