Early Childhood Brain Insights

Lifting the Burden off Children and Schools

2012-04-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about this yet?........

Back Pack Free Friday

WHO? Children, Schools and Families around the planet.

WHAT? Have children leave backpacks at home this day.

WHEN? Friday, May 4th. 2012

WHERE? Everywhere!

WHY? To literally lift the burden off children and schools.

Lifting the Burden off Children and Schools

Every day millions of children go to school tired, dehydrated, and many times also hungry. Back Pack Free Friday focuses public awareness on the very real burdens lack of appreciation for children’s foundational health places on children and schools. Back Pack Free Friday is sponsored by an international consciousness movement called Parenting 2.0 (P20), the top ranked parenting group on LinkedIn with nearly 1700 members in more than 40 countries, P20 advocates a more proactive educational process for non-academic Life Skills.

P20 defines Life Skills as all the non-academic, foundational skills children learn to thrive and commune optimally with others. Life Skills include but are not limited to: personal care, safety, finance, organizational, interpersonal communication and social skills.

As stated in their group description on LinkedIn,

“Parenting 2.0 supports parents, professionals, and other primary caregivers in their role as Life Skills Educators. Our goal is that, one day, children's LSA (Life Skills Average) will receive the same appreciation as children's GPA (Grade Point Average.)

P20 invites everyone to support Back Pack Free Friday and Stand Up for the welfare of children everywhere by doing the following on Friday May 4^th, 2012.

Leave back packs at home this day.
Prioritize sleep, hydration, nutrition, and exercise.
Find creative ways to underscore the importance of water, sleep, nutrition and exercise, for all aspects of children’s performance.
Shine light upon professionals who can speak to the importance of prioritizing personal care.
Share the concept of the Life Skills Report Card.

Check out all of the additional info available at http://parenting2pt0.org/

INVESTING IN CHILDREN

2012-02-03T12:13:00.000-06:00

As you know the reason I created, braininsights, is because as I do brain presentations and communicate with others throughout the country, I have found that most adults do not yet know all that is best for developing brains. My goal is to change this, and make early brain development common knowledge. So in this issue of the January Issue of the Brain Insights Newsletter, I have asked the following question..

Why is this the case? Why is it that we have more knowledge than ever before about what is best for children's brain development ... and yet this IS NOT what is what most children are experiencing?

My concern is ... How can we get EVERYONE to understand the importance and the impact of the early years? ~ We know more than ever about all that children need most for optimal development, but too frequently children are experiencing just the opposite. Too many children are not getting the healthy foods they need, are pushed toward academics too early, are spending time with screens instead of learning in the way the brain learns best, are living in harsh or chaotic environments and/or over scheduled lives.
The wonderful thing is that there are numerous and wonderful individuals, organizations and companies working and sharing to create the understanding that children need safe, predictable, nurturing relationships, healthy environments and nutrition. They also promote, how children need opportunities to play, move, experience nature and learn through exploring. I am very anxious for this to be common knowledge... but even more important... common practice!!

Read more about this perplexing question in the January Newsletter.
You will also find a variety of articles and sources of information contributing to finally make this happen.

Let's invest in our young children and have this occur in 2012!

Enjoy all of the great articles and resource links!!

Baby Brain Thought

2012-01-31T08:48:00.001-06:00

"I want EVERY adult that influences my life to realize all that impacts my brain development in the early months and years of my life!"

"My hope is that EVERY adult understands that providing loving, safe, healthy, predictable, nurturing, and stimulating environments allows me to reach my full potential....
Can you help to make sure NONE of them will ignore this amazing opportunity so I can develop in the best way possible?"

Naptime Is Great!

2012-01-17T09:27:00.000-06:00

Naptime is much more than providing rest for a child ... and a break for parents! Children's developing brains need adequate amounts of sleep for healthy brain development.

We all know what it is like to deal with an over tired child. The reason for the behaviors we experience is due to a child not being able to handle the results of inadequate amounts of sleep. First of all the child still has an immature brain. It hasn't developed enough to provide the ability to deal with feelings of brain systems being out of balance. This is even difficult for adults. Getting enough sleep helps keep brain systems in balance. When children have had enough sleep it enhances cognitive functioning and moods.

