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
How Has COVID-19 Impacted Infants and Toddlers’ Social Development?
Our nation’s youngest children have lived most, if not all, of their lives during a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic drastically upended the lives of parents and children in a …
The Necessity of MIECHV Reauthorization
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program is a voluntary, evidence-based program within the Health Resources and Services Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services …
The Necessity of MIECHV: A Blog Series
The following blogs highlight several key ways in which the Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program creates multi-generational and long-term benefits for both children and parents, including by …
Dear Colleague Letter on Young Children’s Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health
On June 14, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education (ED) issued a Dear Colleague Letter with recommendations to state, territorial, tribal, and local policymakers …
Celebrating National Black Child Development Week
This week, June 6-10, is National Black Child Development Week (NBCDW)! Throughout the course of the week, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) will be highlighting the Black Child …
New Emergency Bills to Address Baby Formula Shortages
This week the House will consider two pieces of legislation intended to address the nationwide infant formula shortage and supply chain disruptions. On Tuesday, House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) …
ZERO TO THREE Releases State of Babies 2022 Yearbook
ZERO TO THREE released the State of Babies Yearbook: 2022, an in-depth report on how state and federal policies, along with the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted …
National Report Examines State Preschool Policies in 2020-2021
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) released the 2021 State of Preschool report, an annual survey of state preschool policies. The 19th edition of the report focuses on …
Black History Month: Sharing Antiracist Research and Resources in Early Childhood Development
As Black History Month comes to a close, the FFYF is taking the opportunity to share new stories and research from partners and allies on how dismantling racism and uplifting …
High-Quality Early Learning & Care: Understanding the Proven Benefits & Need for Investment
Economic development starts with early childhood development—and the best investments ensure all children who need it have access to high-quality early learning and care opportunities. Evidence shows that increased access …
