Building Healthy Brains: What Families & Educators Should Know

In this episode of the ELEVATE Podcast, hosts Inette Bolden and Jennifer Ferreira welcome Sylvia Hennessie, Early Childhood Coach, and Starr Stevenson, Child Care Health Consultant with Child Care Support Services, for an insightful conversation on early childhood brain development.

Sylvia and Starr break down key concepts like brain architecture, serve-and-return interactions, and toxic stress, explaining how everyday moments—talking, playing, diapering, singing, and routines—shape a child’s developing brain from before birth through the first five years of life. They emphasize that nurturing relationships and responsive interactions are just as important as nutrition and sleep in supporting healthy development.

The episode offers practical, reassuring guidance for both families and educators, highlighting how being present, intentional, and responsive during ordinary moments can have a lifelong impact. Listeners walk away with a powerful reminder: brain-building happens every day, and everyone plays a role in helping children thrive.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introductions

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Welcome to Elevate, Unlocking the Magic of Early Childhood. This podcast is brought to you by Early Childhood Services, a program within Montgomery County, Maryland's Department of Health and Human Services. We're here to empower parents and educators with the knowledge and tools to nurture the next generation. I'm Inette Bolden.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

And I'm Jennifer Ferreira. We're your hosts of Elevate. We are excited to have two guests on today's episodes from Montgomery County's Childcare Support Services, Sylvia Hennessy and Starr Stevenson. Sylvia is a coach where she collaborates with educators and caregivers in fostering high-quality early learning environments. Her career in early childhood spans over 15 years and includes experience as a classroom teacher, coach, mentor, curriculum specialist, and children's librarian.

Why Early Brain Development Matters

SPEAKER_03 1:03

Starr, a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience, serves as our child care health consultant. She works with educators to ensure children receive safe and healthy environments and competent and confident care. Welcome, Sylvia and Starr. We're so glad to have you here today. Today we're diving into a fascinating and vital topic, brain development in early childhood. To start us off, can you share what drew you to this topic and why it's so meaningful for you and your work?

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Thanks, Einet. In thinking about my work with families and educators, I've realized that brain development is a topic that isn't always common knowledge. Yet it's at the heart of everything we do in early childhood education. From the way we set up environments to how we interact with children, every decision is rooted in supporting healthy brain growth. And this starts even before birth. Understanding this helps us be more intentional and responsive in our work. When educators and families grasp how the brain develops, they're better equipped to nurture each child's potential from the very beginning.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

I completely agree. The early years truly offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While our brains continue to grow and adapt throughout life, it's the foundation built in early childhood that supports lifelong learning, emotional regulation, movement, coordination, and overall well-being. That's why brain development is such a critical topic and one that I am excited to talk about today.

Health, Environment, And Harvard Resources

SPEAKER_02 2:36

Thank you for sharing that, Star. Now, when people hear the word brain development, what do you think comes to mind? Do most people associate brain development more with academics or health? Good question.

SPEAKER_04 2:49

I think when we talk about the brain, often people do think of it from a health perspective, but usually in terms of things like nutrition and sleep. And those are important, but they're just part of the picture. The environment around a child or what surrounds them shapes their development. That's a key concept from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Their website is a fantastic resource. You should visit it at www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Brain Architecture Explained

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Exactly. And while some environmental factors like access to healthy food can be hard for families to control, there are everyday things that we can do. Even with the best nutrition, a child's brain development still depends heavily on nurturing relationships and responsive serve and return interactions. These interactions help protect children from toxic stress and support healthy brain architecture. And that's what we want to focus on today.

SPEAKER_03 3:52

You know, I've come across those terms in my own learning, like brain architecture, servant return, and toxic stress. But I know they might be new to some families and educators. Can you break them down for us and explain what they mean and tell us more about them? Sure. Let's start with brain architecture.

Serve And Return In Real Life

SPEAKER_04 4:11

Just like a building, the brain has a structure and it's built over time. In these first few years of life, the brain forms over a million connections every second. These connections form pathways between the different areas of the brain, like those responsible for movement and emotions, vision, language, and memory. These pathways grow stronger with repeated use. And because the brain is so interconnected, developing one skill often supports others. That's why early experiences are so important. They shape the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior, and health.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

And then there's serve and return, a term scientists use to describe the back and forth interactions between a child and a caregiver. So think of it like a game of tennis. The child serves by making a sound, gesture, or expression, and the adult returns by responding in a meaningful way. It's more than just asking questions like what color is this? It's about engaging in real, responsive conversations, even with infants. When a baby babbles and an adult responds with eye contact, a smile, or a gentle word, that's serve and return. These interactions build strong brain connections. And it's not just adults. Siblings, cousins, and peers can all participate in serve and return. What matters is being present and responsive. For example, my oldest daughter and her twin cousins were born three months apart. And they've grown up as built-in playmates. They spend a lot of time together. So when my youngest was born, she's three years younger than the older three, they all took on the role of caregiver. They talked with her, wanting to help with feeding, changing her diapers, etc. When they were engaging in those activities, there was always eye contact, smiling, giggling, when the baby giggled, talking to her, and all of those are examples of serve and return experiences. Being attentive will help you notice when a child serves. An infant gazing up at you is a serve. A toddler pointing is a serve. A question from a three-year-old is a serve. And a look back, an affirmative I see it, or even a facial expression of I don't know are returns that their brains depend on to build healthy architecture.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

So noticing a child's serve encourages them to keep exploring, and returning that serve helps them feel seen and understood. It strengthens relationships and helps children feel valued. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Exactly. These interactions help build secure attachments, which give children a sense of safety, and that's essential for healthy development.

