The First 1,000 Days: How to Support Brain Development in Babies and Toddlers

By Katie Dukes When babies are born, their brains contain billions of neurons. But how those neurons interact — and what they can do as babies grow through childhood into adulthood — is largely shaped by their experiences in the first 1,000 days of life. The architecture of the brain is built in those first three years, creating a foundation that enables thinking, learning, and adapting over time. More than 85 percent of adult brain volume is built during this critical period. Luckily, we know exactly what infants and toddlers need to develop healthy brains that will set them up for a lifetime of well-being. How to Support Brain Development Decades of research have identified several building blocks that are essential to constructing strong foundations for the brain in the first 1,000 days. Researchers agree that the cornerstone of healthy brain development is the formation of secure attachments between babies and the trusted and caring adults in their lives. Whether these caregivers are parents, kin (including friends and neighbors), or trained early childhood professionals, they should be “knowledgeable about how to support (babies’) development and learning and responsive to their progress,” says a report from the National Academies of Sciences,...