LENA START

Talking builds brains.

It’s true. Early language experiences predict success in kindergarten and beyond. And you don’t need lots of money or fancy educational materials to lay a strong foundation for learning. Your voice and a high quantity and quality of words exchanged with your little one is all you need to get started. Even babies can take part in conversations. Their coos, babbles, and gestures are all critical parts of the dialogue.

That’s why we’ve partnered with national nonprofit organization LENA to help Milwaukee families talk more with young children. Join our next parenting class to connect with other parents of babies and toddlers and discover what to do now to stimulate brain development and build early vocabulary, laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

About LENA START.

LENA Start is an evidence-based community program designed to engage families and help them learn how to increase conversation with their children during the first few years of life. Interactive talk — specifically back-and-forth conversation — has been proven to be a key factor in healthy early brain development. Yet most families don’t know how much they’re talking to or with their children.

3 Easy Ways to Boost Brain Development

  • Follow the child’s lead.

    According to a LENA report, “Infants indicate their interests through their gaze (what they are looking at), through touching and manipulating objects, through gestures (e.g., pointing, reaching), and through babbling.”

    Whether you’re interacting with an infant, toddler or preschooler, respond to your child by encouraging their attempts at speech, asking questions, and matching their tone.

  • Practice repetition.

    “Recasting,” or repeating information with small changes, gives feedback to your child and highlights the new information presented. For example, when your child reaches for a toy, try asking, “Do you want this toy or that toy?” or affirming, “Yes, you want the red toy.”

  • Read aloud.

    It’s never too early to reap the benefits of reading aloud to your child! Reading to infants builds their brains, their language skills, and their vocabularies. It also offers easy opportunities to practice following your child’s lead and recasting.