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
Major Study Shows Poverty Directly Linked to Lack of School Readiness
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released the results of a new study this week highlighting the role poverty plays in early childhood outcomes and school readiness. Researchers followed over …
FFYF Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! At FFYF, we are taking the time to stop and thank all of our nation’s incredible teachers and child care providers—particularly those working with children from …
NBC Nightly News: Head Start is a Bipartisan Success Story
NBC Nightly News aired a heartwarming segment on the undeniable success of the Head Start program, highlighting how the program is giving children in poverty a chance to develop the …
Celebrating the Week of the Young Child
This week, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is celebrating their annual Week of the Young Child. This week is meant to highlight the importance of …
State of Babies 2019 Yearbook Examines Policies Supporting Infants & Toddlers Nationwide
Earlier this week, ZERO TO THREE and Child Trends released a new policy resource that examines policies supporting infants and toddlers nationwide. The resource entitled, The State of Babies Yearbook: …
Father of Head Start: FFYF Honors the Life of Dr. Edward F. Zigler
Dr. Edward Zigler, recognized as the “Father of Head Start,” passed away Thursday, February 7th, at the age of 88. FFYF is grateful for Dr. Zigler’s many innovative contributions to …
One Year after MIECHV Reauthorization, Advocates Look to a Bright Future for Successful Home Visiting Services
Tomorrow, the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program celebrates the first anniversary of its bipartisan reauthorization, which extended the program through Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 at a …
NYT: As Washington Limps Along, Head Start Thrives
Did you see the front page of today’s New York Times? Featured prominently — A1 above the fold — was an article about the undeniable success of the Head Start …
Sesame Street Celebrates 50 Years and Counting
Today, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, announced a yearlong anniversary celebration to mark the 50th Anniversary of the iconic educational children’s television program. “Over the course …
