The foundation of a child’s future language skills starts here!
In the early 2000s, the Urban Child Institute (UCI) compiled a summary of the latest research on early brain development and asked long-time community partner, the Neighborhood Christian Centers (NCC) to review it and advise UCI regarding how to clearly and concisely share the early brain development message with parents and caregivers. NCC came back with a powerful and simple call to action to support healthy development: Touch Talk Read Play ("TTRP makes a smarter me!"). NCC produced a set of videos to help share the TTRP message (see video below).
Babies and young children need daily doses of nurturing touch, conversational talk, exposure to reading and books, and play time with the most important adults in their lives. The TTRP initiative was designed to inform parents, childcare providers and other caregivers, and encourage them to regularly engage in these brain-building activities with infants and young children.
All caregivers engage in daily nurturing touch, talk, reading, and play with children 0-5 years of age.
UCI provided grant support for a similar initiative geared toward expecting parents developed by Regional One Health obstetrician, Dr. Owen Phillips. The OB Cares videos can be viewed in English and in Spanish.
The Urban Child Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Contact Us