1. Investing in Our Youngest Learners—
0 to 5 year olds
The purpose of this video is to share with you the importance of quality early experiences for young children and why these experiences are an investment in our future.

2. The Latest Brain Research Tells Us:
Brain development occurs most rapidly and easily in the first 3 years.
By age 2, we have 90% of our eventual brain weight.
85% of a child’s intellectual and social development takes place by age 5.
These three facts emphasize the importance of what happens during the FIRST 3 YEARS of a child’s life.

3. Neuron Development
These are images of the synapses or “connectors” in a child’s brain at various ages.
Newborn Baby
3 Month Old Baby
24-Month Old Baby
6 Year Old
Source: Magic Trees of the Mind. 1999

4. Newborn Baby
3 Month Old Baby
As a result of new information, the baby’s brain grows by creating more synapses or connections to make sense of this information.
As you see in these images, many new connections have been made by only 3 months of age!
Each new synapse leads to additional synapses, helping the baby become more and more capable.

5. Newborn Baby
3 Month Old Baby
24- Month Old
By 24 months of age, the number of connections has increased tremendously!

6. 6 Year Old
By 6 years of age, the synapses or “connectors” begin to decrease. Those that are not used or stimulated are “pruned” in order to make the brain more efficient.
Therefore, it is more difficult to learn new things as there are fewer synapses available, and fewer new connections can be made.

7. Nurturing Leads to a Healthier Brain
Images of the brain of a healthy child (on the left) and a neglected child (on the right).
Healthy Child Neglected Child

8. Notice the temporal lobes in these brain scans
Red and yellow indicate activity
Red= most activity
Healthy Child
Neglected Child
The temporal lobes of the healthy child show much more activity which, in this case, means greater capability.
The temporal lobe is responsible for many functions such as acting in a socially acceptable manner and controlling one’s emotions.

9. Healthy Child
Neglected Child
Red and yellow indicate activity
Red=most activity
Notice the brain stems in these brain scans
The brain stem of the neglected child shows much more activity. This increased activity actually interferes with the child’s ability to learn. The child’s brain is so focused on safety/survival that it is difficult to focus on learning.
The brain stem is responsible for many functions including the “flight and flight” response for survival.

10. A child’s environment does impact brain development.
Healthy Child
Neglected Child
Overall, there is much more activity (color) in the brain of a healthy child. This indicates a greater capacity for learning.
A child’s environment does impact brain development.

11. What Do Young Children Need to Grow Up Ready to Learn?
Healthy mother and prenatal care
A child’s prenatal experiences can also impact brain development. Substances such as alcohol and tobacco can have a negative impact on a child’s health and development.
Nurturing relationships with caregivers
Parent/caregiver relationships with children have been found to have significant impacts on areas such as language, physical growth, learning, and social-emotional development.

12. What Do Young Children Need to Grow Up Ready to Learn?
Safe & healthy environment- Stable home life
Some children live in chaotic environments. A child who can rely on a safe, predictable environment and caring adults feels secure and able to explore and learn.
Immunizations and regular check-ups
A child needs to receive regular health and dental care, and learn good health habits.
Beginning at birth, a child needs regular well-child check-ups with the same doctor to monitor and assure healthy development.

13. What Do Young Children Need to Grow Up Ready to Learn?
Exercise and a well balanced diet
Childhood obesity is an epidemic facing our nation. To reduce the risk, our children need to exercise, eat a well-balanced diet, and get enough sleep.
Stimulating learning experiences
These are opportunities that are consistent with the child’s ability to take in and process information. Having someone there to make an over-stimulating environment manageable for the child can also help.

14. Where Do Stimulating Learning Experiences Occur?
At home
Babysitter
Daycare home
Childcare center
Faith-based programs
Preschool
Playgroups
Playgrounds
Regardless of the setting, each child must have quality early learning experiences.

15. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote motor development
Large muscles are used for actions such as walking or bending.
Small muscles are used for actions such as pointing, picking up things, and writing.

16. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote social and emotional development
0-6 mo - Likes to be near a special person
- Gives warm smiles and laughs
6-12 mo - Shows feeling by crying, smiling and pointing
- Unsure of strangers
1-2 yr Is curious and likes to explore people
- Plays beside other children
Responsive, caring relationships with a parent or caregiver enhance the development of these skills.

17. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote social and emotional development
2-3 yr Begins to take turns
- Enjoying the company of others
3-4 yr - Begins to form friendships
- Expresses emotions in a healthy way
4-5 yr - Shows empathy for others
- Has one or two friends of the same sex
Opportunities for play and interacting with other children enhance the development of these skills.

18. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote curiosity and creativity
Children have a natural curiosity about the world around them.
Opportunities to explore and discover promotes such characteristics and leads to learning and self-expression.

19. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote cognitive development
Cognitive development is the ability to think, listen, understand others and follow directions. This also includes the way children reason and solve problems.

