ELI5: why we don't remember anything from our life before the age of 4

// eli5

What is childhood amnesia?

Childhood amnesia is when you can't remember anything from before you were about 4 or 5 years old, even though lots of things happened to you back then [1][2]. It's like your brain didn't save those early memories to your hard drive.

Why does your brain forget early memories?

Your brain when you're a baby is still being built and doesn't work the same way as an older kid's brain [1]. Your brain needs to develop special parts that help you make and keep memories, and those parts aren't ready yet when you're very little [2].

What about those few memories you might think you have?

Sometimes you think you remember something from when you were really young, but it might actually be a memory of looking at photos or hearing stories about it, not a real memory from back then [2]. Your brain can trick you that way!

Will your memories from now stick around?

Once you get to be 4 or 5 years old, your brain's memory system works much better, so you'll start remembering things that happen to you [1][2]. That's why your memories from school and later are usually pretty clear.