BRAIN FACT: Language Is Not Developed Through TV or DVDs
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Your Brain Needs Nature
The trip also gave me a chance to spend time in beautiful natural surroundings. My brain loved it!
Are you aware there is a national movement to, “leave no child inside”? With increasing research the benefits of nature on the brain is being revealed. Not only does science show us the benefits but it is also creating awareness of the detrimental impacts a lack of nature plays.
Brains are constantly in an anticipation and prediction mode due to the priority of safety. So the brain is primarily focusing attention on the environment and the people in it for safety and trust. When we are in a busy environment filled with a lot going on and several things for the brain to monitor, notice, and keep track of at the same time it requires a lot of attention. This takes a lot of brain energy and effort. This results in difficulty with memory and less self-control.
When we are in natural surroundings the brain can relax a bit since there is not as much coming at us at a fast pace that requires our attention. Natural settings allow the brain to actually replenish itself.
Just think about the relaxation CD’s you might listen to. They usually include sounds of nature, such as birds, a babbling brook, or the sounds of waves. They do not include sounds of traffic, sirens, or a noisy crowed room of people arguing.
Research is demonstrating that even seeing a grassy area or trees outside a window can have a positive impact on the brain. One study found children in classrooms with natural sunlight coming in the windows or skylight scored better in reading and math than children in rooms without natural light. And, several studies have shown that children with attention-deficit-disorder are able to focus better and are less likely to have behavioral problems when spending time in natural settings.
If we really want to have a positive influence on brains, I feel it is critically important to include information on the impact playing outdoors and time spent in nature has on the brain. Fortunately, there is much to be shared on this topic. For further information you can read more about the studies I mentioned in a very informative article from the Boston Globe entitled, How the city hurts your brain… And what you can do about it.
Additionally you can go to the Children and Nature website for a wealth of information. Through this site you can also get involved with creating greater awareness of this critical need.
And finally, Richard Louv is the author of, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. Following is a paragraph from this extremely valuable book.
“Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties and higher rates of physical and emotional illness. The disorder can be detected in individuals, families, and communities. Nature deficit can even change human behavior in cities, which could ultimately affect their design, since long-standing studies show a relationship between the absence, or inaccessibility, of parks and open space with high crime rates, depression, and other urban maladies. “We need to ensure our children have the opportunity to spend time playing outdoors. This additional post also shares the importance of play and laughter. There is a definite need to focus on children playing outdoors. The National Wild Life Federation is involved with an effort to promote a “green hour” for children and the NFL is promoting “Play 60”
Just like all of the other brain packets.... The Naturally Developing Brains Packet also provides learning activity ideas to have right on hand. This one provides fun ideas for brains while benefiting from nature!
For brain focused play activity ideas to have available to use throughout your busy day visit Brain Insights
Find time to enjoy a nature break for your brain or play with your child. You will feel refreshed!
March Newsletter: 5 Myths of Brain Development
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
View past newsletters or sign up to have the free newsletter delivered to your inbox here. And this week when you sign up for the newsletter you will be entered to win a brain development activity packet!
BRAIN FACT: Love and Exploration Is As Important As Food
Loving interaction with people and exploration of objects is as necessary to a child's brain development as food
The Effects of Poverty and the Brain
I will had the wonderful opportunity to create awareness at the Poverty, Stress and the Brain Conference about the possible effects of poverty on the brain. I wanted to share with you a little about what was discussed.
As I’ve said many times before, brain research has demonstrated the enormous importance of the early years in determining a person's future success in learning and in life. It is now known that a child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” means more than just intelligence building. It means the actual structural changes that take place in the brain.
The experiences a child has in the early years activate the actual physical connections between brain cells that make the brain grow—in other words, the brain's "wiring." We now understand that school readiness is based on this brain wiring, 90% of which takes place before age 5. This wiring develops best when a child is exposed to a variety of positive experiences, such as hearing rich language, having opportunities to develop relationships with caring people, and learning through exploration.
However, negative experiences such as inadequate nutrition, substance abuse, maternal depression, exposure to environmental toxins, high levels of stress, trauma and abuse, lack of time to play in green spaces, sleep deprivation, and poor quality daily care affect a disproportionate number of children in low-income families. While children in any economic status are vulnerable to these risk factors, children in poverty may often experience several negative factors simultaneously.
