Mpls. Urges Residents To Sing, Read And Talk To Children

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The city of Minneapolis is launching a new campaign to support children in the community.

It's called Talking is Teaching, and it encourages everyone to talk, read and sing to children as much as possible.

Mayor Betsy Hodges says it helps expand brain development, especially with children under the age of three.

"Eighty percent of brain development happens by the time a person is 3 years old, and we know we can expand that brain development by talking, by reading, by singing," Hodges said at a Tuesday press conference.

The mayor says lower income kids hear about 30 million fewer words than higher income kids.

She says this initiative will help develop children's brains to the maximum potential.