Lesson 4.1: Serve and Return

Lesson Summary

This lesson emphasizes the importance of play in brain development.

Key Understandings

Parents understand the impact of play on brain development.
- How might your understanding of the way connections are made in the brain affect how you play with your child?
Parents understand the concept of serve and return.
- How does your understanding of this concept influence the kinds of interactions you have with your child?

BEFORE: Engage in Learning

Watch the video on brain architecture. Pay close attention to the information on how to build a strong brain structure.

The Science of Early Childhood

Brains are built over time, from the bottom up.

A newborn has all of the brain cells they will have for the rest of their life, but what really makes the brain work are the connections between those cells.

More connections are formed in the brain prenatally and in the first few years of life than at any other time.

The human brain, the command center of the entire body, is not fully developed at birth.
A newborn’s brain is about a quarter of the size of the average adult brain.
Incredibly, it doubles in size in the first year and keeps growing to about 80 percent of adult size by age three.
90 percent of a child’s brain develops by age 5!

DURING: Explore new concepts

Serve and Return

Parents can help build a child’s brain even before babies can talk! The interactions between you and your child are called "serve and return" interactions that help make connections in developing brains.

Watch the video on 5 simple steps for serve and return. You can refer to the handout while you watch the video.

VIDEO:

5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return

Watch the video to learn the 5 steps for Serve and Return!

5 Steps for Brain Building.pdf

HANDOUT:

5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return

This handout describes the 5 steps for Serve and Return!

AFTER: Extend your learning

Learn how to boost your baby's brain

Watch the video of a Harvard Professor explaining the most important thing a parent can do to support their child's brain development.

What might be the most important thing you can do to support your child’s brain development?

PLAY impacts the brain!

Play impacts the brain by causing the prefrontal cortex to become bigger and faster.
Scientists confirm that play is essential to healthy and maybe even exceptional brain development.
Research also states that children learn social skills through turn taking and fair play.

Exit Ticket: Final Reflection

Serve and Return can make everyday moments fun and become second nature with practice.

By taking small moments during the day to serve and return, you build up the foundation for children’s lifelong learning, behavior, and health—and their skills for facing life’s challenges

As you watch the video, reflect on the following questions:

What do you notice about the serves and returns in the video?
How can you apply "serve and return" with your child at home?

Share your reflection with the other participants in your local program.

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