Practical Activities That Build Skills

SPEAKER_02 6:55

Thank you for clarifying that, Sylvia. And what are some specific activities families and educators can focus on to support brain development?

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Talk with them. Talk with children. It used to be thought that just increasing vocabulary was enough, but now we know that the quality of the conversations mattered just as much. Asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and engaging in back and forth exchanges all support brain development.

SPEAKER_04 7:22

Yes, and it's it's not all about language. When children take turns in conversation, they're also developing self-regulation, memory, and emotional awareness. These abilities develop together because the brain area is responsible for them, are all connected.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Exactly. And even physical development, like learning to lift their head, reach for a toy, or walk activates multiple areas of the brain at once. Just like with language, these early motor skills are building blocks for more complex abilities later on.

Coaching And Classroom Examples

SPEAKER_03 7:56

Those are some great strategies for families and educators to keep in mind. Thank you for that. So in your roles as a coach and as a health consultant with Childcare Support Services, how do you support the early childhood community in promoting healthy brain development?

SPEAKER_01 8:12

So as a coach, I have the opportunity to visit classrooms and engage directly with educators and children in their learning environments. For example, this past spring, I was at a center supporting in an infant room, and I was able to see firsthand how the providers talked with the children, naming what they were doing when diapering, smiling, singing, playing, and they were responding to the children's cues. There were so many great examples of serving return. I made sure to share with the staff not only what they were doing well, but why it was so important. I feel a big part of my role is helping educators understand why their everyday actions matter. My goal is to help caregivers become more intentional in how they interact with children. Often the strategies I suggest are things they're already doing. It's just about recognizing their importance and doing them more consistently and purposefully.

Health Routines As Learning Moments

SPEAKER_04 9:04

And Star, what about you? My work as a child care health consultant focuses a lot on the technical practices like hand washing and diapering. But while I'm checking to make sure that the procedures are being followed correctly, I'm also listening for those sweet diaper time conversations. When diapering a child, you want to talk to them to let them know what's going on. The conversations may go something like, Hey there, sweetie, let's get you all clean. I'm gonna take off your diaper now. Oh, look at those toes. Are you wiggling them for me? Yes, you are. Now, white, nice and gentle, almost done. You're doing a great job. Let's put on a fresh diaper. All ready to play. Same thing when it comes to hand washing. I encourage educators to make it fun by creating songs that will help children remember each step. Songs could go something like tops and bottoms, tops and bottoms, in between. So while they're washing their hands, they're having these instructions. My time spent with educators is usually brief, but I find ways to promote healthy brain development.

Key Takeaways For Families And Educators

SPEAKER_02 10:24

Thank you for sharing that star. That's that's lovely. And the personal touch, like you said, conversating, making the activities fun really make a big difference. But before we wrap up, I'd love for each of you to share some key takeaways. Like, let's start with families. What's one thing you hope parents and caregivers take away after listening to today's podcast?

SPEAKER_04 10:45

There's one thing that I'd like families to take away from this episode. It is the power of being present. Whether it's during mealtime, bathtime, or riding in the car to and from childcare, those everyday routines are full of opportunities to connect. It doesn't have to be complicated or planned in advance. It is simply tuning into the moment, talking with your child, listening for the tone of their voice, watching for facial expressions, catching serves, and making returns. This is what science tells us makes all the difference in the first five years.

SPEAKER_03 11:28

Thank you, Star. And Sylvia, what about early childhood educators? What can they focus on to support brain development?

SPEAKER_01 11:35

You know, brain-building moments are happening all around us every single day, similar to what Star just said. And for educators, one of the best places to start is by looking at your daily routines. Think about the things you already do: feeding, diapering, playing, singing, talking. They're not just tasks to check off a list, they're really golden opportunities to support a child's development. So, how can we be more intentional? It's all about turning the ordinary into something meaningful. For example, when you're feeding a child, narrate what's happening. You'd say, first I'm gonna give you a bottle, and then we'll have a snack. That simple sentence helps build language and understanding. Or try singing during transitions, like when you're getting ready for a walk. I love making up silly songs similar to what Star was sharing about hand washing. And honestly, I do it all the time. I've even changed the lyrics to the hokey pokey to make getting into the stroller more fun. It's way more engaging than just saying, okay, let's go. And here's a tip: if you ever feel like you're talking too much to the kids, you're probably doing it just right. In fact, you might want to even talk a little more. My own kids are 13 and 10 now, and I still make up songs for what we're doing. It's fun, it's playful, and it works.

Community Resources And Closing

SPEAKER_02 12:51

Wow, thank you for sharing that, Sylvia. I love that tip that you shared of never talking too much, and a little more may be just right. But thank you again for sharing a wealth of information with us today, and it has been a true pleasure having the both of you on our podcast. And for everyone listening, if you are looking for more insight and want to hear more from our coaches and health consultants, please feel free to reach out to us directly at Childcare Support Services at 240-777 Grow. Be sure to tune in next time as we explore more supports and community resources available to those who nurture young children in our community.

SPEAKER_03 13:30

Stay informed, inspired, and connected to the vibrant community of early childhood enthusiasts. Together, let's build a strong foundation for the future, one child at a time. Stay connected and join the conversation by following us on social media at BHHSCCF. See you next time.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

This podcast is brought to you by County Cable Montgomery, your source for news and information from the Montgomery County government. Connect with us via cable, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube by searching for County Cable Moco.