Early Childhood Development
Learning development starts long before a child begins kindergarten. A child’s development is strengthened through regular interaction and stimulation in both the home and in quality early learning settings.
Here are five things to know about child care and childhood development:
- The brain is most flexible and adaptable to learning during the earliest years of life. More than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second in the first few years of life.
- Children are already rehearsing how to produce language at 7 months old.
- When a child enters kindergarten ready for school, there is an 82% chance they will master basic skills by age 11, compared with a 45% chance for children who are not school ready.
- High-quality early childhood education has a long-term effect on children’s cognitive and socioemotional development through kindergarten and beyond. It’s also shown to help children improve attentiveness, regulate their emotions, and develop social connections.
- Attending preschool is shown to reduce the likelihood that a child repeats a grade by 15%.
Learn more:
Posts
CDC Guidance for Operating Child Care Programs During COVID-19
Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated guidance for operating child care programs during COVID-19 based on the most recent science and new evidence around important …
New Report Offers Recommendations for Dismantling Systemic Racism in Early Care and Education
A core element of addressing the systemic racism that exists in this country must be reforming the institutions, laws, and policies that disproportionately disadvantage people of color, and also creating …
FFYF’s Blueprint for Progress
Across the political spectrum, voters and policymakers recognize the importance of investing in policy solutions that support healthy development in children, beginning at birth, while allowing working parents to pursue …
John Legend: Invest in Early Childhood Education
John Legend knows that legends can come from anywhere. They all start in the same place: with a dream and a chance to make that dream come true. High-quality early …
FFYF Commemorates Mental Health Awareness Day
Saturday is Mental Health Awareness Day, and FFYF is proud to commemorate this important reminder to prioritize mental health initiatives that promote children’s healthy development from the start. During the …
New Report Offers Additional Data on Pandemic’s Impact for Child Care
Last week, Child Care Aware of America released a new report, Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post-COVID-19. The report outlines the pandemic’s impact on child …
Report Examines Adverse Childhood Experiences in Early Childhood
Research shows that young children develop 1 million new neural connections every second making early childhood a crucial for long-term development. Research also finds that children’s social environments play an …
ChildTrends Highlights Needs for Early Care and Education Systems to Support Children with Disabilities During the Pandemic
Across the United States, some 1.2 million young children have a diagnosed disability which qualifies them for early intervention and special education services. In a new brief this week, ChildTrends …
Celebrating ‘Children’s Week’ with the National Children’s Campaign
This week, the National Children’s Campaign (NCC) has been hosting a national Children’s Week from June 14th through June 19th to raise awareness about the issues impacting children across the …
Report: Communities of Color Among Most Disadvantaged in the U.S
Save the Children recently released the first ever analysis and ranking of how each county in America protects and provides for its children. The report revealed that the most disadvantaged …
ZERO TO THREE releases ‘The State of Babies Yearbook: 2020’
Today, ZERO TO THREE released their annual ‘State of Babies Yearbook’, which examines policies and compares national and state-by-state data on the well-being of infants and toddlers. Specifically, the Yearbook …
National Report Shows Gains for Preschool in 2019 with Concerns About COVID-19’s Impact on Future State Investments
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University has released its annual Preschool Yearbook for 2019, which tracks enrollment, funding, and for the last four years, the …
