About Early Childhood

From the moment you're expecting, your baby’s brain is growing at an incredible pace—over one million new neural connections every second. 90% of brain development happens in the first 5 years of life. That means the time from pregnancy through age five is a once-in-a-lifetime window to support learning, bonding, and healthy development. With simple, loving routines and everyday interactions, you can give your child a strong start that sets them up for lifelong success.

Meeting Milestones

Know Your Milestones.

Milestone Concerns.

What to do if you have a concern? Concerned about your child's development?

Learn how to get help by downloading the PDF here (PDF).

Parenting is Hard. Do the Basics.

The Basics are five science-based parenting and caregiving practices that can be used in everyday life to benefit young children in Guilford County.

Maximize Love, Manage Stress. Children flourish in a world that feels safe and predictable. Help them see, hear and feel your love.
Talk, Sing and Point. Respond to your infant’s sounds or your toddler’s words with eye contact and a loving voice.
Count, Group and Compare. Talk about numbers, shapes, patterns. Compare everyday objects as you go about your day.
Explore Through Movement and Play. See what interests your child and help them learn when they play and explore.
Read and Discuss Stories. Make reading a fun routine from the start. Point at pictures, speak with excitement and ask questions.

Citations

Center on the Developing Child. (2007). The science of early childhood development. Harvard University.
Heckman, J. J. (2011). The economics of inequality: The value of early childhood education. American Educator, 35(1), 31–47.