New research lead by the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that, "toddlers between 2 and a half and 3 years old who miss only a single daily nap show more anxiety, less joy and interest and a poorer understanding of how to solve problems."

Assistant Professor Monique LeBourgeois of CU Boulder led the study. She states, “This study shows insufficient sleep in the form of missing a nap taxes the way toddlers express different feelings, and, over time, may shape their developing emotional brains and put them at risk for lifelong, mood-related problems.”

Additionally LeBourgeois shares, “Just like good nutrition, adequate sleep is a basic need that gives children the best chance of getting what is most important from the people and things they experience each day,”

Read more about the research from the University of Colorado Boulder press release shared on this site.

Recommended amounts of sleep and tips on promoting sleep are shared in SLEEP ENHANCES COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND INFLUENCES MOODS.

Sleep well!

A Nature Preschool Enhances Early Childhood Brain Development

2012-01-09T12:33:00.000-06:00

As I continuously promote, it is critical that children have the opportunity to learn, play and explore outdoors. As adults we need to do all we can to ensure that children have opportunities to develop their brains in healthy, natural and safe environments.

There are numerous benefits to brains of all ages as a result of spending time in nature as I have shared in Your Brain Needs Nature and this fun one that includes a video called, Nature Deficit Disorder by KQED QUEST. It is especially important and beneficial for young developing brains to experience and learn outdoors.

For this reason I am thrilled to share the following article from Audubon magazine. It is a great pleasure to work with the extremely talented and dedicated people and spend time at the Schlitz Nature Audubon Nature Center. It has been a particularly great honor to collaborate on a project to create the Naturally Developing Young Brains Packet with Lorna Hilyard and Pattie Bailie, mentioned in this article.

I am certain you will enjoy reading the experience expressed by one Dad after his son spent only two weeks in the nature preschool. The center is remarkable. The best part is, they serve as a model and help other programs implement nature into programing. In fact 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the nature brain packets goes directly toward increasing nature preschool experiences for more children.

A Nature Preschool Enhances Early Childhood Brain Development

An exciting nature-based curriculum for preschoolers developed at the Schlitz Center in Wisconsin is spreading to classrooms across the country—and even to Sesame Street.

By Susan Cosier Published: January-February 2012

"Bailie, a 20-year veteran of early childhood and environmental education, says, “There’s such a connection between spending time in the natural world and the developing brain.”

Recent research bears her out, though it’s an understudied field. Noticing differences between objects, like seeds and burrs, helps wire the brain, nurturing initial math and pre-reading skills that develop from the ages of one through four. “They learn observation skills after just a few months,” says Bailie. “Parents will tell me, ‘I can’t believe what my child sees now.’ "Studies also show that just 20 minutes spent outdoors improves concentration in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder as much as, if not more than, medication. That’s in addition to the physical benefits of exercise and exposure to vitamin D (which helps build strong bones)." Read More

It would be great to hear your experiences with children as a result of spending time outdoors. Please share your wonderful stories with all of us!

For more information about or to purchase, Naturally Developing Young Brains go to Brain Insights

LOVE IS A PRIMARY NEED

2011-12-20T11:27:00.000-06:00

Did You Know...?

...... feel good chemicals are released in the brain through loving interactions.

....... families and cultures that express warm physical affection have fewer issues with anger and aggression.

..... Researchers who examine the life histories of children who have succeeded despite many challenges, have consistently found that these children have had at least one stable, supportive relationship with an adult early in life.

It is valuable to realize how much the brain has to do with relationships and the love we experience in our lives. Love is one of our primary needs throughout our lives.

Warm, responsive care-giving not only meets a child's basic day-to-day needs, but is also about responding to the emotional needs of children. Predictable and loving responsiveness is not only comforting, it plays a vital role in optimal mental health. The way that parents, families and other caregivers consistently relate and respond to young children, directly create influences learning and relationships later in life.

