Fredericksburg Parent

10 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • Special Issue 2025 sponsored material The rate of growth the human brain undergoes in the first few years of life is hard to overstate. The experi- ences that a child has in these early years have a direct impact on the neural connections that are formed and strengthened during this critical growth phase. When a developmental delay is evident, these first three years present a literal once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to use research-based therapies to reduce or eliminate the delay. This is the work of Parent Education-Infant Development (PE-ID), a program of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board. PE-ID's team of occu- pational, physical, speech and other therapy providers work with parents and young children together in the home to give parents the tools to help their children through frequent, repeated, play-based exercises that fit into common daily habits such as diaper changes and feedings. "Our goal is for the developmental gap we see now to be gone by the time the child reaches kindergarten," said PE-ID Program Coordinator Suzanne Haskell. It doesn't take expensive classes or fancy toys to pro- vide experiences that will help young children build the brain connections that promote language development, executive function, motor skills and so many others. Here's a list of everyday experiences that should be part of children's day-to-day lives before they hit preschool. WRITTEN BY EMILY FREELING The Parent Education-Infant Development Program of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board presents SHARE A BOOK WITH AN ADULT Reading aloud to children is an activity with an almost endless list of benefits. Research by the American Academy of Pediatrics has linked more frequent shared reading with a lower risk of social-emotional problems in young chil- dren. Shared reading—and shared play of any kind—also help children develop the ability to have give and take with other people and children in the course of their activities. When a child allows you to turn the pages of his or her favorite book, or to share in the building of a block tower, that child is learn- ing to share space and experiences, a skill that will be important to success in school and beyond. The Central Rappahannock Regional Library's Grow a Reader programs are a great resource for finding new ways to share the experience of books and reading with your child. Visit librarypoint.org/grow-a-reader to learn about group story times and classes, recommended booklists and the "1,000 Books Before Kindergarten" reading challenge. The Fredericksburg, Howell, Salem Church and Porter library branches provide "Learn & Play" rooms where young children can get hands-on with toys, blocks and interactive panels that bring early literacy development to life. PLAY ON THE FLOOR WITH AN ADULT AT EYE LEVEL Alison Standring, PE-ID Part C System Manager, says it's important for adults to participate in young children's play. Getting down on the floor with a child—or if needed, bringing the child to your level on a bed or couch—is essential to this kind of interaction. The interactivity of shared floor play helps with emotional, cognitive and social development, while floor-based movements help children develop overall strength and fine and gross motor skills. As children get older, they progress from pushing themselves up on their bellies to the stooping and squatting that helps build core strength and balance. Your Early Childhood To-Do List A guide to everyday experiences that promote healthy development in the first three years of life

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