Parents in the Thirty Million Words Initiative learn the importance of talking to their babies from birth. Photo credit: TMW.

Babies aren’t born smart — they’re made smart.

And what makes them smart is simpler than you think.

Research proves that language has unmatched power to build a baby’s brain. The number of words a young child hears, and the tone and meaning of those words, is crucial to the way the brain develops.

That’s why the Studer Community Institute staff has created a series of radio spots using tips from Dr. Dana Suskind’s book, “Thirty Million Words: Building a Child’s Brain.”

Need some help getting started? Try this:

Research that Suskind and her team at the University of Chicago have done supports research that indicates that the more words a young child hears, the stronger the connections in that child’s brain will be. Children who hear fewer words before age 3 face challenges in developing language and reading skills they will need to succeed in school.

For more advice, check out TMW Tips: Building Your Baby's Brain, linked here.