B is for Brain Development!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011



During the preschool years 90% of brain growth occurs. It is critical that adults provide positive experiences and environments for the optimal development of children during these important years.

I am very pleased to share this post to participate with a wonderful group in a celebration of 20,000 individuals supporting the importance of the early years in a child's development. Deborah J. Stewart is dedicated to promoting excellence in early education through her Teach Preschool blog. She has just connected with 20,000 individuals who are dedicated to making a positive impact for young children!

This fun celebration is providing a full alphabet of blog posts on a variety of wonderful aspects of the early childhood  years. You can see all that is provided here - ENJOY!


B.... is for Brain Development!  (And it isn't complicated!)

A child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” refers to more than how smart a child is. It is the actual growth that takes place in the brain. The experiences a child has in the first few years creates the connections between brain cells and develops the foundation for relationships and learning throughout life.

Nutrition, sleep, regular routines, physical activity, play, and repeated positive experiences with caring adults, strengthens the connections to create the growth of a brain. This makes the brain healthy, ready to get along with others, and eager for more learning.

However, constant exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition and lack of a nurturing relationship all create a brain being “wired” in a way that leads to emotional and learning problems. Growing brains adapt to the environment they are exposed to.  A brain will adapt to a negative environment just as easily as it will adapt to a positive environment

Understanding this creates the awareness that adults in a child’s life can have a long-lasting impact.
Following are a few areas to focus on and share!

Warm Responsive Care
        Children’s primary need is to know they are loved. This is only learned through consistent nurturing interactions with primary caregivers.

Talk
        The brain makes connections for learning language only from what a child hears. A child needs to hear lots of language throughout the day. Language is learned through direct interaction, 
not from a television or video.

Safe, Healthy Environment
        A variety of nutritious foods, a lead free and safe environment for a child to explore contributes to a well developed brain. A brain requires little stress and routines to feel safe and relaxed. 
Sleep and rest are also necessary to a healthy brain.

Play
        Play is the way the brain learns about the world. Lots of interaction and exploration help the brain form connections that make later learning easier. 
Play outdoors additionally impacts brain development in healthy ways.
What a children need most is adults that understand development!
Parents and medical professionals that are aware and well educated on brain development can provide all that a growing brain needs most. 

Early childhood educators play a vital role in partnering to share in implementing this valuable knowledge.Through working together we can ensure all children receive the experiences that will most positively impact healthy brain connections and success in life for all children!
        ~ We ALL benefit when ALL children 
have well developed brains! ~

For information and loving, fun and interactive activity packets filled with ideas that fit into busy every day life go to www.braininsightsonline.com

BRAIN INITIATIVE - WEEK #20

Friday, August 19, 2011

As a result of watching a discussion last week-end on the topic of education in America, I am including the reasons we NEED the BRAIN Initiative in this post. The program was valuable due to addressing various points on the issues in education, but the development of brains was not mentioned at all! 
So..... here is the list again. Please add any reasons you feel need to be included on this list.

Why Do We Need the BRAIN Initiative?
  •  Because we ALL benefit from ALL children having well developed brains.
  • Most people do not yet know that 90% of children's brains are developed in the first 5 years, and 85% in the first 3 years.The brain adapts and grows primarily based on the experiences a child has in these years before they enter school!
  • The majority of people do not realize the long range impact the early years have on the physical development of the brain and ultimately learning, relationships, and behaviors in later life.
  • Economists have demonstrated it is cost beneficial to develop brains optimally from the beginning rather than spending much greater amounts on problems later.
  • Due to technology, scientist have gained valuable information on what developing brains need most so we know what we NEED to do. 
  • We can all easily contribute to making a dramatic impact simply through creating awareness and understanding.
  • Every child deserves the opportunity for healthy development!

Let's make sure EVERYONE knows the critical difference we can make in the early years!!

 
Following is the Week #20 BRAIN insight to share:

 

 BRAIN 
Brains Require All Investing Now
 
A BRAIN Insight to share ~ Week #20
 
A chaotic environment with persistent noise, stress, and unpredictability can impede optimal brain development.
 
 

 
Let's make this common knowledge! 
To share this brain fact just cut and paste or use the the share button!
  • You can simply post the insight on social network sites 
  • You can also include the fact in organizational literature or newsletters, add to your signature on your e-mail, post on a bulletin board and implement it into what you do each week.
  • Additionally each week, e-mail the BRAIN Insight to 5 people you know. Encourage each person to share it with 5 people they know. If each person shares with 5 people each week... we will finally have EVERYONE knowing this incredibly important information!  
  •  
Enjoy contributing to make this common knowledge!!
 Spreading Brain Development Even Further .... Click here to send the name of a program, agency, school, organization or business that will benefit from a brain development packet. I will draw a name and donate a brain development activity packet 
for the age of your choice, in the name of the person making the recommendation each week!!

The WINNER for WEEK #19:
 
    Conant Elementary School
                    Bloomfield Hills, MI                               
 
A brain development packet for the age of their choice will be donated in the name of: 
Angela Parker
 
 
Congratulations!!
 

Have you sent in your nomination? 

There are many terrific programs and agencies already nominated from all over the world! I invite you to nominate programs, schools, organizations, or agencies that would benefit from a donated brain activity packet in either English or Spanish. 

  

THANK YOU to all that are participating the initiative already! Tell everyone you know about the difference we can make!

BRAIN FACT: Natural Settings have a Positive Impact on the Brain

Thursday, August 4, 2011


Time spent outdoors in nature is like pushing a "stress reduction button" for your brain.  

Research findings, "demonstrated that tranquil environmental scenes containing natural features, such as the sea, cause distinct brain areas to become `connected´ with one another whilst man-made environments, such as motorways, disrupt the brain connections." 

For an article on the study go to,  Tranquil scenes have a positive impact on the brain

BRAIN INITIATIVE - WEEK #18

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Are you seeing evidence of an increase in brain development understanding in your area? It would be wonderful to hear in what ways you are seeing a greater awareness!

Let's make sure EVERYONE knows the critical difference we can make in the early years!!

 
 
 
Following is the Week #19 BRAIN insight to share:

 

 BRAIN 
Brains Require All Investing Now
 
A BRAIN Insight to share ~ Week #19
 
 
Hours for an infant have more impact on brain development than months in adulthood.
 
 

 
Let's make this common knowledge! 
To share this brain fact just cut and paste or use the the share button!
  • You can simply post the insight on social network sites 
  • You can also include the fact in organizational literature or newsletters, add to your signature on your e-mail, post on a bulletin board and implement it into what you do each week.
  • Additionally each week, e-mail the BRAIN Insight to 5 people you know. Encourage each person to share it with 5 people they know. If each person shares with 5 people each week... we will finally have EVERYONE knowing this incredibly important information!  
  •  
Enjoy contributing to make this common knowledge!!
 Spreading Brain Development Even Further .... Click here to send the name of a program, agency, school, organization or business that will benefit from a brain development packet. I will draw a name and donate a brain development activity packet 
for the age of your choice, in the name of the person making the recommendation each week!!

The WINNER for WEEK #19:
 
  Murray Early Head Start  
                                Murray, Kentucky                                    
 
A brain development packet for the age of their choice will be donated in the name of :  
Althia Caldwell
 
Congratulations!!
 

Have you sent in your nomination? 

There are many terrific programs and agencies already nominated from all over the world! I invite you to nominate programs, schools, organizations, or agencies that would benefit from a donated brain activity packet in either English or Spanish. 

  

THANK YOU to all that are participating the initiative already! Tell everyone you know about the difference we can make!

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