The First 1000 Days
'The first 1,000 days are also called the critical days for baby brain development,' says Hunnius. They lay the foundation for how you interact with others, your later development and even what you like and dislike. How can this be done? Hunnius explains: 'At the moment we are born, our brains are still particularly plastic and flexible. This means that we can optimally adapt to the environment during this period, regardless of the situation we grow up in. This is precisely why the environment is crucial during this period.'
Creating a Sensitive and Stimulating Environment
Hunnius is, therefore, committed to ensuring that we create a loving and stimulating environment for all young children. Within that environment, it is important that we encourage children to explore and that they can respond to unexpected situations. Hunnius points out: 'A baby has a short attention span that you can be flexible with as a parent or carer. For example, if attention is focused on a ball, you start playing with the ball together. If attention is on the garden, then you go into the garden together, and so on.' She is also a proponent of so-called open-ended toys, where children can decide for themselves how they play with the toys. 'This is because if you explain too much to children how to do something, there is a chance that they will develop a thinking pattern in which they hear what the intention is. They are then no longer curious. You, therefore, want parents and caregivers to look closely at children and interact with them sensitively. Sensitive, in this case, means responding to what your child is doing.'
Circus Theatre: Be Kind
This sounds easier said than done because how do you find out what your child likes? Hunnius joined forces with circus theatre producer Emilie Weisse to bridge the gap from science to society. Together, they developed the performance Be Kind, an intimate circus theatre experience, especially for babies. In a series of short scenes, the show stimulates babies' curiosity and invites them to explore objects and materials. Hunnius comments: 'Babies in theatre. At first, you might think, 'That will be chaos', but that is precisely not the case. We put as much knowledge as possible from our research at the BRC into the theatre piece. We constantly asked ourselves questions like: 'What do babies like? When is it time for a new part, etc.' During the performance, we noticed that parents became really interested in what their children were 'on to'. That's exactly what we want to achieve!' Indeed, Hunnius stresses that it is important to be flexible as a parent and to be able to move with your child.
In short, in a world full of discoveries and stimuli, it is crucial to encourage children's active exploration. Giving babies a promising start requires an equally curious attitude from parents.
The theatre performance Be Kind is a perfect example of Hunnius' efforts to implement her scientific research in society. Partly for this reason, Hunnius has been nominated for the Huibregtsen Prize, which is awarded to research projects that combine scientific innovation with added value for society.