How Peekaboo Can Change the World

Introduction

• Peekaboo can have a significant impact on child development.
• Presented by Molly, a seven-year-old, with her friend Ari and neighbor Amichat.
• Focus on the role of adults in shaping children and future adults.

Importance of Early Childhood Development

• The first five years are crucial for health and brain development.
• Brain begins developing even before birth.
• Early years are faster in brain development than any other time.
• A healthy baby's brain at birth is small but doubles in volume in the first year.
• By age seven, a child's brain is 90% of an adult brain size.

Key Factors for Healthy Development

1. Connecting
2. Talking
3. Playing
4. A Healthy Home
5. Community

"Serve and Return"

• Term used by scientists to describe connecting, talking, and playing.
• Key to building imagination, empathy, vocabulary, attention, memory, and trust.
• Important life skills development through interactions.

Impact of Interaction

• Positive interactions build strong mental health and relationships.
• Essential for developing life skills: making friends, taking tests, getting jobs, starting a family.
• Missing interactions can cause confusion and stress in children.

Demonstration

• Lack of attention leads to confusion and stress in Ari until attention is restored.
• Positive connections help kids feel safe and willing to explore.

Conclusion

• The first five years are pivotal for development.
• "Serve and return" should be practiced early and often.
• Every moment is an opportunity to connect, talk, and play.
• Encouragement to imagine the global impact if everyone practiced these principles.
• Emphasizes that these interactions are more than games but are crucial for the future.