This all begins in infancy but does not end there. This is why I love to share the writing of Mark Brady, Ph.D. on what he calls, "Big Brain Question". Below are some pieces from his contributions on this topic.

The healthy brain is an anticipation-prediction machine. When we operate in environments where there is little predictability and we have little idea what to anticipate from one moment to the next, chronic stress results.

There’s ONE question that all brains want answered, and they want it answered, “Yes.” Parent’s brains, children’s brains, all brains. And they don’t want a lukewarm “Yes,” or a “Maybe Yes” or a “Getting-to-Yes Yes.” They want a substantial, resounding, unequivocal, “YES!” Yes. When the answer is something other than “Yes.” if the answer is “Maybe,” or “I’m not sure,” a confusion and uncertainty begins to take shape in our brains.

The Question our brains ask is …… Are you there for me?

Do I matter enough that you’ll put me first when I need you to? Can I count on you to attend to me in the ways I need you to? Do I truly and deeply matter to you?

These questions are being asked – non-verbally through behavior often, and when they get answered “Yes,” we can relax and begin to feel safe in our relationships. The self-preservation structures of the brain continually monitor our environment and the people in it for safety. Our survival depends upon it. We generally love the people we feel the safest being around, and the emotional responsiveness often identified as love arises out of this safe “felt sense.”

My dream is for all children to grow with this

loving safe and secure experience!

…..I also hope you and all those you care about have a new year filled with the opportunity to both give and receive this wonderful feeling!

The impact loving interactions can make on a child’s growing brain, is one of the primary reason I developed The Brain Development Series, You can purchase brain packets in English or Spanish.

REALLY IMPROVING BRAINS!

2011-12-11T15:48:00.000-06:00

I am so excited to share the following with you! It is a wonderful poem sent to me by Hillary at Toys Naturally. She was inspired and wrote it in response to the article I posted on ipadding for toddlers and a few other recent posts on this important topic. This is one I am going to share often to communicate the importance and incredible value of interaction with people and real objects vs screen time. Enjoy the insights Hillary shares!

I read a tweet and saw a blog

Young minds, affected, in a fog

Television, switched on all day

Destroying childhood, killing play

I felt virtuous - only half an hour

My wee one was a protected flower?

I thought some more and then said why?

No TV a few days c’mon-let’s try

Next day we did not switch it on

Instead played blocks and had some fun

Out came play dough and some books

Lots of cuddles and a few funny looks

Out came the tea set and a teddy bear

Bottomless pretend tea and cookies to share

On goes music and we go grooving

Wow yes it’s true our brains, improving

That half an hour, we have it back

To play, to share, to have a yack.

As I chop and cook a dinner for 3

My wee one plays and enlightens me.

The Brain Development Series was developed for this exact purpose. They were created with this scene in mind. Each packet is filled with ways to easily provide this opportunity for every child and family!

I am thrilled by the beautiful toys provided by Toys Naturally. You can visit the site here to order wonderful products for the young growing brains in your life!

Children and the Brain: Think Big!

2011-11-30T10:50:00.000-06:00

What is good for the body... is good for the brain!

Often when we hear the term "healthy" we generally think in terms of our body. However, realizing the positive impact healthy habits have on our brains and the dramatic effect they have on children can make an remarkable difference.

When I am presenting on the effects nutrition has on a child's brain, learning and behavior, I commonly find that people are amazed with this knowledge. This is the reason for my post today. I am sharing this wonderful article written by Lauren Zimet which was previously published in Common Ground Magazine, Nov 2011.

I have had the pleasure of co-presenting with Lauren. She is a dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate professional.

Enjoy the valuable tips she provides for the benefit of healthier brains for everyone!

Nourishing Tips to Nurture New Neurons

BY LAUREN ZIMET

The brain. We all have one. Yet sometimes it gets neglected. Our brain needs certain things to stay healthy, and when it doesn’t get what it needs, it doesn’t work its best. In fact, sometimes it gets the opposite of what it needs—stuff it doesn’t know what to do with, such as artificial dyes, preservatives, GMOs, the list goes on. When this happens, both our brain and body can have a sensitive reaction that can look different from one person to the next, but that can result in a brain not performing to its highest standard.

