If you're reading this as the proud owner of a three-year-old, you'll be pleased to hear their brain is twice as active as yours. This isn't because he or she is a genius, but because a child's brain is far busier during those pre-school years than at any other time in life. In fact, by the time your child starts school, their brain will be almost the same size as your own. Not at all terrifying.
The first five years set the foundations for your child's life. During this time their brain will develop rapidly, absorbing information like a sponge. This explains why your child is shuffling round on their bum begging to be picked up one day, and cruising round on their feet the next, using new words on a daily basis, throwing their wellies into the washing machine or occasionally even listening to what you're saying. This "golden window" of opportunity offers children huge potential for language and communication development, and for developing the skills they need to be ready for school.
This is why Save the Children want to see an early years teacher leading every nursery in the country. The organisation is campaigning for an investment in early years education to make this happen, so children get the help they need to develop when their brains are busiest getting ready for the future.
Read On Get On is a national campaign to get children reading and today, as part of the initiative, Save the Children has released a paper on the science behind the remarkable early steps taken by young children. As parents, we do whatever it takes to give our children the best start in life. Save the Children and a team at UCL looked at how we could do this even better during those crucial years.
The key to starting school ahead, the research shows, is verbally engaging with toddlers - by reading, singing, rhyming - all the stuff we often do without thinking. However, without this verbal engagement, children risk not having the language skills they need and can find themselves falling behind by the time they start school. Sadly, if a child starts behind, they are far more likely to stay behind.
When a child is born they already have most of the 86 billion neurons that we do as fully grown adults. Neurons form networks in the brain that allow children to learn everything they need for life, like being able to walk, talk and relate to their environment. In the first few years a child's brain is forming these connections at about twice the speed of an adult's brain.
A child's language skills also develop rapidly, expanding, on average, from 55 words at 16 months to 572 words at 30 months. That's a lot of talking back to prepare for. Language is so important because it's through talking and listening that children learn about and explore the world. But it's also through language that a child's brain develops crucial skills like memory and reading.
As a child grows older, it becomes more difficult to influence the way their brain processes information because the networks in the brain firm up and become more complex and efficient. Of course children will continue growing and developing throughout their lives, but it becomes harder and harder to influence their development.
So it really is the early experiences in a child's life that create a foundation for their development. Parents and carers play a vital role and there's so much we can do to support our child's early learning. And it really doesn't have to feel like learning - everyday stuff like talking and reading books helps to stimulate children's language skills right from birth. From games like peepo with babies, to talking to toddlers in short sentences about their surroundings - these can all help build your child's brain. There are more examples here of the different things you can do with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers to encourage development.
Save the Children is asking the government to ensure there is an early years teacher in every nursery in England because, as our lives get busier, more and more two, three and four year-olds are going to some form of childcare every week.
This isn't about turning nurseries into classrooms. But, early years teachers are specialists in children's development, who ensure the right mix of learning through play. They can identify children who are struggling and help nursery assistants give the best possible support for children. They can also offer parents specialist advice and information.
Getting a good start in life can make a real difference to a child's life. With the help of nurseries and parents, we can make this a reality for every child.
You can sign Save the Children's petition calling for a commitment to investing in early years education, and an early years teacher leading every nursery, here.
Dr Elizabeth Kilbey is a consultant clinical psychologist, Oxleas NHS Trust, and an expert on The Secret Life Of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds.