Whether it’s bathtime, bedtime or you’re washing up, playing with your child, using silly voices, or even singing can build their brain right from birth. It’s a great way to have fun while making your bond even stronger.
Brain-building happens when you and your little one are interacting with each other. It’s about taking a cue from them, and reacting to what they’re doing. You could think of it like a game of tennis – going back and forth between the two of you.
These shared moments with your child nurture their growing minds, helping them to build key skills – like focus, self-control and problem-solving – which will support them right through childhood and into later life.
Try these brain-building tips:
Silly suds
Get silly while getting clean! Tell your child, "Let's wash your hands!" but start washing their feet. What do they do? Then say: "Oh! Those are your feet! Where are your hands?" As they get older, have them lead, using other parts of their body like elbows, wrists, and ankles.
Your child is using their focus to listen to your words and drawing on what they already know to play this silly game with you, which strengthens their memory. They're also practising thinking flexibly about opposites, as well as learning new words and what they mean in a fun way.
Soothing rhymes
When your child seems fussy, try singing a rhyme or song. Do they calm down when your voice is quiet, or do they respond to big facial expressions and an enthusiastic voice? Try different rhymes and songs to find their favourites.
When you respond to your child's movements and sounds, you build a trusting relationship that supports future learning. You also teach them ways to deal with stress while building a love of language.
Song traditions
There are things we do every day. Sing the same songs at those moments to explain what you're doing with your child. Examples could be leaving a room, finishing eating, or washing hands. What do you do daily that you could sing about?
Children love traditions. Singing about your shared daily moments adds to the comfort of a known routine. It also helps your child connect these moments and new words. They love learning language from your sing-song voice.
Just you and me
During a quiet moment, sit or lay down near your child face-to-face and be silent for a few seconds. Watch them. Do they look at you? If they make sounds or smile, make sounds or smile back. There's so much you can say to each other with no words at all!
Creating a safe and trusting relationship builds a foundation for your child to feel supported as they learn and grow. When you take the time to watch your little one and get to know their style of communicating, you deepen your connection.
Eye gazing
Take a few minutes and look into your child’s eyes. As they look back, smile and talk with them. Do what they do. If they blink, you blink. If they look left, you look left. Let them see your eyes too, and have fun keeping eye contact.
When your child looks at you, and you respond, they’re making new connections in their brain. Children learn best through loving relationships. When you look at each other and react to each other, the bond you have is growing stronger.
Story snuggle
Your child loves snuggling and hearing your voice. Get close and cuddle with them while sharing a story or song. Use a calm, quiet, and soothing voice to help them fall asleep quickly. This can become a nightly routine that lets them know it is time for bed.
Creating a trusting relationship, with feelings of closeness and security, sets up an environment for learning. Talk back-and-forth and share words and sounds with them in stories and songs. When you do, you help them become lifelong learners.
About Look, Say, Sing, Play
Look, Say, Sing, Play gives parents, carers and anyone looking after a child free tools to help them to have higher quality interactions with their little ones. These simple ideas which fit into your daily routine have a huge impact on their learning and brain development, right from birth. It’s a great way to have fun while making your bond even stronger.
This is what it's all about:
Look at what your baby’s focusing on and how they react. Brain-building all starts with taking a cue from your little one. Follow what they find interesting or funny, see if they copy you or react in different ways. You could think of it like a game of tennis – going back and forth between the two of you.
Say what you’re doing in silly voices and use funny faces. Talking with your baby, or copying when they babble, is an easy way to build their brain throughout the day. Even chatting about simple actions as you do them is a great place to start.
Sing along to your favourite tunes or make up your own and see how your child responds. You don’t need to be a karaoke champion to pull this one off. Try using familiar tunes and changing the words to describe things you’re doing. It might take some getting used to, but give it a go and find your groove.
Play simple games and see what your child enjoys, you don’t need even need toys for this brain-building skill. Try playing peekaboo, mess about with bubble bath, or even turn sorting laundry into a game! Over time, you can add playful moments throughout the day. Keep the moments going to stretch their learning even more.
The campaign was developed for all parents and carers of children under the age of two. And the sooner you start, the better! You can help build your baby’s brain right from birth.
We know it can also be helpful for grandparents, other family members or anyone looking after a young child, and it's available for professionals too! If that's you, take a look at our resources for people who work with parents and children.
You’re already doing amazing things every time you interact with your child. But did you know that these moments shape the way your little one’s brain develops?
The first 1000 days is a really important time for every child’s development and wellbeing – with a long term impact on health and learning. These shared moments with your baby or toddler nurture their growing minds, helping them to build key skills, - like focus, self-control and problem-solving - which will support them right through childhood and into later life.
Whether it’s bath time, bedtime, or washing up time – you can use our free tips which are tailored to the age of your child. Each one includes the ‘science bit’ which shows how every activity helps build important skills.
You don’t need to buy anything; our brain-building tips are all about the fun you can have with what’s lying around the house.
Get free tips everyday
If you want immediate tips for an easy and fun way to build your little one’s brain, you can speak to our new Look Say Sing Play chatbot!
You can find even more ideas, and see how other parents got on with Look, Say, Sing, Play on our YouTube channel!
Vroom believes all parents want what’s best for their children. Vroom provides science-based tips and tools to inspire families to turn shared, everyday moments into Brain Building Moments®. A global program of the Bezos Family Foundation, Vroom helps parents boost their child's learning during the time they already spend together. Vroom meets parents where they are, through the people they already trust and the places they already go. Since 2015, Vroom has grown to impact nearly 1,500,000 families in 37 states and 6 countries around the world.