We are born with 100 billion brain cells, and the brain continues to develop after a baby is born. New connections between neurons—the cells in the brain—form quickly from birth to 3 years of age and older, and continue to form

throughout our lives, based on our experiences.This means that we need to

nourish our brain. We need to give it both the experiences and the nutrients it needs to develop.

It helps children to know that with each healthy food they eat, and with each new experience they have, they are making a new connection in their brain.

This is powerful stuff . Imagine a child, face filled with pride, after making a new neural connection by simply taking a nibble of kale.

The following seven tips offer

simple ways you can guide your

children in making mindful, brain-healthy

choices as they play, learn, work, and grow.

1. Eat a rainbow. Eat a colorful array of organic

fruits and vegetables every day. Be sure

to wash the produce to loosen and rinse away

any dirt and toxins. Kids can do the washing—

they benefit from being part of a team, by having

their own chores within the family.

2. Don’t eat fake stuff. The body really likes

food. Real food, such as whole grains, protein,

lots of colorful vegetables and fruit, and

healthy fats. Limit or eliminate artificial dyes,

colors, and flavors; processed foods; fast foods;

junk foods; hydrogenated fats; sodas; and refined sugars.

3. Keep your brain lubed. Your brain needs

omega-3s, also known as essential fatty acids

(EFAs), for proper growth, particularly

for neural development

and maturation of sensory systems.

EFAs speed neural signals

along, making for smoother,

easier, more efficient communication

across synapses. EFAs are

necessary for proper immune

function, cognitive development,

and for skin function and

maintenance. A deficit in EFAs

has been linked to ADHD, dyslexia,

and other behavioral and

psychological disorders. Your

body can’t make EFAs, so you

need to consume them. They are

found in nuts, seeds, olives, seaweed,

and fish. It’s always best to

eat foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and

other essential nutrients, but if you are unsure

that your child is getting a well-balanced diet,

a purified, molecularly distilled fish oil supplement

is a great EFA source. My trusted brand

of choice is Nordic Naturals.

4. Stay awash in oxygen and water. Drink

H2O to hydrate—check with your health care

practitioner for how much, but a quick rule is

to divide your body weight by two to get the

approximate number of ounces to drink per

day. Also, take slow, deep breaths to reset and

calm the sensory and neurological system.

Deep breathing helps children self-regulate

and improves immunity, nervous system functioning,

and emotional regulation. A recent

study published in the International Journal of

Nursing Studies reports that deep breathing is

effective for reducing anxiety in children with

asthma.

5. Learn to move and to chill. The brain

loves exercise, and exercise boosts brain power.

But you also need to teach your child how

to relax—for example, by getting out into nature,

reading an entertaining book, or playing

a board game. Long-term stress can be toxic,

and a stressed brain doesn’t learn the same way

as an unstressed brain. Emotional stress has an

impact on a child’s ability to learn. Sustained

stress can damage a developing brain’s architecture,

which can lead to problems in learning,

behavior, and physical and mental health.

6. Rewire your thinking. Create “Band-Aid

thoughts” as a tool to acknowledge and work

through bad, sad, mad, frustrated, and negative thoughts.

Demonstrating positive self-talk in front of your children—

for example, reflecting on how you expertly handled a

difficult or challenging situation—lays a blueprint for how

they may handle their own problems. Negative

thoughts or mistakes can be opportunities to

learn and grow from.

7. Name that feeling. Teaching your child

to label emotions and recognize feelings helps

connect the nonverbal and verbal pathways in

the brain. Strengthening these pathways can

improve a child’s ability to take on another’s

perspective. This is especially useful for children

with learning challenges, who need more

support developing flexible thinking.

Lauren’s Favorite Resources

NordicNaturals.com

ChickinFeed.com

KellyDorfman.com

JuliaTurnerNutrition.com

ImpactADHD.com

BrainInsightsonline.com

BucketFilling101.com

TodayIateArainbow.com

BrainRules.net

Lauren Zimet, MS, CCC/SLP, is the founder of

Healthy Foundations, an education program

that facilitates brain health, nutrition education,

and social thinking for children of all ages

and abilities. http://earlyinsights.com/ http://www.childhoodbrainhealth.com/

ipodding Toddlers: When Is It Too Soon?

