Did you know – the greatest period of brain development is during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and the first few years of life? 90% of brain development occurs before the age of 5!

We’re used to the term caretaker, teacher, or parent, but the adults in a baby’s life are even more than that! They are the Architect of the Child’s Brain – directly impacting the way the brain grows and develops through interactions and relationship. Sounds like quite the responsibility, right? It is! But becoming an architect of this type is simpler than you may think. Just remember, SERVE and RETURN. Like a tennis match, the baby will provide a serve and it is the job of the architect (aka the adult) to notice that serve and provide a return. The serve may be a smile, a cry, a gesture, or a babble; handing you a toy or pointing to something in the world around them. Follow these 5 easy tips to keep your tennis match going strong:

1. Share the focus and notice the serve
2. Return the serve through support and encouragement
3. Name what baby is doing or seeing
4. Take turns going back and forth
5. Signal endings and beginnings aka transitions

Don’t worry – you only need to successfully return 30-50% of serves to develop a positive relationship! Serve and return can be done with even the tiniest of babies by noticing their coo and providing a smile back. Serve and return promotes executive functioning as well as self-regulation leading the way for the development of social skills such as sharing.

Resources | References

• NJ Children’s System of Care
• Montclair State University Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health
• KEEPING BABIES & CHILDREN IN MIND Professional Formation Series in Infant & Early Childhood