Most people look out for number one, themselves, which makes it strange to think that there was ever a time when we had no concept of ‘me’. A simple study dating from the early 70s suggests that before the age of around two years old we can’t recognise ourselves in the mirror. Because of this [...]

Some argue it’s impossible for us to remember anything much from before around two to four years of age. Others think our memories can go way back – perhaps even to before birth. The question of ‘infantile amnesia’ is thorny because it’s hard to test whether adults’ earliest memories are real or imagined. What psychologists [...]

You know you’re in a dream world when the physical laws of the universe appear to have changed. When gravity has been turned off at the socket, objects seem to have no inertia and vanish when they are out of view. Dreams can be surprising and unsettling precisely because we’re so used to how the [...]

Children can develop language skills only if they have many opportunities to talk, listen and use language to solve problems and learn about the world. Long before your child enters school, you can do many things to help her develop language. You can: ★ Give your child opportunities to play. Play is how children learn. [...]

Children start school with different degrees of social and emotional maturity. These qualities take time and practice to learn. Give your child opportunities at home to begin to develop the following positive qualities. ★ Confidence: Children must feel good about themselves and believe they can succeed. Confident children are more willing to attempt new tasks—and [...]

Seeing to it that your preschool child has nutritious food, enough exercise and regular medical care gives him* a good start in life and lessens the chances that he will have serious health problems or trouble learning later on. Food Preschoolers require a healthy diet. After your child is born, she requires nutritious food to [...]

Scientists who study how the brain works have shown that children learn earlier—and learn more—than we once thought possible. From birth through age 5, children are developing the language, thinking, physical, emotional and social skills that they will need for the rest of their lives. This booklet is for families and caregivers who want to [...]

Taking responsibility and working independently are important qualities for school success. Here are some suggestions for helping your child to develop these qualities: *| Establish rules. Every home needs reasonable rules that children know and can depend on. Have your child help you to set rules, then make sure that you enforce the rules consistently. [...]

Libraries are places of learning and discovery for everyone. Helping your child find out about libraries will set him on the road to being an independent learner. Here are some suggestions for how to help: *| Introduce your child to the library as early as possible. Even when your child is a toddler, take him [...]

American children on average spend far more time watching TV or playing video games than they do completing homework or other school-related activities. Here are some suggestions for helping your child to use TV and video games wisely: *| Limit the time that you let your child watch TV. Too much television cuts into important [...]