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Kiss Your Brain and Brainercise!Posted on May 2, 2009 by JumpStart
– From the Desk of Heather Tuttle, Curriculum Writer –
And one, and two, and work that brain now, five, and six. Hopefully you’re ready for a workout this week as we begin exercising the most amazing and important muscle in the body- the brain. Just like exercising your body enhances physical fitness, proper exercise of the mind is essential to train the brain for lifelong learning.
Your child’s brain is an incredibly powerful muscle that needs stimulating and exercise to perform at its peak. From the moment they’re born, your baby’s billions of brain cells are waiting to fire up, connect, and grow. So, how can you help jumpstart these connections? You may be surprised, but research shows the best way to stimulate the brain is through play!
At birth, your baby’s brain is about one-fourth the size of an average adult brain. By age 2, your child’s muscular mind has tripled in size, making these first years the most important for brain workouts. These cranial calisthenics should not stop after the toddler years. Kids and adults can always benefit from a little brain-ercise!
Brain Boosters
Fuel-Up the Five Senses- Get those brains in shape by providing activities that engage the five senses. For babies, hanging a colorful mobile, giving them time on their tummy to improve motor skills, exposing them to various textures, or listening to soothing music are great ways to develop the brain. For older kids, stacking blocks, doing puzzles, listening to various tempos and pitches, and exploring the environment through touch can all play an important role in enhancing curiosity, concentration, and brainpower.
Adult Interaction- Reading aloud to a child is one of the best ways to mature the mind. As babies, your kids will enjoy the melodic rhythm of your voice while you read to them. However, as they grow, they will begin making meaning out of the words and themes you read about. They will apply what they’ve seen in the book to the larger world around them. Also, simply talking to your kids from the time they’re born will show them they’re important and loved. It will also help their brain begin making connections. Before they even begin talking, point out the names of specific objects to your child, talk through the process of what you’re doing as you prepare their bottle or bath, praise and encourage them as they learn new things. The more you talk to your child, the more they’ll begin to assign meaning to objects as well as develop language and vocabulary skills.
Memory Maintenance- Recent research shows babies as young as six weeks old can retain memories for as long as 24 hours. By 16 months old, a child’s memory may go back as far as four months. Developing a routine establishes predictability, comfort, and expectations and can help increase your child’s memory. As your kids grow, family traditions and rituals provide perfect opportunities for reminiscing and tapping into memories. A fit memory helps your child retain skills and remember how to do specific tasks. As your child gets older, it’s important to teach him strategies for memorizing and maintaining memories. Teaching him how to use mnemonic devices, word association, narrative skills, and problem-solving to spark memories will help train his brain and increase brainpower.
Experience New Things- Putting a child in a new environment will almost always ensure a learning experience. Taking a walk outside, adding new toys and books to her collection, exposing her to technology and discovering new places together like the library, the park, or grocery store will surely help build the brain. Giving your child opportunities to explore will teach her to learn through self-discovery, cause and effect, and trial and error. Also, introducing her to other children will help develop social skills and provide cooperative learning experiences as well.
Promote Pretend- A child’s imagination is a priceless gift that helps develop creative thinking and problem-solving techniques that can be used throughout life. Allowing your kids time for make believe gives them the opportunity to practice real-life skills and better understand how those skills are used in the real world. Pretending encourages and increases vocabulary and stretches the brain to new limits.
Let the brainercising begin!
