When infants and young toddlers are learning to develop communication and interaction skills, they are also strengthening the architecture of their brains. The little interactions and responses when a child plays can seem trivial, but they actually have a big impact on their development.

The process is called Serve and Return. Here's how Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child describes it: "When an infant or young child babbles, gestures, or cries, and an adult responds appropriately with eye contact, words, or a hug, neural connections are built and strengthened in the child's brain that support the development of communication and social skills.

Much like a lively game of tennis, volleyball, or Ping-Pong, this back-and-forth is both fun and capacity-building. When caregivers are sensitive and responsive to a young child's signals and needs, they provide an environment rich in serve and return experiences."

Proper engagement during the Serve and Return process results in the healthy development of the areas of the brain responsible for communication and social skills. This is where children develop the ability to understand nuance in communication, ranging from facial cues to tone changes. When parents engage in these interactions, they stimulate their child's brain, resulting in it getting stronger.

But when a child doesn't receive enough stimulation in this area, the results can be damaging.

According to Harvard's Center on the Developing Child: "The persistent absence of serve and return interaction acts as a 'double whammy' for healthy development: not only does the brain not receive the positive stimulation it needs, but the body's stress response is activated, flooding the developing brain with potentially harmful stress hormones."

Therefore, constant and purposeful engagement is a key to proper development.

To help utilize this important process, the early childhood education experts at Harvard came up with five steps to "return" the child's serve to get the most out of this crucial development process.

Share the focus

The first step in returning the child's serve is sharing their focus. Children will serve when they show interest in something, such as a toy or object. Infants will show interest by smiling, babbling, or moving their limbs excitedly. Young toddlers may point to or grab the object. When children serve, share their focus by showing you're also interested in the object.

Often, the serve can be subtle, and a distracted parent or caretaker might not notice and the child's serve goes unreturned. That's why it's important to be looking for these signs.

Support and encourage

Saying words of encouragement, showing enthusiasm, and engaging in simple conversation are easy ways to support and encourage the child's serve. This lets the child know that their thoughts and feelings are understood.

Name it

When you name the object the child is showing interest in, you make important language connections in the brain. After naming it, talk to the child about the object, such as describing details like color or shape. Even if the child cannot yet talk, you make important connections that contribute to brain building. You also help them understand the world around them by putting into words the things around them and what they do.

Take turns, back-and-forth

By taking turns handling or playing with the object, children learn the basics of self-control and getting along with others. They also get practice in the back-and-forth aspect of social interactions. When you return the serve in this way, make sure to give the child time to respond so that they can develop confidence and independence during these social interactions.

Practice endings and beginnings

Children also serve when they're ready to move on to a new activity. When they lose interest in one object and move onto another, that's a clear indication they want to move on. These are moments when the child is able to take the lead and build confidence in exploring their world and utilize their ability to communicate. Encouraging the child in these situations will make more serve and return interactions possible.

"Serve and return interaction is critical for a child's developing brain and the best news is that you can do it any time, anywhere without the need for toys or technology," Harvard's Center for the Developing Child says. "Look for small opportunities throughout the day like while you're making a snack or while you're grocery shopping. What matters most is that you're doing each of these five steps."