2011-11-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

What do YOU think about babies using ipods and smartphones?

An increasing amount of discussion is occurring on the topic. Varied opinions and viewpoints are shared in this terrific article from Newsday written by Beth Whitehouse.

I had the pleasure of being interviewed for this article to share my opinion. Of course I expressed that it is best for young brains in the process of making valuable brain connections, to interact with real objects instead of being handed an electronic device. Since it is primarily experience that impacts the connections that physically grow and develop the brain, my strong recommendation is that children interact with the real world. As the,

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child reports:

"Although a varied array of experiences clearly stimulates learning in the preschool years, promotional statements about the superior brain building impacts of expensive "educational" toys and videos for infants and toddlers have no scientific support."

You can read the full article, iPadding toddlers: When is it too soon? Published: November 21, 2011 By beth.whitehouse@newsday.com

After reading the article, I would very much enjoy hearing your thoughts on the topic.

Making A Differnce Through Giving for Children!

2011-11-23T17:52:00.000-06:00

November Newsletter:

Making A Difference For Children!

Giving to others is good for your brain. Research demonstrates, that when donating, the reward center is activated in the brain .....of the giver!

The hormone, oxytocin has been found to be released when giving to others. At this time of year, it is especially fun to realize that the act of giving to others affects the brain in such a positive way.

I so appreciate all the dedicated people I have had the pleasure and honor of connecting with throughout the world! I can not express how exciting it is to daily become aware of additional people that are contributing in some way toward making the lives of children and families better.

This newsletter shares links to some of the numerous people contributing to the needs of children!

You can also take advantage of

40% brain packets for holiday gift giving ...

Now through Monday!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

IS THAT CHILD SMARTER THAN MINE?

2011-11-18T07:27:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons for creating, The Brain Development Series was due to my desire help parents learn what is best for the developing brain of their children. It is often confusing for caring parents to sort out which skills to encourage and support. It is my desire for parents to easily understand all that brain research clearly shows is most advantageous for learning and long lasting impact.

With this desire, I am pleased to share a guest blog from Marcia Hall. In this story she shares her perspective from her professional role... and her emotions from her role as a loving mother.

Is That Child Smarter Than Mine?

I have been a Certified Professional Nanny for almost 15 years, working with children and families from birth into their teen years. I have studied children’s brain development both in the classroom, through books, and during lots of personal experience. I know that the bond babies make with mom or dad in those first few months are vital to the neurological connections that are being made in their brains. As children get older, the connections also are made through many stimuli like touch, feel, taste, sight and sound. I understand that a toddler’s brain will develop best through real experiences. They should be learning balance, coordination, speech, spatial dexterity and social skills. Learning the ABC’s, numbers, shapes and the rest will come but do not need to be pushed at this stage. In fact stressing a child out (and yourself) to learn these lessons earlier and earlier could have negative effects to the development process. The energy being used to memorizing these skills could go instead to the improvement of age appropriate activities.

All this I know from my training, however, I am also a mom. A few weeks ago my almost 3 year old daughter had a play date with a child 5 months younger. During play time the other child began to sing her ABC’s. She got every letter right!! Not only that, she went on to count to 20 without missing any numbers. My daughter says “1, 2, 17” and her idea of ABC’s are “A, B, Q, X.” Suddenly my mommy jealously kicked in. For a moment all understanding of how the brain works and what is age appropriate flew out the window, and I found myself wondering if my daughter was not as smart. Would that mean she would not do well in school and then not get into a good college Then would she not get a good job and be HAPPY!

Okay, maybe I did not consciously think all this in that instant, but my emotions went around these issues. My head started spinning with worry. I know the reality that even if this child was showing signs of greater intelligence by saying her ABC's at 2 years old that does not mean my daughter will not do well in school. Happiness does not come from your intelligence or your job.

