Brain Development Hope

Brain Awareness Makes A Difference for All

Every year in March, The Dana Foundation encourages programs, agencies, organizations and individuals to participate in creating greater brain awareness. This year Brain Awareness Week will be 
the week of March 14-20th. 

To learn more go to Dana.Org

In support of this week, I am making a set of 10 FREE printables available to you! These include insights and a brain tip on a 

variety of topics from Birth -5.

 

A daily email will be sent beginning March 8th which will include an attachment of a downloadable PDF for you to print and share!

To receive these beneficial printables, simply fill out the contact form found at the bottom of the About Us Page on the Brain Insights website.

To add to the celebration a 20% discount on your entire order of 

Brain Insights Products is available now through 

Brain Awareness Week.   (March 3rd - March 20th)   

Promo Code:  BRAIN2016 

ENJOY!! 

 

Brain Insight to Share: Experiences Have an Enormous Impact!

  
 A BRAIN INSIGHT TO SHARE THIS WEEK!
 

 "The wiring of the brain of a young child is enormously impacted by the emotional environment it experiences frequently."

Related Article link for further information:

Fascinating Video Proves How Incredibly Smart Toddlers Really Are

Research from Institute of Learning & Brain Sciences at the University of Washington

What are your thoughts on this research?

There is a growing group of individuals, organizations and companies wanting to make early brain development commonly and easily understood by EVERY adult for the benefit of EVERY child!

Join us to be a part of easily making brain development common knowledge! 

It only takes a couple of minutes each week! 

Simply cut and paste the Brain Insight above or use the social networking buttons to the right and share EVERYWHERE that is convenient for you! 

THE CHILDREN THANK YOU!! 

 “If we truly want to create a world of difference for children, it will happen through a common vision, shared knowledge, and dedicated hearts coming together with an intense desire to make change actually happen!”

 

How Long Have We Known What Is Essential To Healthy Development?

It is quite frequent that I ask the question…  

“Why is it that we know what a developing brain needs, but with increasing frequency too many children are experiencing the opposite?” 

There are numerous scientific research studies that provide evidence of what is needed for a child’s healthy development.  These of course are things I write and speak about every day. I, along with many other professionals, share information about the importance of play, nutrition, sleep, time in nature, and physical activity.

Today I picked up a book that I have had on my bookshelf for awhile. In flipping through it, I found the following statements:  

  

“Play, is the development of the human mind, its first effort to make acquaintance with the outside world. The child indeed sees no purpose in it, sees not the end that is to be reached; but it expresses its own nature, and that is human nature in its playful activity.” 

Additionally, it goes on to say…

“It is the duty of every teacher, whether in city or country, to impress upon pupils, by emphatic iteration, the laws of health in relation to food, air, sleep, rest, exercise, play, work and personal habits in general. Teachers should give attention to the encouragement of games, play and amusement.”

“It is a mistaken notion of some pedagogues that the chief end of children is to go to school and study lessons from books. It is painful to witness, in many schools, how the plastic, growing bodies are cramped, how natural impulses are repressed, how the laws of nature are systematically violated. Physicians know this, though teachers and parents shut their eyes to the painful facts.”

Are you surprised to find out that these statements were published in, 

Methods of Teaching by John Swett .......

in 1883!!!!!?

We have known what is best for children's healthy development and learning for at least 130 years. And, now due to technological advances, we even have scientific evidence to show us what is best for young growing bodies and brains. It is no longer only based on theory and behavioral studies, and we are still having to promote, educate and advocate for children to get all of what they need most!!......

Let's ensure this changes NOW!!! 

I invite you to share insights frequently to make this important information finally become common knowledge 

and common practice. 

The children are depending on us!

  __________________________________________________________________

Brain Development Activity Packets   
Have fun interactive learning ideas right on hand to entertain and help young brains develop in the healthy ways they deserve!
There is one for parents of each age from Birth up through age 5! 
(English and Spanish) 

Also available are 
 Brain Packets  
for dedicated Early Childhood Educators through  
Redleaf Press

 

 

 

Let's Use All We Know to Ensure REAL Brain Development is Happening for ALL Children

There seem to be two common and somewhat related issues taking place when it comes to the development and learning of young children.

1. People are looking for a short cut or the "magic" program or device that will develop a child's brain. 

2. There is a major focus on pushing young children to learn more academics at earlier ages.

Of course this is all well intentioned. Everyone's goal is for children to be successful in school and in life. But, if this is the focus and desire for children, it is essential that all the knowledge science is providing for us is used for the bases of the experiences children are having everyday.

I find it amazing that due to technological advances, we now understand the developing brain better than ever before, and in many cases just the opposite of what is needed most is occurring for too many children.

