Molly Wright: How every child can thrive by five | TED

Summary

In this inspiring talk, seven-year-old Molly enlightens the audience on the critical impact of early childhood experiences on brain development. She emphasizes the first five years as a pivotal period, highlighting the importance of connection, communication, play, a healthy home, and community. Molly illustrates how simple activities like peekaboo and naming games foster memory, trust, and vocabulary, urging adults to engage in 'serve and return' interactions to shape children's futures and mental health.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The first five years of a child's life are crucial for their health and development, particularly their brain development.
• 👶 A baby's brain grows rapidly in the first year, nearly doubling in size, and by age seven, it's almost 90 percent the volume of an adult brain.
• 💡 The brain can create up to one million neural connections every second during early childhood, emphasizing the importance of nurturing this period.
• 🤝 The top five things for a child's healthy development are connecting, talking, playing, having a healthy home, and community support.
• 💬 'Serve and return' interactions, which involve adults connecting, talking, and playing with children, are vital for their mental and emotional well-being.
• 🎲 Games like peekaboo, naming games, and copycat games are not just fun; they build memory, trust, vocabulary, attention, and empathy in children.
• 😄 Laughter and play are essential for building and strengthening relationships, as well as teaching important life skills.
• 🚫 The lack of meaningful connections and interactions can cause confusion and stress in children, highlighting the need for consistent engagement.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 Positive relationships with adults provide children with the confidence to explore, learn, and grow.
• 🕒 The most impactful actions for a child's development should start early and occur frequently throughout their early years.
• 🌍 The collective effort of connecting, talking, and playing with children everywhere has the potential to make a significant difference in their futures.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Molly's talk?

The main theme of Molly's talk is the importance of early childhood development, particularly during the first five years, and how interactions with adults can shape a child's brain and future.

Who are the characters introduced in the script?

The characters introduced are Molly, a seven-year-old girl; Ari, Molly's little friend; and Amarjot, Ari's father and neighbor, who is involved in the experiment.

What does Molly suggest is the most crucial period for a child's development?

Molly suggests that the most crucial period for a child's development is the first five years of life, starting from when they are in their mother's womb.

What is the 'blue bag' in the script symbolic of?

The 'blue bag' is symbolic of the size and weight of a healthy baby's brain at birth.

How does Molly describe the growth of a baby's brain in the first year?

Molly describes the growth of a baby's brain in the first year as almost doubling in volume, as represented by the 'red bag'.

What are the 'top five things' Molly mentions as crucial for a child's healthy development?

The 'top five things' Molly mentions are connecting, talking, playing, having a healthy home, and being part of a community.

What is the term 'serve and return' referring to in the context of the script?

In the context of the script, 'serve and return' refers to the interaction between adults and children, which involves connecting, talking, and playing with them.

What types of games does Molly mention as beneficial for a child's development?

Molly mentions copycat games for building imagination and empathy, naming games for building vocabulary and attention, and peekaboo for building memory and trust.

How does Molly demonstrate the negative impact of a lack of connection on a child?

Molly demonstrates the negative impact by showing Ari's reaction when Amarjot, his father, stops interacting with him, causing Ari confusion and stress.

What is the significance of the phrase 'early and often' in Molly's talk?

The phrase 'early and often' emphasizes the importance of starting interactions with children as early as possible and continuing them regularly to foster their development.

What is the final message Molly conveys to the audience about the impact of their actions?

Molly's final message is that every moment spent connecting, talking, and playing with children is an opportunity to shape their future, and that these actions are not just games but are fundamental to the children's development and future.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Early Childhood Development and the Importance of Connection

This paragraph introduces the concept that early childhood experiences, such as playing peekaboo, can significantly impact a child's development. Molly, a seven-year-old, along with her friend Ari and neighbor Amarjot, sets the stage for an experiment to demonstrate this. Molly emphasizes the importance of the first five years of life for a child's health and brain development. She explains that a baby's brain grows rapidly, doubling in size within the first year and reaching nearly 90% of an adult's brain volume by the age of seven. Molly outlines the top five factors contributing to a child's healthy development: connecting, talking, playing, a healthy home, and community. She introduces the idea of 'serve and return' interactions, which involve adults engaging with children through activities like copycat games, naming games, and peekaboo, to foster imagination, empathy, vocabulary, attention, memory, and trust.

