Healthy Brain Development: Building a Strong Foundation for Alexandria’s Youngest Children

By Michelle Smith Howard, President & CEO, Kids’ First Years

Alexandria, VA – Everyone knows that a house built on an unstable foundation will eventually develop cracks that weaken the structure and might be very difficult – if not impossible – to repair.

That’s the analogy shared by Grace Jones, LCSW, Senior Therapist, with the City of Alexandria’s Early Childhood Wellness Program, as she emphasized the critical importance of healthy brain development for young children.

“Starting at birth the human brain changes quickly and never grows more rapidly than it does during the first five years of a child’s life,” she said. “Studies show that 90 percent of physical brain growth happens by the time a child is ready to start kindergarten at age 5. Since the brain is the neural architecture for thinking and learning, you want it to be stable, with a strong foundation from the start.”

Some Fast Facts about Brain Development

The Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University lists these Brain Architecture Fast Facts (https://developingchild.harvard.edu/key-concept/brain-architecture/):

• More than one million new neural connections are formed every second in the first few years of life.
• The early years are the most active period for establishing neural connections, but new connections can form throughout life.
• Responsive serve and return interactions with caregivers play an essential role in supporting healthy brain development.

A Community-wide Effort

Kids’ First Years (KFY), a collective impact initiative and unified voice for organizations that support early childhood efforts in Alexandria, applies a holistic approach to healthy brain development, engaging a network of community partners that interact with the city’s youngest citizens.

“It takes everyone in the Alexandria community working together – libraries, parks, healthcare professionals, social services agencies, daycare and child care providers, schools and teachers, parents, and more – to build a thriving early childhood system offering quality experiences for every child in Alexandria,” said Heidi Seiffert, Senior Director of Partnerships and Special Projects for The Bruhn-Morris Family Foundation. “All of these individuals and organizations have a profound impact on a child’s rapidly developing brain.”

Grace Jones also noted that prioritizing healthy brain development requires an investment from the entire community to ensure that young children and their families are nurtured and supported throughout those critical early years.

For more information about resources offered by the City of Alexandria’s Early Childhood Division, including free developmental screenings for kids ages 0-5, email [email protected] or visit https://www.alexandriava.gov/child-and-family-services/early-childhood-division.

The Basics Alexandria: A Powerful Tool for Healthy Brain Development

KFY is leading another citywide initiative called The Basics Alexandria, which promotes five simple, research-based principles to support brain development in children from birth to age 5.

The Basics principles designed to help children thrive in the early years are:

• Maximize Love, Manage Stress
• Talk, Sing, and Point
• Count, Group, and Compare
• Explore through Movement and Play
• Read and Discuss Stories

These evidence-based parenting and caregiving principles can benefit children from all backgrounds and across the spectrum of socio-economic factors. There’s even a free text messaging component called Basics Insights where parents can get two texts per week with an easy and fun activity tied to one of The Basics principles.

Special Note: Families can now opt in to receive Basics Insights text messaging when they sign up for the ALX Preschool program. See more details about The Basics at https://kidsfirstyears.org/resources-for-families/the-basics/ .

Coming in April

ALX Preschool is Alexandria’s coordinated enrollment network designed to streamline access to publicly funded preschool. Families can use one common application to apply to participating programs – so enrolling your child in a local preschool program is now so easy! Just go to https://kidsfirstyears.org/alxpreschool/ and click on the APPLY NOW button when you are ready to begin the application process.

Spring2ACTion: Alexandria’s Giving Day on April 22, 2026, is presented by ACT for Alexandria to support organizations that make Alexandria vibrant for everyone. Many of the KFY collective’s community partners will be raising funds to support their respective organizations that provide resources and services for families with young children. Details at https://www.spring2action.org/.

April is the Month of the Young Child, a special time designed to shine a spotlight on the critical needs of children in the early years before starting kindergarten and to celebrate the powerful, positive impact of enriching early learning experiences. Watch for more details at https://kidsfirstyears.org/.