"In the first year, your baby's brain makes 1 million neural connections every second. The most important thing you can do? Be present, responsive, and talk to your baby."
— Based on research from Dr. John Medina, "Brain Rules for Baby"

What Babies Are Learning

  • Trust and attachment (foundation for all learning)
  • How their body works (motor development)
  • Language sounds (even before speaking)
  • Cause and effect (I cry → someone comes)
  • Object permanence (things exist when hidden)

Content: Narrate everything you do

Importance: Babies learn language by hearing 21,000 words each day

What: 'Now I'm changing your diaper. This is clean. It's soft and white.'

Parent Tip: Feel silly? Your baby is absorbing every word.

Content: Get close (8-12 inches), make eye contact, and make facial expressions

Importance: Babies are wired to study faces; this builds their social brain

What: Smile, stick out your tongue, raise your eyebrows - pause and watch your baby's reaction

Research Note: Newborns prefer faces over any other visual pattern

Content: Sing to your baby - any song at all

Importance: Musical patterns help with language development

What: Nursery rhymes, pop songs, made-up songs about diapering

Parent Tip: Your voice is your baby's favorite sound, even if you don't think you sing well

Language & Connection

1. "Narrate Your Day"

What: Talk through everything you do

Why it matters: Babies learn language by hearing 21,000 words/day

How: "Now I'm changing your diaper. Here's the clean one. It's soft and white."

Parent tip: Feel silly? Your baby is absorbing every word.

2. "Face Time (Not the App)"

What: Get close (8-12 inches), make eye contact, make expressions

Why it matters: Babies are born to study faces; it builds social brain

How: Smile, stick out tongue, raise eyebrows - pause and watch baby respond

Research: Newborns prefer faces over any other visual pattern

3. "Singing Anything"

What: Sing to your baby - any song

Why it matters: Musical patterns help language development

How: Nursery rhymes, pop songs, made-up songs about diaper changes

Parent tip: Your voice is your baby's favorite sound, even if you can't sing

Math Foundations

1. "Counting Touch"

What: Count fingers, toes, kisses during caregiving

Why it matters: Associates number words with quantity and loving touch

How: "One kiss, two kisses, three kisses on your belly!"

2. "Big and Small Talk"

What: Use size words during play

Why it matters: Comparison is foundation of mathematical thinking

How: "Here's the BIG ball. Here's the small ball."

Sensory & Motor

1. "Texture Exploration"

What: Let baby touch different safe textures

Materials: Soft blanket, smooth spoon, bumpy ball, fuzzy toy

Why it matters: Sensory input builds neural pathways

Safety: Always supervise; nothing small enough to choke on

2. "Tummy Time Talking"

What: Get on floor during tummy time, face-to-face

Why it matters: Builds neck/core strength AND connection

How: Put interesting toy or your face at baby's eye level

Parent tip: Short sessions (3-5 min) multiple times daily

Developmental Note

"Every baby develops at their own pace. These activities aren't tests - they're invitations to connect. If your baby isn't interested, try again another day."

Brain Science Tip: Screen Time for 0-12 Month Olds

Research Finding: For children under 2, each hour of TV or educational videos reduces vocabulary by about 1,000 words; while each hour of face-to-face communication with parents increases vocabulary by about 1,000 words.

Recommendation: Avoid electronic screens for 0-12 month olds. The best "educational tools" are a parent's face, voice, and emotional responses.