Look, say, sing play - tips for building your baby’s brain

For some it’s the most natural thing, for others it might feel a little uncomfortable, but singing, talking and playing with your baby right from birth has huge benefits.

Did you know that during your child's earliest years, their brain makes 1 million neural connections every single second?

Positive, supportive experiences with parents and other adults are really important to your baby’s brain development. 

Our fabulous partner, The NSPCC, has designed a fun campaign called Look, Say, Sing, Play, to help encourage parents to interact with their babies in this way.

The campaign has been designed with input from early learning experts at Vroom – part of the Bezos Family Foundation, which provides creative tools to inspire families to turn everyday experiences into brain building moments.

LOOK

Brain-building starts with taking a cue from your little one. Look to see what they find interesting or funny, copy and react to what they do. You could think of it like a game of tennis – going back and forth between the two of you. This helps foster a safe and trusting environment to help your child feel supported as they learn and grow. Taking time to watch your baby helps you get to know their style of communicating so you better can understand their needs.

SAY

Talking to your baby is an easy way to build their brain throughout the day. Even talking about simple actions as you do them is a great place to start. Try adding silly voices and use expressions to bring your words to life. Read them a story, even if they’re tiny. When you snuggle up close you are building a sense of trust and security. Even if they don’t understand the story yet, you’re promoting a love of books which may last a lifetime.

SING

You don’t need to be a karaoke champion to pull this one off. Try using familiar tunes and changing the words to describe things you’re doing. It might take some getting used to but give it a go and find your groove. Singing with your child can really boost their cognitive development, it helps them pay attention for longer periods and sustains their concentration.

PLAY

You don’t even need toys for this brain-building skill. Try playing peekaboo, mess about with bubble bath, or even turn sorting laundry into a game! Over time, you can add playful moments throughout the day. By comparing things that are the same or different, you help your baby sort experiences into categories. These are skills that will help in reading, maths and science.

If you’d like to know more about the NSPCC’s Look, Say, Sing, Play campaign, why not sign up for more brain building tips here?