Chapter One

Happier, Smarter Babies

As I began to research childhood brain development in order to develop the Baby Prodigy DVDs, CDs, and videos, I had to educate myself on how the brain worked. This chapter is by no means an effort to provide you with a full education in neuroanatomy; it is a simple overview of the biology and development of the brain, with an emphasis on the areas that are developing most rapidly during your child’s first years of life. It’s my goal to make this chapter on the science of the brain as basic and nonintimi- dating as possible. If, after reading this introductory material, you are as fascinated by the workings of the brain as I am, you may want to read more deeply in this subject. In the appendix, Recommended Reading and Resources, I suggest some works that explore in detail the subject of your child’s developing brain.

When reading this chapter you may be surprised—as I was when I began my research in this area—by the discovery that many of the stimulating activities that promote brain growth and development in your baby are activities that we, as parents and caregivers, practice naturally and instinctively. In 1996, the Families and Work Institute held a conference at the University of Chicago entitled “Brain Developments in Young Children: New Frontiers for Research, Policy, and Practice.” Experts from the fields of neuroscience, medicine, education, human services, media, business, and public policy came together to discuss what was known about the developing brain and how that knowledge should inform efforts to improve results for children and their families. Their top recommendations have been distilled