Continual exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition, little predictability, and lack of nurturing relationships all lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Our brains physically adapt very early to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results. Because poverty can impede opportunity for children and is a primary contributor to many of these negative risk factors, poverty directly effects brain development.
We need to create a broader awareness of the effect that poverty can have on children and ensure that everyone understands how to make a positive impact using this knowledge. We must also make sure everyone knows how dangerous it is for us to ignore this information. All children should be given the opportunity to be successful and have a well-developed brain no matter what income level they are born into.
Next week, I will post more information about the Harlem Children’s Zone. This is a very effective program that is fighting the effects of poverty through understanding the importance of providing quality and comprehensive programs to children starting at birth.
If you know of a program that is fighting poverty and is making a positive impact on the brains of children, please share it with others by leaving a comment below.
We ALL benefit from ALL children with healthy brains!
As I’ve said many times before, brain research has demonstrated the enormous importance of the early years in determining a person's future success in learning and in life. It is now known that a child’s brain continues to develop long after birth. The term “brain development” means more than just intelligence building. It means the actual structural changes that take place in the brain.
The experiences a child has in the early years activate the actual physical connections between brain cells that make the brain grow—in other words, the brain's "wiring." We now understand that school readiness is based on this brain wiring, 90% of which takes place before age 5. This wiring develops best when a child is exposed to a variety of positive experiences, such as hearing rich language, having opportunities to develop relationships with caring people, and learning through exploration.
However, negative experiences such as inadequate nutrition, substance abuse, maternal depression, exposure to environmental toxins, high levels of stress, trauma and abuse, lack of time to play in green spaces, sleep deprivation, and poor quality daily care affect a disproportionate number of children in low-income families. While children in any economic status are vulnerable to these risk factors, children in poverty may often experience several negative factors simultaneously.
Continual exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition, little predictability, and lack of nurturing relationships all lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Our brains physically adapt very early to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results. Because poverty can impede opportunity for children and is a primary contributor to many of these negative risk factors, poverty directly effects brain development.
We need to create a broader awareness of the effect that poverty can have on children and ensure that everyone understands how to make a positive impact using this knowledge. We must also make sure everyone knows how dangerous it is for us to ignore this information. All children should be given the opportunity to be successful and have a well-developed brain no matter what income level they are born into.
Next week, I will post more information about the Harlem Children’s Zone. This is a very effective program that is fighting the effects of poverty through understanding the importance of providing quality and comprehensive programs to children starting at birth.
If you know of a program that is fighting poverty and is making a positive impact on the brains of children, please share it with others by leaving a comment below.
We ALL benefit from ALL children with healthy brains!
Daily Brain Development Activity Packet Giveaway! Enter Now
Monday, March 15, 2010
The beautiful and unique braininsights brain development activity packets each hold 40 activity ideas created for you and your child, with one packet for each year from birth through five. Each activity includes a scientific research based explanation of how your child's brain benefits from the interaction. The information is provided in everyday language and is written from your child's point of view.
There are six ways to enter the giveaway, you may enter all six times. All entries will be included in the daily and end of the week giveaway.
1. Subscribe to Early Childhood Brain Insights via Email. You can do this by entering your email address on the right sidebar or here. You must confirm your subscription with the Feedburner email sent to your own inbox.
2. Leave a comment at the end of the post with something you found interesting in an Early Childhood Brain Insights post and which packet you would prefer.
3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Early Childhood Brain Insights. Leave the URL of your blog post in the comment below for this option and which packet you would prefer.
4. Subscribe to the free monthly braininsights newsletter here.
5. Become a fan of Brain Insights Activity Packets on Facebook. Leave your Facebook ID/Name in the comments section below and which packet you would prefer.
6. Follow @braininsights on Twitter and Tweet the following: Win Brain Development Activity Packets from @braininsights here: http://www.braininsights.blogspot.com. Enter your Twitter ID and which packet you would prefer in the comments section below if you choose this option.
Contest Details: Contest ends on 3/21/2010 at 11:59 pm CST. United States residents only. Valid method of contact is required. All entries without a way to contact the winner will be disqualified. Winning email notification must be responded to within 24 hours or that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be selected. Winner will be selected with the random integer generator at random.org. Winner’s first name will be posted here at Early Childhood Brain Insights. All questions should be directed to deb@braininsightsonline.com.
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