20. Why are Quality Early Learning Experiences Important?
Quality experiences promote language development and literacy skills
Language development is speaking, listening, sound/letter awareness, grammar (how words go together), and word meaning.
Language development is the foundation for the child’s later success in reading and writing.

21. The Impact of Quality Early Learning:
Opportunity makes a difference.
A child between ages 2-5 learns an average of 2-8 new words a day. The more words a child knows, the more words a child will read in the future.
2 words a day x 4 yrs = 2,920 words by kindergarten
8 words a day x 4 yrs = 11,680 words by kindergarten
Why the difference?
Some children haven’t had as many experiences to hear and learn new words.

22. Quality Early Childhood Experiences Lead to School Success:
Children who participated in one early learning program (preschool) increased MEAP test passage by 30% in 4th grade. (Source: MI School Readiness Program)
Children who participate in high-quality child care are more likely to attend college.
These statistics indicate the lasting impact of quality early experiences on later school performance.

23. Where Do We Invest Our $$$ Today?
This graph shows that most public funding is spent after a child reaches the age of 5. However, the greatest amount of brain growth (i.e. learning) happens before the age of 5.
We need to invest more resources during the first 5 years of life.

24. Benefits of Investing in Quality Early Childhood Development
Positive Impact on Child
Increases school preparedness
Increases long-term economic success
Increases post-secondary education
Improves occupational success
Improves quality of life
We need to consider the LONG term return on our investment in children.

25. Benefits of Investing in Quality Early Childhood Development
Positive Impact on Society
Increases earning capacity/income taxes paid
Increases job productivity
Increases graduation and marriage rates
Reduces special education expenses
Reduces teen pregnancy rate
Reduces crime
Reduces poverty

26. Benefits of Investing in Quality Early Childhood Development
Positive Impact on Workplace
Develops quality workforce
Reduces cost of training and retraining
Reduces absenteeism on the job
Increases worker productivity
Increases decision making abilities
Increases home ownership and financial responsibility

27. Coordinates early childhood initiatives
What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Great Start Shiawassee
Coordinates early childhood initiatives
For more information about Great Start Shiawassee or
click on Early Childhood
Facebook.com/greatstartshiawassee 27 27

28. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Shiawassee ABC
Offers services to any family with children birth to five years old
(e.g. home visits, playgroups)
For more information about Shiawassee ABC (Always Boosting Children) or
Click on Early Childhood 28 28

29. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Serves children birth to three with medical/health conditions and/or developmental delays
Early On®
For more information about Early On or
Click on Early Childhood 29 29

30. Offers free preschool for income
What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Offers free preschool for income
eligible 3-5 yr olds.
Head Start
For more information about Head Start or 30 30

31. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Offers center-based and home-based child development programs for infants, toddlers and pregnant women
Early Head Start
For more information about Early Head Start or 31 31

32. Offers free preschool program for qualifying 4 year-olds
What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Great Start Readiness Programs (GSRP)
Offers free preschool program for qualifying 4 year-olds
For more information about Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) contact your local school district.
Byron
Corunna
Durand
Laingsburg
Morrice
New Lothrop
Owosso –
4 Wings
Baker ELC
Perry 32 32

33. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Reach Out And Read ®
Distributes free children’s books through participating Memorial Healthcare physicians who encourage reading to young children
For more information about Reach Out and Read inquire with your child’s doctor. 33 33

34. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Maternal Infant Health Program (MIHP)
Provides support to Medicaid eligible pregnant women and children to promote healthy pregnancies and healthy babies
For more information about Maternal Infant Health Program
Health Department at 34 34

35. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Mother to Mother Program
Provides breastfeeding support and encouragement to women throughout their infant’s first year of life
For more information about Mother to Mother Program
MSU Extension at 35 35

36. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Developmental Screening Project
Provides for developmental screenings by participating physicians during well-baby visits
For more information about Developmental Screening Project inquire with your child’s doctor about completing a developmental screening. 36 36

37. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Shiawassee Preschool Scholarship
Provides scholarships to qualifying families to supplement the cost of a quality preschool experience
For more information about Shiawassee Preschool Scholarship or 37 37

38. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
Infant Mental Health
Provides services for families with children birth to three with mental health needs such as attachment/bonding issues
For more information about Infant Mental Health
Community Mental Health at or 38 38

39. What Are We Doing in Shiawassee County?
We have several programs that are trying to meet the needs of young children and their families
And more…
For more information about any of these programs or other available programs
or services,
contact
For information about any of these programs or services, contact or toll free or visit (click on Early Childhood tab) 39 39

40. Easy Steps You Can Take to Make a Difference:
Learn about the importance of brain development
Spend time with your child: play, talk, read a book
Find out about programs to support parents & young children
Donate books, toys, clothing, money or volunteer at a local early childhood program
Provide info to new parents, co-workers and employees
Write or your legislator

41. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the importance of QUALITY early experiences and their impact on a child’s development.
For more information about programs and services in Shiawassee County or if you have any questions about early childhood development, call toll free or visit

42. Special thanks to: