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@tmw3ts

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TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health @uchicago
We believe ALL parents have the power to build their children’s brains and shape their futures

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We all have wants and impulses throughout the day, and the behavior part of your brain is usually able to resist and not give in to these impulses. But you had to develop that control over time - a process that young children are just beginning. In fact, the behavior part of the brain isn’t fully developed until our early 20’s. So, the next time your child struggles to control their emotions or behavior, remember that their brains work differently than ours because they’re still learning! by @tmw3ts

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Play builds children’s language by giving them the chance to use and hear words they might not otherwise in everyday conversation. Try narrating your child’s actions, connecting what they’re doing to other things they’ve experienced, or describing the toys they play with. Swipe to see an example. Dad used words like “on top,” “big,” and “small” along with gestures to communicate the meaning of the words and fill this simple interaction with rich language. by @tmw3ts

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Books in other languages can be expensive and hard to find, but when you Book Share it doesn’t matter what language the book is written in. Just open a book and have a conversation about what you see in your own language. by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

“What if I’m not a “math person”? I never liked math. How can I teach my child math when I’m not very good at it?”

You don’t need to be a math whiz to introduce your child to math concepts. Even if it wasn’t your favorite subject in school, you use math every day to shop for groceries, sort clothes in the laundry, and many other tasks! Point out shapes at the playground, count pieces of apple at snacktime, or compare the sizes of block towers. Math is everywhere, so you’ll never run out of things to talk about!

“Look! The windows on the houses are rectangles!”
“How many apples do you have? 1...2...3...you have 3 apples!” by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

Why is Book Sharing so great? It’s special one-on-one time for you and your child. And it’s the perfect opportunity to use the 3Ts:
Books are full of ways to use the 3Ts. Tune In to what is holding your child’s attention and Talk More about it. Encourage your child to Take Turns by turning the page, lifting a flap, or describing a picture. Your child may want to hold the book, skip pages, or look at certain pictures over and over. Or, they may want to cuddle up and listen to every word. When you let them lead the way, all of your words are building their brain! by @tmw3ts

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Research tells us that, as a group, parents tend to overestimate young children’s ability to master important developmental skills such as being able to share and take turns, control their emotions, and resist the urge to do something their parents have asked them not to.

Why does this matter? Your expectations of your children’s abilities influence the way you respond to their behavior. If you think your child is capable of more self-control than they’re demonstrating, you’re more likely to feel frustrated and respond accordingly.

For example, if you think your 1.5 year old is playing with an electrical outlet because you told them not to, you’re more likely to get upset and yell. Rather, if you understand they’re doing it because their brain doesn’t yet have the ability to control this impulse, you may handle the situation differently. by @tmw3ts

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Every time you interact with a child, whether it’s passing them a toy or engaging them in conversation, you’re creating new connections in their brains. These connections form the child’s brain architecture and their foundation for learning that they will build upon for the rest of their lives. You don’t need special toys or products, your baby just needs you. by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

Shapes are everywhere and when you point them out to your child, you build their early math foundation.

Take your child on a shape walk in your neighborhood. Show them the rectangular windows, the squares in the sidewalk, or the stop sign that’s an octagon. Ask them to find circles, squares, and other shapes. This is a fun way to explore the outdoors and build your child’s brain along the way!

“The windows on that house are rectangles?”
“Where do you see a circle?” by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher and one of the biggest ways you can support their early development is through play. When your child builds with blocks, pretends to cook, or makes up stories, they aren’t just having fun, they’re learning about the world around them. You don’t have to come up with elaborate games or buy special toys, just let your child take the lead and guide how they want to play! by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

Math Talk simply means incorporating math concepts into everyday conversations. This doesn’t require specific activities or special time set aside to do flashcards or number drills. You don’t need to quiz your child on how much they know. Just by talking and interacting, you build your child’s early math foundation and prepare them to learn math in school.

Counting and shapes are a great place to start, but you can also talk about measurement (tall, short, empty, full), positions and directions (around, under, over, through), and comparisons (same, different, taller, shorter). Swipe to see how Mom does it. by @tmw3ts

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a year ago

Before babies can understand what you’re saying, they’re listening to your voice, watching your facial expressions, and learning how conversations work. And the words they hear when they’re young build brain connections that create their foundation for learning. So talk early and talk often! by @tmw3ts

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The ability to name and tell the difference between their emotions isn’t a skill children are born with, it’s an important skill they learn. When you explain what your child is feeling and why they are feeling this way (“You’re upset because we have to leave the park”), it helps children learn emotional regulation by teaching them what these words mean and how to use them to express their emotions instead of behaviors. You can also name your own emotions and what you’re feeling to help normalize emotions and help children learn emotion words. by @tmw3ts

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