05:03

🤗 The Impact of Disconnection and the Power of Re-engagement

In this paragraph, Molly discusses the negative effects of disconnection on a child's emotional and psychological well-being. She uses a demonstration with Ari and Amarjot to show how a child reacts to a lack of attention and connection from an adult, highlighting the stress and confusion it can cause. Molly then points out the importance of re-engagement and the role of strong relationships with adults in building a child's confidence and curiosity. She stresses the significance of the first five years, including the time spent in the womb, and encourages adults to engage in 'serve and return' interactions early and often. Molly concludes by emphasizing the potential impact of these interactions on a child's future, stating that every moment together is an opportunity to connect, talk, and play, and that these actions are more than just games; they are the building blocks of a child's future.

Keywords

💡peekaboo

Peekaboo is a simple game often played between children and adults, where the adult hides their face and then reveals it, typically causing the child to laugh. In the video, peekaboo is used as an example of a 'serve and return' interaction that builds memory and trust. Molly emphasizes how this seemingly trivial game is actually a powerful tool for a child's development.

💡development

Development in the context of the video refers to the growth and maturation of a child's physical, cognitive, and emotional capacities. The script highlights the critical importance of the first five years of life for a child's development, especially in regards to brain growth and the formation of neural connections.

💡neural connections

Neural connections, or synapses, are the pathways through which neurons communicate in the brain. The video script explains that a child's brain can create up to one million neural connections every second during early childhood, underscoring the rapid brain development that occurs during this period.

💡serve and return

The term 'serve and return' in the video is a metaphor for the back-and-forth interactions between children and caregivers that are essential for healthy development. It includes activities like talking, playing, and engaging in games, which are highlighted as crucial for building a child's cognitive and emotional skills.

💡memory

Memory is the ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. In the video, Molly explains that games like peekaboo are not just fun but also serve to build a child's memory, as they learn to anticipate the return of the hidden face.

💡trust

Trust, as discussed in the video, is a fundamental aspect of a child's emotional development. It is built through consistent and positive interactions with caregivers, such as the reassuring experience of the adult reappearing in peekaboo.

💡interactions

Interactions in the video refer to the communicative and engaging activities between children and adults. Molly emphasizes that early and frequent interactions are vital for teaching life skills and fostering mental health in children.

💡mental health

Mental health in the context of the video pertains to the emotional and psychological well-being of a child. Molly illustrates how positive interactions and play contribute to building strong mental health by creating a sense of security and stability.

💡vocabulary

Vocabulary refers to an individual's collection of words known and used. The script mentions 'naming games' as a way to build a child's vocabulary and attention, showing the educational value of simple activities in language development.

💡attention

Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of an environment while ignoring other things. Molly uses 'naming games' as an example to explain how such interactions can help improve a child's ability to focus and pay attention.

💡empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Molly mentions that 'copycat games' help build a child's imagination and empathy, suggesting that early play experiences can foster social and emotional skills.

💡healthy home

A 'healthy home' in the video is one of the top five things necessary for a child's development. It implies a nurturing environment that supports the child's well-being, including physical health, emotional safety, and opportunities for learning and growth.

💡community

Community in the script represents the social environment outside the immediate family that contributes to a child's development. Molly suggests that a supportive community, along with the other four factors, helps children reach their full potential.

Highlights

A game of peekaboo can change the world, according to the young speaker Molly.

The importance of the first five years for a child's health and development, especially brain development.

The rapid growth of a baby's brain in the first year, almost doubling in volume.

By the age of seven, a child's brain is almost 90% the volume of an adult's brain.

The brain creates up to one million neural connections every second during early childhood.

Five key factors for a child's healthy development: connecting, talking, playing, a healthy home, and community.

Serve and return interaction is crucial for building imagination, empathy, vocabulary, attention, memory, and trust in children.

Each interaction with a child, such as talking and playing, strengthens relationships and mental health.

The lifelong impact of early and frequent interactions on a child's ability to make friends, take tests, get a job, and start a family.

The distress a child feels when connection is taken away, and the importance of re-engagement for their mental well-being.

The strong connection between a child and their caregiver allows for quick recovery from distress.

