Playtimes HK Magazine February 2018 Issue | Page 39

features
the baby know that these needs will be
met lays the foundation for future higher
functioning and learning to take place.
The most pertinent questions to an
infant’s developing brain are questions
such as “Am I safe?”, “Am I lovable?”,
“Can I depend on help when I need it?”.
Naturally these connections to safety
and inner security are built through
their early relationships with their main
caregivers. When these relationships
are sensitive and consistent, that
special loved one can be the safe base
for the baby to go explore the world!
When babies play, repeatedly
practise trial and error, and discover
new things, they are building thousands
of new brain connections. It is estimated
that approximately one million brain
connections (or synapses) per second
are formed for the first 1001 days of life.
In fact, babies are much faster at
making new brain connections than
adults. By the time a child is two-
years-old, he or she will have double
the amount of brain connections as an
adult. After that the brain undergoes
“pruning” of the weaker connections.
The connections that are repeated the
most are strongest and will survive. So
the first few years are a key window for
setting up a brain with lots of positive
connections that can last a lifetime.
So how can you build this
positive foundation for
your baby?
1. Tune in your radio
Try to tune into your infant’s signals and
respond sensitively. If they could talk,
what might they be telling you about how
they feel? You can show them you know
how they feel with a sensitive action,
some words, or even a facial expression.
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