Smart Start of New Hanover County

Why Ages 2-7 Matter So Much for Brain Development

Check out this article that highlights how rich experiences – from play to the arts and relationships – fundamentally shape a young child’s development. Learn about critical periods of development and how to support learning in those periods. Link in comments ⤵️

Edutopia UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

You are your child’s first teacher. From the very beginning, the everyday things you do - talking, playing, reading, singing, comforting and exploring together - help build the foundation for your child’s future.

Smart Start of New Hanover County is proud to be a Parents as Teachers National Center affiliate, connecting local families with free personalized support during the important early years.

Our Parents as Teachers program can help you:
👶 Understand your child’s development
💬 Build on everyday parent-child interactions
📚 Discover activities that support learning
❤️ Strengthen your confidence as a parent
🤝 Connect with helpful community resources

You don’t have to have all the answers. You just need a place to start.

Families with young children in New Hanover County: We’d love to connect with you!

Learn more and find Smart Start resources at www.newhanoverkids.org/families/parenting-support

New Study Reveals How Infants' Brains and Bodies Respond to Music in the First Year of Life

Did you know you can check out theme kits at 's Early Learning Resource center? https://buff.ly/WGTDRBu

Babies begin processing the structure of music very early in life, but their ability to physically coordinate their bodies to a musical beat takes much longer to develop. The findings suggest that while the infant brain can distinguish between organized songs and disorganized sounds, complex rhythmic movement emerges gradually. Read more at link in comments.

PsyPost - Psychology Research News UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

MILESTONE MONDAY
What are developmental milestones? When a child learns a new skill or ability. There are predictable stages to a child’s development, but each child is unique & can vary greatly. Learn more from CDC at link in comments.⤵️

Have questions? Contact Smart Start of NHC today! 910.815.3731

Learning Through Play

The LEGO Foundation’s Learning Through Play online resources provide a number of research studies showing how play lays the foundation for brain development and supports children’s learning in domains such as language and literacy, social emotional skills and math. Multiple resources are also available in Spanish. The scientific case for learning through play. Link in comments⤵️

Have you visited 's play space and lending library (ELRC)? Learn more at https://buff.ly/y4EiFkw.

UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute The LEGO Foundation

Our Early Literacy Specialist, Rachel, spent some time partnering with Book Harvest to put more high-quality books into local children's hands!

To learn more about 's Early Literacy initiatives, visit the link in the comments. ⤵️

The Smart Start Early Learning Resource Center will be closed all of next week (Aug 3rd-Aug 7th). The ELRC will reopen on August 10th at 8:30 AM.
If you have any checked-out materials that need to be returned before August 10th, you can drop them off at the front desk.

La Sala de Recursos estarán cerrados toda la próxima semana (del 3 al 7 de agosto).

Come visit at the Community Resource Bash next Wednesday!

📚🎒 You're Invited to Our Community Resource & Back-to-School Fair! 🎉

Join us on Wednesday, August 5 at 2:30-4:30PM for an afternoon of fun, resources, and community connections at Creekwood Park, 714 Emory Street! Families can enjoy FREE school supplies, FREE haircuts, FREE food, career opportunities, a live DJ, and more.

No pre-registration required for accessing resources or school supplies. Come out, connect with local organizations, and get everything you need to help your students start the school year strong. We look forward to seeing you there! 💙✏️📓

Sharing ideas. Strengthening partnerships. Creating greater impact.

We had the opportunity to connect with fellow leaders to share knowledge, build relationships, and explore new ways to better serve our . When nonprofits work together, everyone benefits.

Interested in joining future conversations? Send us a message to learn more!

To learn more about Smart Start of New Hanover County's free programs and resources for families with young children and early childhood educators, visit www.newhanoverkids.org.

A special thank you to for bringing local nonprofit leaders together!