Child

Ruth Feldman, a developmental social neuroscientist who studies parent–infant bonding and oxytocin, joins to explore love’s biology. She reveals rhythmic parent‑child synchrony and oxytocin’s role in bonding and group behavior. They discuss cultural pressure around unconditional love, ambivalence in parenting, and how synchrony can be repaired later in life.

Anne Lockfield, executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, shares her work on the Raising the Nation Play Commission and designing play into communities. She discusses how outdoor free play builds confidence and resilience. Short scenes cover reclaiming children’s freedom, prescribing play through community change, and how play can counter childhood anxiety.

Elaine Rees, a psychology professor who studies childhood memory and reminiscing. Dr. Graham Music, a child psychotherapist focused on early development, play and imagination. They explore how storytelling, nature and simple wonders spark awe in young children. Short scenes like whales, trees or bubbles, plus imaginative routines and letting kids be bored, fuel curiosity and creative growth.

Ad Wingerhuts, Emeritus Professor of Emotions and Wellbeing who studies crying and the social functions of tears. He explores why humans uniquely shed emotional tears. He discusses tears from infancy to adulthood. He links crying to helplessness, social signaling, and cultural and gender influences on how we read and respond to tears.

Gina Rippon, cognitive neuroimaging professor who studies gender and brain myths, and Lisa Feldman Barrett, psychologist who argues emotions are constructed by experience. They trace angry toddler tales from changelings to the “lizard brain”. They question fixed facial cues, explore how socialisation and gender shape expression, and discuss naming feelings to help regulation.

Emily Oster, an economics professor and data-driven parenting author, shares insights on potty training and the emotional surprises it brings for parents. Karen Walker, a psychology associate professor, explores how surprise stimulates curiosity, pushing children into their optimal learning zone. Shaddai Tembo highlights how workforce diversity in early education introduces children to unexpected encounters, broadening their perspectives. Together, they discuss the vital role of surprise in fostering resilience, adaptability, and deeper understanding in young learners.

In this conversation, Lisa Feldman Barrett, a renowned psychology expert, and Dr. Mara Guba, a children’s literature scholar from MIT, delve into the intricate role of fear in childhood. They discuss how cautionary tales like Heinrich Hoffmann's gruesome stories have historically shaped children's understanding of fear. Barrett shares insights on the amygdala's function in emotion and fear, while Guba highlights the appetite for dark stories in young minds. Together, they unravel how parental reactions influence children's perceptions of safety and threat.

Denny Marichal, Director at the Birkbeck Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, sheds light on studying toddler brains in natural settings. They delve into how toddlers experience joy through games like peekaboo, emphasizing emotional intensity. The conversation explores the critical role of caregivers in shaping emotional development and the societal pressures on parents to ensure constant happiness. Insights on historical interpretations of happiness challenge modern obsessions, prompting a rethinking of what it means for families today.

India Rakusen returns with the second series of Child for the next chapter of the story of us all. The series will capture the joy and the pain of toddlerhood, the history of infancy and innocence, and, of course, the minefield of parenting a toddler. Because toddlers are on a life ride like no other, deep in the trenches of figuring out how to be a person in our world. In this deep dive into the mind of a toddler we explore what we really know about emotional and brain development in infancy, how it influences the whole of our lives, and how beliefs and understandings of emotions have shaped our world.Presented by: India Rakusen Series Producer: Ellie Sans Producer: Charlotte Evans-Young Executive producer: Alex Hollands Commissioning Exec: Paula McDonnell Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon and Eska Mtungwazi Sound Design by Charlie Brandon-KingA Goldhawk Production for Radio 4

We get inside the mind of a one year old with Professor of psychology and baby expert Alison Gopnik. What can babies teach us, and how are they influencing their future. We also take a moment think about the village we need to survive that first year and beyond. It’s a cliche, but we know it’s true. The community around a child is one of the most fundamental factors for its development.Presented by: India Rakusen. Producer: Ellie Sans. Series producer: Ellie Sans. Executive producer: Suzy Grant. Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Original music composed and performed by The Big Moon. Mix and Mastering by Olga Reed.A Listen Production for BBC Radio 4.