In those first few years of your child's life, his/her brain is like a sponge soaking up everything in sight and within earshot. Children are learning more and quicker during this time than at any other time in life.

As parents, you have numerous opportunities every day to help shape your child's future through the kinds of experiences you provide. You are, in effect, your child's first teacher. If you provide rich, exciting experiences, your child's learning potential is nurtured and that sponge's absorption capacity is amplified.

Excel your child's listening abilities by tape recording sounds from nature such as a bird singing or the wind blowing, thunder rolling or anything else you can find. Tape record environment sounds such as a car driving by, a door shutting, a faucet running or a horn blowing. The more sounds you can tape, the better. Set aside a 30 minute time slot every other day and ask the child to tell you what the sounds are as you play them back.

Tell children stories that you were told as a child. It makes no difference how old the stories are. Each story is a new adventure to the child and you can relive it as well. Ask your child to tell you a story and listen with all of your heart. Let your enthusiasm show and know that you are celebrating your child's potential and actively nourishing child development.

Sing songs appropriate to your child's developmental stage, play dress up and pretend, role-play (take turns being each other). Any activity that involves moving is nurturing your child's natural instincts and motor skills. Make puppets out of socks and stage a puppet show. Allow the child to make up lines and be a puppet, actively participating in the learning process.

Drawing, writing and painting are invaluable activities that boost child development. Keep a variety of materials for these activities readily accessible to your child. Participate with your child in the learning process.

If your child sees you having fun with these activities, you are modeling your desire to explore, a desire that is necessary for the learning process to take place.