Brain Development
Understanding brain development is vital, as it profoundly shapes a child’s future cognitive, emotional, and social well-being. This page offers a collection of resources to help you: learn how simple interactions build strong brains, grasp the critical role of early years, and discover practical tools and videos to support healthy development.
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University – This website is a hub for research, articles, videos, and other resources on early childhood development, with a strong focus on the science of brain development. Offers information in multiple languages.
- Brain Architecture – Explains the fundamental building blocks of brain development and how early experiences shape brain circuitry.
- Steps for Brain Building: Serve & Return – Focuses on the importance of reciprocal interactions between children and caregivers in fostering healthy brain growth.
- What is Early Childhood Development? A Guide to the Science – A comprehensive overview of early childhood development, including brain development, and its impact on lifelong health and well-being.
- InBrief Series – Short, accessible summaries of complex research findings on child development topics, including brain development.
- Video Playlist – (Search for videos related to brain development) – A collection of videos explaining how stress, trauma, and other factors can affect brain development.
Zero to Three – Offers resources in English and Spanish for parents and professionals on various aspects of infant and toddler development, including brain development.
- Brain Development – Provides information and tools related to brain development, including a Baby Brain Map.
- Why 0-3? – Emphasizes the critical importance of the first three years of life for brain development.
Division for Early Childhood (DEC) – Provides recommended practices and resources for professionals working with young children with disabilities, including information related to brain development.
Head Start – Offers resources and materials on child development and brain building.
- Child Development: Brain Building – Focuses on the connection between brain development and overall child development.
- Supporting Children’s Early Brain Development – Video resources on supporting early brain development.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Provides information on early brain development and its link to health.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) – Offers information for families and professionals on early brain development from a pediatric perspective.
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) – Provides educational programming and resources for children and families, including content related to early childhood development.
- Early Brain Development – Video resource on early brain development.
- Born to Learn – Documentary exploring the science of early learning.
The Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development – Provides access to research articles, reports, and briefs on brain development.
The Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) – Offers free modules on the science of child development, including brain development.
The Lego Foundation: Learning Through Play What the Science Says – Explore research papers on the science of brain development and play-based learning.
Updated 4/08/2025