Brain Growth and Development

“The early years of life matter because early experiences affect the architecture of the maturing brain. As it emerges, the quality of that architecture establishes either a sturdy or a fragile foundation for all of the development and behavior that follows -- and getting things right the first time is easier than trying to fix them later.”
- FrameWorks Institute

Investment in early childhood programs and education is an investment in our children’s brains:
Source: Born Learning, United Way of America

• 90% of the brain develops in the first 5 years.
• By the age of 5, many children in high-risk environments are already developmentally behind. This gap only grows over time –undermining school readiness and success in life.
• Kindergarten teachers estimate that 1 in 3 children enter the classroom unprepared to meet the challenges of kindergarten.
• Some 46% of kindergartners come to school at risk for failure.
• The poorest children start kindergarten 1-2 years behind in language and other skills important to school success.
• Yet, despite this knowledge, we continue to invest less for this critical time, and put our economic future at risk.