Your baby’s brain is developing quickly through everyday movements and interactions

Have you seen quotes about the importance of your baby’s first 1001 days? Or read that 90% of your baby’s brain develops by the time they are five? Then you wonder what all this means – does your baby need Mozart and number cards – do you need to work hard to stimulate their brain every waking moment?

You might be glad to hear the answer to these questions is no – definitely not. Babies are amazing and are primed to learn, seek out patterns and watch and listen to those around them. Lots of the things that support your baby’s development are probably things you do without really thinking about it. 

So, what does your baby need?

Interested adults – who notice and respond to them

Your baby needs you. They need you to care for them, help them to feel safe and secure and to chat with them. Most of us change the way we speak when we chat with our babies, using simpler, slower and higher pitch language. All of this helps your baby to learn about language.  

Time to wriggle

Your baby learns about themselves, and how to control their body by moving, so time and space to wriggle is great for brain development.  

New sensations 

The whole world provides your baby with new and interesting sensory experiences. They will hear different sounds when you go for a walk and see new objects all the time – even a bath, wash or shower provides a fresh sensory experience. 

So, if you have chatted with your baby as you changed them, given them a gentle stroke as you placed them in their pram, or held them close while you had a conversation, you've given them lots of stimulation.