Even before your baby is born, he already has the 10,000 billion brain cells that he will ever need through his life. The connecting links of these cells grow at a tremendous rate during the first few months of your baby's life.

This growth is partly stimulated by the activity of nerve pathways leading to the brain. The more stimuli your baby receive from his senses, the more nerve pathway activities occur, the more connections are created among brain cells. This helps build his brain, and the more connections mean a smarter kid.

At this early age, your baby's genes, together with his experience with the outside world, form his temperament and personality that will determine how and how well he will learn as he grows.