Ensuring all children have access to
high quality early childhood education.
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BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

In recent years, we have learned there are critical brain developments that happen in your child’s first five years that can either help or hinder his or her chance to do well in school. Choosing a high-quality early childhood program helps maximize brain development so that your child is better prepared.

  • Did you know your baby is born with most of the brain cells he/she will ever have?
  • Did you know by the time your baby reaches the age of two, his/her brain will already be 75% of its adult weight?
  • Did you know during the first eight years of life, in particular the first three, there are a number of critical windows for acquiring specific types of intelligence? Once these windows have closed, learning is much more difficult, if not impossible.

Today, technology allows the thorough study of the brain, like we’ve never seen before. These studies prove that a child’s early development is determined by his/her daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone.

Researchers now believe it is the plasticity of the brain, its ability to develop and change in response to the demands of the environment, that enables a child to learn to use computers, solve mathematical problems and learn foreign languages.

The implications of this research are far reaching. There is a critical window of opportunity in a child’s life that can ensure his/her healthy development.

Parents play the most important role in providing the nurturing and stimulation that children require.

Tips for healthy brain development:

  • Talking to an infant
  • Reading to your infant at an early age
  • Helping him/her play simple games

All of these “little” things have a lasting impact in the life of your child.

Step 1: Do I Qualify?

Our goal is to provide families with equal access to quality options. First, let’s see if you qualify for a publicly funded program.

FIND OUT

Step 2: My Options?

Thanks for asking. The importance of your child’s development begins even before birth. If you are on this site, you are likely in the crucial development years for your child. So, what are your best available options in providing quality care?

YOUR OPTIONS

Step 3: Apply & Complete Application

If you would now like to enroll your child in the Avoyelles Parish Early Childhood Network, fill out the enrollment application. Upon completion, you will be contacted with follow-up information.

COMPLETE APPLICATION