It took too long for it to happen, but I am thrilled that the, Your Baby Can Read program has been shut down. The Federal Trade Commission filed false advertising charges, and the company is no longer in business. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is making headway in these critically needed efforts. Read also about the wonderful TODY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young children) Award for the Vinci Touchscreen Mobile Learning tablet that is marketed as good for helping babies learn. 

This quote from the article from Peggy Sissel-Phelan, Ed. D. (a Brain Insights Advisory Board Member)  is terrific:

“It’s likely to convince parents that they are doing something positive for their babies when that couldn't be farther from the truth. People don’t know that without human attention, babies won't develop normally, much less optimally. They will, however, learn how to push the buttons to make the screen react.  Rats can do that!” 

Additionally, it is wonderful that money is being refunded for purchases of, Baby Einstein videos. All of these products have been marketed to say they are good for early brain development, when these are not the optimal way for a child's brain to develop.

This is precisely why I created, Brain Insights. I have a deep desire to make REAL brain development common knowledge and easily understood. My passion is to share all that really IS best for children. This is also exactly why I created, The Brain Development Series. These unique packets provide the information and ideas for busy adults to be able to provide what their child really needs. I knew the marketing made it confusing for parents to know what is best, so I wanted to help... and wanted to provide the information in an incredibly easy to use format.

When presenting at a conference in Las Vegas, a concerned mother shared her story about her son. The boy had just turned 3 and had started a new preschool. When picking him up at the end of the day the mother noticed his worksheet (I am stressing the word worksheet here!) was not up on the bulletin board with the others. This woman asked the teacher about it. The teacher then held up the paper and stated, "His is not up because it is incomplete." It had in red marker the word, Incomplete and a red :( sad face drawn on it! The paper was one where he was to trace and then freehand write the letter E several times. This is not appropriate learning or expectations for a child of this age. He should be playing and exploring and experimenting rather than sitting still and trying to write on a worksheet.

We need to do all we can to ensure that every child is getting all that is really beneficial for their growing brains. This happens through real interactions with real people and real objects.

At the same conference I met Kathy Gruhn, the enthusiastic creator of My Baby Compass. These wonderful resources help adults know what is appropriate for children at each age, birth through age 7.

We do not expect a newborn to crawl, a 2 month old to ride a bike, or a 6 month old to play the guitar. We do not expect those things because we know babies are not developed enough at those ages for those skills or activities. It is the same for academics and a young brain. We should not be pushing babies to read and 3 year olds to write. These are not the experiences they should be having to support the healthiest brain connections for later learning and life skills. Children need every adult in their life to have appropriate expectations. This can happen through understanding the basics of early brain development.


With heartfelt thanks,
Deborah 

And most especially.... the children thank you!!


The Brain Development Series provides parents with the information and fun ideas children want ALL adults to know!

In English or Spanish

EARLY EDUCATORS MAKE AN IMPACT ON BRAINS

For optimal brain development, high quality early learning experiences should be available to all children, regardless of the setting they are in, and regardless of their abilities, special needs, and regardless of family income.

As I often say to audiences at the beginning of brain presentations , “ I am thrilled that  technology allows the study of the brain, like we've never seen before”. When Scientific research began demonstrating that a child's early development is largely determined by the daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone, I became extremely excited. I was an early childhood educator at that time and knew the impact of the early years, but having scientific evidence to support the dramatic difference quality early childhood educators make was very reinforcing.

The good news is that advances in brain research have 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, most of which takes place before age 5. This wiring develops best when a child is exposed to good nutrition, a variety of positive experiences, hearing rich language, and has opportunities to develop relationships with caring people and to learn through exploration.

Conversely,  constant exposure to stress, limited stimulation, poor nutrition and lack of  nurturing relationships all lead to types of brain wiring that can contribute to emotional and learning problems. Brains learn very early how to cope with the environment to which we are exposed, sometimes with harmful results.

This information is critical because 13 million infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are not in the care of their parent during the day, including 45% of children under the age of one. Early childhood professionals who are trained and are knowledgeable about early brain development have a dramatic and very positive influence. These dedicated educators and care providers create healthy learning environments and the loving interactions growing minds need. 

However, the significance of the early years is still not fully recognized. Only 10% of early childhood education programs meet national accreditation standards!   Our education system and entire society cannot afford to continue to allow large numbers of children to miss out on the positive experiences they need in infancy and early childhood; the costs in terms of lost potential and increasing rates of emotional and behavioral problems are too high. Brain research show us what children need; our challenge is to ensure that every child receives it!

The following clip clearly demonstrates and explains the difference early educators can make.

Please thank the quality educators in your life for the difference they are making in many children's lives and please share any experiences you have had to illustrate the value of a positive educator. We want to recognize those who make an impact!

Your Brain Needs Nature

I just returned from a wonderful trip. This trip provided the opportunity to conduct a presentation on brain development with fabulous people working on the promoting the optimal development of children's brains.

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!