But the issue goes even deeper because I know that being able to recite ABC’s and count to 20 at the age of two, does not equal great intelligence. It means that this other child has had experiences in different areas than my child. Perhaps she is an auditory learner and simply caught on to the “ABC song" or her mother has worked very hard training her daughter to count to say numerals in order.

Whatever the case is my story is not unique. There is a natural instinct in parents to want their child to excel at academics and to compare them to other children. It’s hard for parents to resist this temptation and choose instead to see their child’s strengths. If it is difficult for a mom like me who has been extensively trained and witnessed many children grow healthy and bright who did not know their ABC’s at 2, how much more difficult is it for parents that do not know these things. Therefore it is understandable why it is so common for parents to push their children to learn things they do not need to be pushed to learn.

I was able to quickly regain my rational thinking and genuinely praised the child for sharing what she knows. I did not run home and try to force my daughter to learn to say the alphabet. I choose instead to find the things she is really good at, like using her imagination and playing well with others. Remembering that EVERY child has skills and talents that they can do well is important. It is our honor as parents and caregivers to find those strengths and nurture them.

Guest post by Marcia Hall owner of Strong Roots Family Coaching

Since 1996, Marcia Hall has been working with children and families. Marcia is an ACPI Certified Coach for Families. In 2011 she was named the International Nanny Associations NANNY OF THE YEAR. Marcia is also graduated from the English Nanny and Governess School and is an INA Credentialed Nanny.

Marcia launched Strong Roots Family Coaching because she believes that all children are born with great potential. She's passionate about empowering parents to find the best ways to nurture, support and encourage their children as they build a deeper connection.

Marcia teaches to families in her community and around the country through workshops, one on one coaching and through her writing. She writes weekly for a blog called YOUR Parenting Questions as well as many other websites and blogs. Her first book Parenting Responsively co-written with 11 other ACPI Parent Coaches came out this summer.

Marcia and her husband Scott, reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with their 2 year old daughter Nadia, whom they adopted days after birth.

Email Marcia at marcia@strongrootsfamilycoaching.com

Strong Root’s Web Site www.strongrootsfamilycoaching.com

BLOG – YOUR Parenting Questions www.yourparentingquestions.blogspot.com

Brains Need REAL Activities

2011-10-28T10:57:00.000-05:00

NEWSLETTER

As a result of the latest recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics there has been a lot of discussion about the use of electronics with young children. And I can not be more pleased
that this is getting attention!

Healthy brain development happens through play and interactions with people.... not TV and DVDs!

Read the October braininsights Newsletter on this important topic. This issue is filled with information, research and valuable resources to benefit you and the children in your life.

You can easily receive brain development information and resources directly each month.. Just sign up here.

Reading a book while holding a child, contributes to brain wiring in many valuable ways.

2011-10-11T10:04:00.000-05:00

Reading a book while holding a child, contributes to brain wiring in many valuable ways. Brain connections are made through visual stimulation, direct interactive language, and from close physical contact with a caring adult.

I am very pleased to share a guest blog on this important topic from Sixty Second Parent™

This site is offers a wealth of information for parents and I am honored to share their work with you. Enjoy this beneficial post for yourself or share with other parents and grandparents!

A child can learn and benefit greatly from being read to right from the day they are born.

Big ones, little ones, soft ones, plastic ones and musical ones. Children's books come in all sorts of fascinating shapes and sizes. Grab a book and snuggle up on the sofa with your child and share the joy of story telling with them. The benefits of reading out loud to your baby or young child are simply endless!

