Making sense of it all - how your baby's developing memory helps them to learn

It is true that every day is a new day, full of possibilities and excitement. Every morning when your baby starts a new day by smiling at you, because, there you are again. What adventures lie ahead today? Your baby is starting to remember more of their experiences and so, can use what has happened before to think about what might happen next. 

Your baby’s brain stores information and makes connections between experiences every day. This means that your baby does not start each new day completely afresh, as their memory develops, they learn by making connections between experiences. 

Your baby’s understanding of the world around them relies on them not starting each new day from scratch. They bring all their knowledge and experience forward so that they recognise situations and have a good idea of what is likely to follow. Your baby’s memory is beginning to develop, and they will begin to link events that regularly follow each other.  

Every day new layers of information add to the foundations which are being built. These foundations lead to lifelong capacities for learning.  

You will notice that your baby recognises that certain events are followed by other events. If your phone rings, you pick it up and start talking, you press a remote control and channels on the television change. If you go to the front door, you might bring someone back into the house with you. Your baby is learning to recognise these signals and anticipate what comes next. 

 You can use these simple ideas to help your baby to make connections between familiar events.  

• Chat with your baby about what is happening during the day.
• Comment on each step of your routine activities.
• Pause briefly as you comment so your baby can take in what is happening and begin to link what you say with what is happening.