A Great Start
The Basics Southwest Alabama
Science shows that 80% of brain growth happens by the age of three!
Beginning from birth, young brains develop like little muscles, getting bigger and stronger the more you and your family interact with your child. The Basics Principles are five fun, simple, and powerful ways to help all our children aged 0-5 grow to be happy and smart. The Basics’ Principles don’t require fancy toys or extra hours to your day. It’s all about the way you interact with the child during the time you already spend together.
The Basics Principles
Maximize Love, Manage Stress
Babies and toddlers thrive when their world feels loving, safe, and predictable. Respond with smiles, words, and touch to help them see, hear, and feel your love. You will help them develop a sense of security and self-control.
Talk, Sing and Point
Babies learn language from the moment they are born. Respond to their sounds, and later, their words. Connect with eye contact and a loving tone of voice, while pointing to help them know what you are talking about.
Count, Group and Compare
Every child’s brain is wired for math. Talk about numbers, shapes, patterns, and comparisons as you go about your routines together. Watch your child learn to love math.
Explore Through Movement and Play
Babies are like scientists who love making discoveries. Watch to see what interests your child, then encourage their curiosity and help them learn when they play and explore.
Read and Discuss Stories
Reading turns kids into confident thinkers. Make books a regular part of your relationship from the very beginning. With infants, point at the pictures and speak with excitement. With toddlers, just make it fun.
Basics Insights
About Basics Insights
The Basics Insights FREE messaging program helps parents and caregivers incorporate early childhood learning into everyday routines. Simple, science-based tips and activities support children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development from birth through age five.
To register and receive two science-based tips per week to help boost your child’s development, can the QR Code or click here
More About The Basics
The Basics Southwest Alabama is an initiative to help parents, caregivers, families, and children during the first five years of life when 80% of brain growth occurs. It is a community strategy to support vibrant learning and brain development among infants and toddlers. It consists of five evidence-based parenting and caregiving tenets that support children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development from birth to age five from all backgrounds.
Boosting Brain Development
Benefits
The Basics empowers parents to boost early brain development and help families implement the principles. Basics Insights sends parents and caregivers two or more weekly messages with science-based facts and activities to do with their children. The messages can stand alone or reinforce conversations with community-based service providers. The program is currently available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Arabic.
The Five Principals Videos
Principle 1: Maximize Love, Manage Stress
(4:28) Key concepts are showing love and responding to children’s signals, the importance of routines, and strategies for coping with stress. Use this video as a springboard for discussions with parents and caregivers or in professional development.
Principle 2: Talk, Sing, and Point
(3:21) Key concepts are expressing affection, eye contact, the importance of back-and-forth interactions and conversations, and the roles of singing and pointing in the development of communication skills. Use the video as a springboard for discussions with parents and caregivers or in professional development.
Principle 3: Count, Group, and Compare
(4:12) Key concepts are young children’s capacity for learning early math ideas, counting sets, and finding everyday opportunities to engage children in math talk and problem solving. Use the video as a springboard for discussions with parents and caregivers or in professional development.
Principle 4: Explore through Movement and Play
(4:10) Key concepts are ways babies and toddlers play and explore their surroundings, supporting physical development, and ways to build on children’s natural curiosity. Use the video as a springboard for discussions with parents and caregivers or in professional development.
Principle 4: Explore through Movement and Play
(4:10) Key concepts are ways babies and toddlers play and explore their surroundings, supporting physical development, and ways to build on children’s natural curiosity. Use the video as a springboard for discussions with parents and caregivers or in professional development.
For more resources, visit https://toolkit.thebasics.org/en/community-toolkit/
Our Partners
AT&T
Coastal Conversations
Innovate Alabama
The JL Bedsole Foundation
Mobile United
The Crampton Trust
University of South Alabama
