BRAIN FACT: Laughter Starts To Appear When A Child Is 3 to 4 Months Old

Laughter starts to appear when a child is 3 to 4 months old. Play and laughter activates the care and thinking areas of the brain.

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BRAIN FACT: Early Childhood Programs With Directed Academic Curriculum May Risk The Developmental Growth Necessary For Future Academic Success

“Early childhood programs that implement a directed academic curriculum often replace essential, hands-on learning activities with skill-based performance and rote-learning tasks. In doing so, they risk the developmental growth necessary for children’s future academic success.”
~Healy, J.M. 2004. Your Child’s Growing Mind. New York: Broadway Books.

Photo Credit: Anissa Thompson

BRAIN FACT: Environments That Are Chaotic, Disorderly Or Have High Levels Of Stress Have a Direct Influence On How Optimally A Child's Brain Develops

Environments that are chaotic, disorderly or have high levels of stress have a direct influence on how optimally a child’s emotional and thinking areas of the brain develops.

BRAIN FACT: When The Same Brain Connections Are Used Repeatedly They Become More Developed

Pathways in the brain are created just like on land. When you walk down a path numerous times it becomes deeper and more developed. It is the same when we use the same brain connections (or neural networks) repeatedly.

BRAIN FACT: Young Developing Brains Have A Lot Of Plasticity Or Vulnerability To The Environment

Young developing brains have a lot of plasticity or vulnerability to the environment.  Through repeated experiences brains will continue to adapt to what they are exposed to.

BRAIN FACT: Through Repetition The Brain Networks Become "Hardwired"

When learning a new skill we have to think and pay a lot of attention to what we are learning. However, through repetition the brain networks become “hardwired” and the skill becomes automatic.

BRAIN FACT: Overly Academic Preschool Experiences May Actually Slow Learning

Learning may actually be slowed by overly academic preschool experiences that introduce formalized learning experiences. This type of learning does not support a young child’s stage of brain development.