5 science-backed ways to help set your baby up for future success

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Parenting Learning & Play

5 science-backed ways to help set your baby up for future success

From engaging in baby talk to making playtime a learning experience, here’re some tips

Published: September 06, 2021 12:40 Karishma H. Nandkeolyar, Parenting Editor

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mum baby — While there’s no easy way to parent your way to your child’s success, there are some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it brain developing opportunities. United Nations Children’s Fund quotes Carlota Nelson, director of the documentary ‘Brain Matters’, in explaining five easy and effective science-backed ways to help set your baby up for future success. Image Credit: Shutterstock

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parent child — STIMULATE BABY TALK AND TREAT IT AS REAL CONVERSATION: Using a high-pitched voice with exaggerated expression may seem silly, but this sort of baby talk is highly effective in communicating with kids. “Early childhood development scientists say we should stimulate baby talk and treat it as real conversation. Parents should respond to baby’s sounds, cues and actions and engage with them throughout the day. The number of words a baby is exposed to will determine the amount of words in a child’s vocabulary at age 2 and a child’s reading levels later. Take baby babble seriously and encourage it,” explains Nelson. Image Credit: Unsplash

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BC Newborn-to-toddler fold away baby bath — USE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES AS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: “For babies, each life experience is all about learning. Whether it’s bath time, sorting laundry, cooking or running errands, these activities are great learning moments. Narrate what you are doing to stimulate language. Count and sort laundry to teach maths and play with food ingredients and textures to promote scientific thinking. Making faces that show different emotions is a great way to teach emotional intelligence,” she says. Image Credit: Supplied

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child play — TAKE PLAY SERIOUSLY: Nelson says young children are learning all the time. When they play, they’re building important life skills. Make-believe play allows them to experience what it’s like to be someone else and understand others’ feelings. When they play with others, they’re learning to compromise and take turns. Engaging in imaginative free play, like pretending a toy train can travel through space, sparks creativity and language as they learn to verbally express their ideas. When they imagine new worlds, young children are learning to problem solve and create new possibilities. What seems like just fun is actually very important work. Take play seriously because play is serious learning. Avoid being on your device in front of your child too often. Research shows that makes children feel less important. Image Credit: Unsplash

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Baby — LEAD BY EXAMPLE: “Babies are genius impersonators. They pick up on everything they see you do. Until they talk, they become experts at reading faces and non-verbal attitudes and learn to mimic them. By watching your body language, how you treat others or how you react to a challenge, babies will adopt these attitudes and actions themselves. The way you act around your baby shapes the person they will become,” she adds. Image Credit: Shutterstock

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RDS_181113 parent child quality time — Include these five critical behaviours in your day and you’ll dramatically improve your baby’s chances to thrive in the future. Giving your child the best tools for future success has nothing to do with money or extravagant learning resources. It has everything to do with you, your time and level of engagement. Image Credit: Stock image

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