With the closure of Guilford County Schools and many preschools and childcare facilities, some 37,000 children under the age of 5 in Guilford County have fewer opportunities for the engagement and interaction that is critical to their development.
Activities such as pointing, counting, singing, and playing are not just fun things to do with young children – they spur brain activity and development.
Launched in Boston by a team of Harvard University researchers led by Ron Ferguson, The Basics promote five, fun, free ways to spur development with easy things all adults can do as they interact with children in their everyday lives.
The Basics are:
We launched The Basics a year ago and have seen tremendous response since then, including support from the business community, faith leaders, healthcare professionals and local government.There is an urgent need for our community to understand why these and other efforts focused on infants and young children are so critical.
The Basics is part of a comprehensive effort across Guilford County to tackle the fundamental issues limiting the potential of our children and our community.