Benefits

It encourages children to make connections between the "heard" word and the meaning "behind" the word.
It gives them a positive foundation to pre-reading skills that aids the process of becoming independent readers in the future.
One of the most important skills a parent can teach children is how to communicate: how to speak, listen, and to read. By reading aloud to your children, you are teaching them all of these skills.
Reading to young children also expands their vocabulary, improves memory, and allows them to practice listening skills.
Read to your child from a variety of sources. Such as books, cereal boxes, magazines, road signs, and greeting cards. By reading from a variety of sources, you are teaching the importance of the written word.
Try making books from cardboard and pasting pictures from magazines - kids love these.
Baby books should be sturdy and uncluttered with lots of bright primary colors. Babies also like books with photos of real people - particularly of other babies.
As your baby grows and becomes more mobile, incorporate movement and actions that go along with the books. For example, when reading "Humpty Dumpty" pretend to fall with your little one at the right time. They will soon come to anticipate this movement and be really excited about it. It's remarkable how quickly they learn these little routines and grow to love them.
Toddlers rapidly develop a group of favorite books and will want you to read them again and again. This can be a little boring for you, but it's important to your toddler because they find great delight in repetition. It encourages them to learn the meaning of words, which is vital for language development.
As your child becomes older, he will want books that actually tell a story and have an ending that makes sense to him. Books help to develop the toddler's attention span. They contribute to children forming a rich vocabulary and verbal skills.
Books also help to develop thinking and the imagination.
They also contribute to the development of basic reading concepts such as following the words from the left to right side of a page. Place books within easy reach of your child, so they can enjoy looking at them on their own.

So go and grab some books from your local book shop. Or get into the habit of taking your young child to the library to choose his own. This can go a long way to helping your child become a proficient and confident reader later on in life.

PARTNERING WITH NATURE

2011-09-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

BRAIN FACT

Hands on activities provide optimal learning experiences for the brain. The natural world provides an enriched envirionment that includes
both challenge and relaxed exploration
opportunities for making valuable
brain connections.

I am very pleased to share a wonderful opportunity for you to learn more about the benefits of nature on young developing brains. This is a day of learning that I highly recommend. You will be inspired and enlightened by all you experience first hand in this beautiful and internationally recognized learning environment.

NATURE PRESCHOOL STUDY TOUR

Learn how to make the most of nature

as a teaching partner!

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE

• Exploration of the three indoor classrooms of the Schlitz Audubon Nature Preschool

• Presentation of the “Top Ten Ways Nature Helps to Develop Young Brains”
• Entertainment from the Chickadees Music Group
• Tour of the three outdoor play spaces used by the preschool children
• Hike to discover the trail games, tools and approaches to outdoor learning

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
• Why nature experiences are so important to young children
• How you can integrate nature into your program

To find out more or to register click here

To get additional preschool brain development information and ideas you can order Naturally Developing Brains Packets here.

Your brain will love the time in nature! ENJOY!

SEPTEMBER Newsletter: Back to School with Brighter Brains

2011-09-19T13:04:00.000-05:00

Check out the September issue of the braininsights newsletter here. This month's issue focuses on tips and resources for back to school with less stress and more learning.

View past newsletters or sign up to have the free newsletter delivered to your inbox here.

B is for Brain Development!

2011-08-31T10:13:00.000-05:00

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!

Celebrating the ABC’s of Teaching Preschool and You!

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

2011-08-19T15:56:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-04T14:17:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

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!!

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!

BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND PLAY?

2011-07-29T11:44:00.000-05:00

What Do You Think?

When science demonstrates and continuously reports that play and physical activity leads to optimal brain development and enhanced learning.... why do you think so little of it occurs at school and daily life for children?

BRAIN FACT: Physical Activity Impacts Brain Function

2011-07-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

Exercise is not only good for the body... it also has direct and positive effect on the brain. Research demonstrates that physical activity makes actual changes to neurons resulting in improved cognitive functioning. It is very beneficial to ensure children have time for outdoor play and recess everyday.

Help My Child Is Screaming On The Floor, Now What?

2011-07-27T11:46:00.000-05:00

A better understanding of children's brains is quite comforting to caring parents and dedicated educators. When gaining insights into what is going on in a child's head, adults can better handle stressful situations.

Frequently I talk about and provide activity ideas for developing the "thinking area" of the brain. This area is the pre-frontal cortex. This area is critically important for the ability to self regulate. It is the area that takes the most time to fully develop. So, it is valuable for adults to remember the brains of children are still immature. Keeping in mind that children's young brains do not always have the ability to control emotions is very helpful. Children need the adults in their lives to help them deal with big and overwhelming emotions.

