About the Ossining Basics!

• The Ossining Basics is based on The Boston Basics, a set of five easy and nurturing practices that stimulate brain growth in children from birth to age 3.
• These practices help parents and caregivers of young children thrive cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally, and enter school ready to learn.
• The Ossining Basics Campaign is inspired by the fact that 80% of brain development happens in the first three years of life.
• During this period, skill gaps between socio-economic, racial, and ethnic groups become clearly apparent. This does not need to be!
• Everyday interactions between children, their parents, and other caregivers provide abundant opportunities to give children from every background a more equal start in life.
• The Ossining Basics are five evidence-based parenting and caregiving principles that encompass much of what experts find is important for children from birth to age three.
• Every parent, family member or caregiver can use and share these principles.
• Every child from every background can benefit.