Image

The ideas hub.

A child's brain is a remarkable little creature forming more than a million neural connections every second when activated. Babies learn through spending time with their parents and other special people in their life. Here are some ideas to help create meaningful moments with your child. These meaningful moments, especially if they occur early in a child’s life and often, build strong brains, providing a strong foundation for their life.

Download the Bright Tomorrows app today to receive access to over 1,000 meaningful moments and tips to help build young brains.

Share this content

FILTER THESE IDEAS:

Clear filter

CATEGORY

Icon Attention and focus

Icon Responding to emotions

Icon Relationships and communication

Icon Planning and routines

Icon Taking on challenges

AGE GROUP

1-2

Sound Searchers

Attention and focus

Pay attention to the sounds you're hearing and talk about them with your child. “I hear a bird tweeting. Do you?” Try to find the bird. Do this with fire trucks or cars going “vroom!” Pay attention to what they're listening to and ask them, “What do you hear?”

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

1-2

Sound Searchers

Attention and focus

Pay attention to the sounds you're hearing and talk about them with your child. “I hear a bird tweeting. Do you?” Try to find the bird. Do this with fire trucks or cars going “vroom!” Pay attention to what they're listening to and ask them, “What do you hear?”

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Children learn through their senses and through games like Sound Searchers. Using words about the sounds you're hearing helps your child begin to listen to the differences in sounds and the words that describe them.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

4-5

Super Secret Handshake

Planning and routines

Invent a super secret handshake for you and your child. Take turns adding a step (like shaking twice). Repeat it until you both have it down. Now change one of the steps. How do they respond? Go back and forth between the new and old way.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

4-5

Super Secret Handshake

Planning and routines

Invent a super secret handshake for you and your child. Take turns adding a step (like shaking twice). Repeat it until you both have it down. Now change one of the steps. How do they respond? Go back and forth between the new and old way.

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Creating and learning a super secret handshake helps your child remember and do what is needed to achieve a goal. This is a big step in learning self-control.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

0-5

Sing Talk

Taking on challenges

Instead of talking as usual, try singing in a different voice. For example, it's very funny to sing about getting dressed. Sing, “I'm sliding on my shirt, jumping in my pants,” in a low voice. You and your child can use familiar tunes and make up your own words.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

0-5

Sing Talk

Taking on challenges

Instead of talking as usual, try singing in a different voice. For example, it's very funny to sing about getting dressed. Sing, “I'm sliding on my shirt, jumping in my pants,” in a low voice. You and your child can use familiar tunes and make up your own words.

BRAINY BACKGROUND

When you're having fun, it's likely your child will be having fun too. When you put new words into tunes and describe what you're doing, you're helping them make new and unusual connections. These types of connections promote creativity.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

0-2

Copy Cat

Responding to emotions

Like you, children experience many different emotions every day. Make faces that mirror how your child seems to be feeling. Talk to them about why you're making those faces. “You're smiling and seem happy, and I am smiling and happy too.”

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

0-2

Copy Cat

Responding to emotions

Like you, children experience many different emotions every day. Make faces that mirror how your child seems to be feeling. Talk to them about why you're making those faces. “You're smiling and seem happy, and I am smiling and happy too.”

BRAINY BACKGROUND

When you imitate the face that your child makes, you help them express what they think and feel even though they can't speak yet. These "conversations without words" begin to help them learn about others’ feelings and emotions!

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

0-2

Weather Report

Relationships and communication

At bedtime, talk to your child about the weather today and what it meant for you. “Today was COLD. I wish I had worn a heavy jacket because I was outside all morning!”

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

0-2

Weather Report

Relationships and communication

At bedtime, talk to your child about the weather today and what it meant for you. “Today was COLD. I wish I had worn a heavy jacket because I was outside all morning!”

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Talking about everyday activities helps build children's vocabulary, communication skills, and their brains!

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

0.5-1

Peekaboo

Relationships and communication

Grab whatever is nearby, like a blanket, a book, or your hands, and use it to play Peekaboo with your child. First you hide behind it and then say “Peekaboo!” Next, let them be the hider.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

0.5-1

Peekaboo

Relationships and communication

Grab whatever is nearby, like a blanket, a book, or your hands, and use it to play Peekaboo with your child. First you hide behind it and then say “Peekaboo!” Next, let them be the hider.

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Peekaboo helps your child learn that you're still there, even when you're hiding. But most of all, it's fun! Your face and voice are their favourite toys.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

0-1

Dance Party

Attention and focus

Your child may not be walking or talking yet, but with your help, they can definitely boogie. So turn on some music and hold them as you dance around. When you sit down together, shake your arms to the music and see if they can do the same!

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

0-1

Dance Party

Attention and focus

Your child may not be walking or talking yet, but with your help, they can definitely boogie. So turn on some music and hold them as you dance around. When you sit down together, shake your arms to the music and see if they can do the same!

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Paying attention to sounds and movements is an early step in listening for sounds—a reading skill.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

3-5

Name That Tune

Attention and focus

Start humming a song that your child knows and have them guess what it is. If they guess wrong, start over and hum the tune again. After a few guesses, you can add in some words to the song as hints. After a few tries, let them try a tune while you guess.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

3-5

Name That Tune

Attention and focus

Start humming a song that your child knows and have them guess what it is. If they guess wrong, start over and hum the tune again. After a few guesses, you can add in some words to the song as hints. After a few tries, let them try a tune while you guess.

BRAINY BACKGROUND

This game helps your child focus and pay attention to sounds—which is important in communicating, reading, and writing—and it’s fun too!

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

Ages 3-5

Would You Rather?

Taking on challenges

Ask your child questions like, “Would you rather be a bird or a fish? Why?" Have them give you a few reasons from real-life experience like, "I love the water so I want to be a fish!" Then you take a turn answering their questions!

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Learn more

Ages 3-5

Would You Rather?

Taking on challenges

Ask your child questions like, “Would you rather be a bird or a fish? Why?" Have them give you a few reasons from real-life experience like, "I love the water so I want to be a fish!" Then you take a turn answering their questions!

BRAINY BACKGROUND

Asking your child questions helps develop their reasoning skills—especially when you ask questions that go beyond simple “yes” or “no” answers.

Vroom | Brain Building Moments

Brainy Background™

Every time we connect with young children, it’s not just their eyes that light up—it’s their brains, too. A global program of the Bezos Family Foundation, Vroom(R) helps parents boost their child’s learning during the time they already spend together. Vroom believes all parents want what’s best for their children. So we joined with scientists, researchers, and parents to take the science out of the lab and put it in the hands of caregivers. Vroom provides science-based tips and tools to inspire families to turn shared, everyday moments into Brain Building Moments(TM). Since 2015, Vroom has grown to impact nearly 1,500,000 families in 37 US states and 6 countries around the world. Learn more at Vroom.org.

Download the Bright Tomorrows App

WANT MORE GREAT IDEAS?
DOWNLOAD THE BRIGHT TOMORROWS APP

These ideas are just a few useful tips. To see over 1,000 tailored tips download the free app today.

Find out more

Sign the open letter.

See more
  • Minderoo Foundation | Thrive by Five

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our offices stand and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

© 2024. View our Privacy Policy