We are
The Global Alliance for Inspiring Non-Tech Infant Nurturing and Growth
Born in summer 2023 at the World Association for Infant Mental Health World Congress in Dublin, Ireland
Our Mission
GAINING is a worldwide alliance of early life specialists, clinicians, researchers, educators, and advocates dedicated to advancing world knowledge of what all babies need for optimal development and well-being.
Research from the past six years reveals a growing global concern: excessive screen exposure during critical early brain development stages can negatively impact children’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth. For optimal development, infants thrive on warm, responsive interactions with caregivers and rich, full-sensory play in a three-dimensional, natural environment.
᭄᭡ ͏ ͏Our mission is to empower government agencies, healthcare providers and parents with research-backed insights and practical guidance to foster thriving development, social bonding, and well-being for children in the earliest years of life.
Extended and frequent screen exposure during early childhood may interfere with essential cognitive and developmental processes. This could be associated with:
- Delayed Language Development
- Attention and Focus Problems
- Delayed Motor Skills
- Sensory Challenges and Autistic-like Symptoms
- Less Secure Attachment
- Disrupted Sleep Patterns
- Poor Social and Emotional Skills
Research shows that early life experiences play a critical role in shaping the structure and function of the developing brain.
From birth to three years of age is an extraordinarily sensitive period for brain development when experiences are easily influenced by environment. For healthy development, babies need responsive face-to-face social interactions and the ability to move freely and use all of their senses to develop.
While digital devices have become integral to the lives of adults, extensive global research emerging in only the past 6 years has intensified earlier findings that frequent and prolonged screen exposure among children of ages 0 to 3 can disrupt their cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development.
Babies learn best in natural interactions with caring people through eye contact, touch, and responsive conversations, as well as full-sensory play and hands-on exploration. Time spent on and around screens—even with content termed “educational”—displaces real-world experiences young children must have for full cognitive and social development.
Our initiative aims to urgently spread the word about new findings that associate the use of digital devices with harms to the development of very young children.
What Babies Need
Babies need rich, real-world experiences for their healthy development.
Face-to-face interactions, responsive communication, and nurturing relationships help them build language, emotional security, and cognitive skills. Unstructured, screen-free play fuels curiosity and problem-solving, while movement and sensory exploration strengthen coordination and motor skills. Quality sleep, free from digital distractions, is essential for brain growth, and a secure attachment with caregivers fosters confidence and resilience.
By prioritizing these fundamental needs in a screen-free environment, babies gain the best possible start in life.
Awareness Alerts
To ensure babies have their best chance at optimum development, GAINING is reaching out to all nations with three global guidelines. The Awareness Alerts are targeted informational resources for:
Government Agencies
Healthcare Providers
Parents
Meet our Global Members
From 42 nations and counting!
The Global Alliance for Inspiring Non-tech Infant Nurturing and Growth is a collaborative effort of early childhood development specialists from countries all around the world.
Children between birth and age 3 thrive on responsive attention from caregivers. Their development is not enhanced by interacting with screens, but in fact is easily harmed.
By uniting across borders, we strengthen the global effort to prioritize infants’ well-being.
“I GAIN!” Campaign
Through this campaign, we advocate for creating screen-free, enriching environments for infants and their families that support natural early learning and developmental wellness.
In an era where screen time is prevalent everywhere, we aim to encourage parents and caregivers to prioritize physical play and real-world interactions. On our Carer Card, we have specific suggestions for fostering optimal child development, sensible family screen management, and caregiver self-care.
Resources
We provide evidence-based resources to support parents, caregivers, and professionals in fostering a screen-free environment for babies under age three.
- Parent Guidance: Practical tips and strategies to promote screen-free play and meaningful interaction
- Printable Materials: Fact sheets, posters, and informational handouts for easy reference and sharing
- Video Presentations: Demonstrations and suggestions for baby-supportive approaches and screen-free engagement
Help spread the word in your country.
Let’s inspire society, healthcare providers, and parents to give babies what they vitally need for healthy development: warm, responsive human attention and full-sensory movement and play.
We invite you to help us find ways to increase understanding in this critically important area.
Together, let’s help our babies GAIN the best start in life!
Join Us!
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MyBabyGains, created by GAINING
Babies need You time, not screen time!
Contact
info@mybabygains.org
MyBabyGains created by GAINING 