Positive relationships with adults give children the confidence to explore and be curious.

The first five years, starting from inside the womb, are the most critical for a child's development.

The simple but impactful action adults can take is to engage in serve and return interactions with children early and often.

The potential for everyone to make a difference in a child's life by connecting, talking, and playing with them.

Peekaboo and similar games are not just fun; they are essential for a child's future.

Transcripts

Transcriber: Ivana Korom Reviewer:

[Baby cooing]

What if I was to tell you

that a game of peekaboo could change the world?

Sounds impossible, right?

Well, I’m here today to prove it’s not.

Hi, I’m Molly and I’m seven.

And this is my little friend, Ari.

Say “Hi,” Ari.

Hi.

Oh, and this is my neighbor, Amarjot.

He has to take Ari away now to get ready for our experiment.

But don't worry, they'll be back.

My talk today is about some powerful things you grownups can do.

that shape us as children and the adults we become.

How do I know?

Because my parents and people around me did them early and often.

I know not all kids are as lucky.

Some of my friends, some kids at my school and many around the world.

And I would really like to help change that.

Thanks to scientists,

we now know just how important the first five years are

for our health and development,

especially our brains.

Ari started learning long before he was even born,

from inside his mommy’s tummy.

When Ari was born,

he was tiny and he cried all the time.

He was always hungry and he pooped a lot.

[Laughter]

Now he laughs and giggles and makes funny noises.

But those are just the changes we hear and see.

That’s way more going on inside.

So, let’s talk more about our brains.

The blue bag is a rough size and weight of a healthy baby’s brain at birth.

The red one is a baby’s brain after the first year.

It almost doubles in volume.

And by my age, it's almost 90 percent the volume of an adult brain.

Our brains develop faster in our early years

than at any other time in our lives.

It can create up to one million neural connections every second.

But we need your help.

Our healthy development depends on these top five things,

One, connecting; two, talking;

three, playing; four, a healthy home,

five; community.

All of this helps our brains and us reach our full potential.

So what’s something you can do that can really make a difference?

Scientists call it serve and return.

That’s just a grown-up way of saying connect, talk and play with us.

And here’s the really big news.

Amarjot, Ari, you ready?

(Audio) Amajat: Ready?

Molly Wright: Copycat games build imagination and empathy.

(Amarjot and Ari laughing)

Naming games build vocabulary and attention.

Amarjot: Daddy. Ari. Daddy. Ari.

MW: And games like peekabo -- yep, peekaboo --

actually build memory and trust.

Amarjot: Peekaboo!

MW: Each time you talk to us, play with us, make us laugh,

it not only builds and strengthens our relationships and mental health,

it actually teaches us some of the most important life skills,

from making friends to taking the test,

to getting a job,

to one day maybe even starting a family of our own.

Interactions early and often matter.

Take it from me,

the seven-year-old up here talking about brain science.

(Laughter)

OK, now let’s see what happens when the connection is taken away.

So now he’s trying to get his dad’s attention again.

He’s reaching out like, “That was fun, why have you stopped?”

(Ari cries)

I know it’s important for adults to use their devices sometimes,

but kids are hardwired to seek out meaningful connections,

not receiving them causes confusion and stress.

OK, Amarjot, please re-engage.

Amarjot: Ah, there’s Ari.

(Ari laughs)

MW: Now what if our whole childhood was like that last 30 seconds?

How hard it would be for a child to feel calm.

To feel safe.

To learn to trust anyone.

And the lifelong impact that would have.

That makes me feel sad.

Ari only reacted the way he did and recovered so quickly

because the connection between him and his dad is usually so strong.

The positive relationships with the grown-ups in our lives

gives kids the confidence we need

to try new things, to explore and be a kid.

So please,

try to remember the most special period for our development is

the first five years.

Starting from inside mommy’s tummy.

What’s something really impactful you can do?

Serve and return.

And when?

Early and often.

Please give it up for a Amarjot and Ari.

(Applause)

Every moment together is an opportunity

to connect, talk and play.

Imagine the difference we could make if everyone everywhere did this.

To us, the children,

it’s so much more than just a game.

It's our future.

Thank you.

(Applause)

See? Peekaboo really can change the world.

(Applause)