At birth, an infant’s brain is only 25 percent of the size of an average adult’s brain. Incredibly, by age 3, a child’s brain has grown to 90 percent of that an adult's brain. During infancy and early childhood, children are flooded with new experiences that impact their brain development. The first 3 years of a child’s life offer parents an amazing opportunity to shape their child’s growth and form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County promotes these following tips for the healthy development of all children prenatal through age 5.

1. Encourage Interaction

A child’s brain develops based on early experiences at home. The more interactions a child has, the healthier his/her development will be.

What Can Parents Do?

2. Offer Physical Affection

Physical affection communicates love to young children, which in turn fosters positive emotional growth.

What Can Parents Do?

3. Provide a Stable Relationship

Children who have a stable relationship with at least one caregiver learn at a faster pace, feel better about themselves, and make friends more easily.

What Can Parents Do?

4. Maintain a Safe, Healthy Home

Creating a safe and healthy home environment allows you to maximize your child’s growth with minimal risk.

What Can Parents Do?

5. Develop Strong Self Esteem

A strong sense of self is the foundation for healthy development in young children.

What Can Parents Do?

6. Engage in Conversation

Communicating with your child not only shows love, but also encourages the development of his/her speech patterns.

What Can Parents Do?

7. Make Music

Music offers children an outlet for expression and stimulates brain development in specific areas including language and reasoning.

What Can Parents Do?

8. Make Reading a Priority

Reading with children demonstrates a love for books and learning, and is a wonderful way for parents and children to spend quality time together.

What Can Parents Do?

9. Promote Play

Playing provides children with an outlet for imagination and creativity and fosters healthy brain development.

What Can Parents Do?

10. Choose Quality Childcare

Since childcare settings can be a primary learning environment for children, the quality of the child care setting is very important.

What Can Parents Do?

The first 3 years of life are the most critical in terms of encouraging healthy development. It is important for parents to start as soon as possible to build the foundation that will help their children reach their full potential.

The good news is that what every child needs, every parent can give. If we care for our children and give them what they need early in life, their future will be full of possibilities.

*Information extracted from 10 things every child needs DVD, produced by the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation.