Find resources / Group parenting programme / Brain development / What’s happening in the early days

• Grow understanding about how babies' brains develop and how parents can help.
• Understand the critical importance of the early first attachment relationship.

Watch the video Building brains(external link) and discuss in pairs.

• The video features information from Moana Research on neuroscience and infant development (3 min 18 sec).

Ask the pairs:

• What are you doing with pēpi that’s good for their brain development?

Pairs can then share their ideas with the group. Write up a list and add any key activities that are missing.

Select one idea and unpack the brain activity associated with it. Use the 5 senses as a guide. For example, when talking and listening kanohi ki te kanohi kanohi ki te kanohi Face to face, in person, in the flesh Maori | Stative (face-to-face) with pēpi:

• pēpi links sounds with vision by seeing a mouth and hearing its sounds
• pēpi is close to their parent and can smell and touch them
• pēpi is being held gently and senses comfort and warmth, safety and security.

Through this activity, connections are forming in and between the sight, sound, vision, touch and smell areas in the brain, and especially in the emotional areas where connections are forming about relationships.

If pēpi is comforted and soothed when upset, they learn to trust the world and the people in it. This builds a base from which all other relationships will grow.

Repeat the process for other activities that the participants suggest. Highlight the power of ‘care moments’ between babies and their whānau to build secure attachment.