It is a pleasure to share this guest blog, to provide further explanation about how the emotional brain areas may still be more in control than the "thinking areas." Dr. LauraJJ Dessauer shares her knowledge and also provides suggestions for creative and positive problem solving with children. She also shares a link to provide further information. Enjoy!

Help My Child Is Screaming On The Floor, Now What?

If you are a parent then you have faced the challenge of helping your child find ways to manage those big feelings that at times seem to over take them. Those feelings of frustration, anger, or sadness that appear to storm out of nowhere and take over your child. Often parents are bewildered by the behaviors attached to these feelings such as tantrums, yelling, crying, refusal, inflexibility, shutting down, or hitting. Many calm rational parents, who have read the latest parenting books, still struggle with helping their children through the maze of these intense feelings and out of control behaviors. What may be lacking in traditional parenting methods is a way to teach your children emotional management skills that speak to them in their own natural language. Creative thinking offers a way to do just that.

Children who are unable to regulate strong emotions experience “melt-downs”. Brain research suggests that “emotional hijacking” occurs when there is a flooding of electro-chemicals in the brain. Children who experience a stressful situation may become emotionally escalated due to the amygdala being flooded by peptides and hormones. However, neuroscience suggests that by using your cortex, the analytical part of your brain, you can self-regulate strong emotions. When a child is in a learning environment that elicits strong negative emotions this can impact their ability to hear or comprehend what is being taught. The inability to regulate emotions may lead to social isolation, poor academic outcomes, and low self-esteem. However, there is a link between positive affective states and cognitive performance. Thereby, suggesting a relationship between positive affect, higher productivity, creative problem solving, memory, and logic. It is also suggested that increases in dopamine released by positive affect promotes creative problem solving. Moreover, the research on multiple intelligences offers some insight into the different ways a child learns and why some children learn through trying things out by doing a hands-on project.

So what does that mean to the parent who just wants to help their child learn how to manage the big overwhelming feelings and out of control behaviors? It means that doing a creative and pleasurable activity may enhance a child’s learning. It also means that if a child is involved in a positive learning experience that is related to the way they process information, they may be able to learn and retain this information more readily.

Five easy tips to help your child use their creativity for emotional management:

1. Use clay, or crayons, markers, and paper to create a character from their imagination to help them stop and think before they act.

2. Use clay to express their frustration and then create a new way to solve the problem they are encountering.

3. Come up with a creative plan to stop their sibling from bugging them using markers to draw out their choices.

4. Children in a creative problem-solving group can create modeling clay figures to help them negotiate relationships and find ways to build social skills.

5. Take a creative break! When you notice your child becoming agitated and they are unable to talk through the problem have them take a break in their relaxation corner and use markers and crayons to express what they are feeling.

These creative exercises help children to “strengthen” their problem-solving muscles. In other words, they are building up their prefrontal cortex and when they are becoming emotionally charged they can use their creative thinking to get back in control. Creative thinking offers a way for your child to become in control of their emotions, not their emotions controlling them, and isn’t that what every parent wants?

Are you in need of more support? We can help! Learn more creative tools and strategies to help your child, click here to access the free audio mini-course Secrets Your Kids Really Don’t Want You to Know: A Child Art Therapist Tells All (*except for the confidential stuff) www.thecreativityqueen.com

Bio

Dr. Laura JJ Dessauer’s, ATR-BC, LCAT mission is to teach children and parents creative ways to connect and communicate with respect and compassion, so your child can feel happier and more confident. As the founder of the Creativity Queen, LLC, Laura’s a Board Certified Creative Arts Therapist and Certified Parent and Teen Coach with over 23 years of experience working with families, children and teens in over 21 school districts. The Creativity Queen, Winner of SCORE Small Business of the Year, offers individual art therapy sessions and creative problem solving programs for both children and adults.

Tags/keywords child, children's emotions, help my child, child screaming, creativity and children, behaviors problems with children, tantrums, tantruming child, how to stop a tantrum, child behavior problems, creative problem solving with children, children and creativity, managing emotions

BRAIN INITIATIVE - WEEK #18

2011-07-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

It is exciting to continually see an increase in the amount of information available to demonstrate the impact of the early years! In addition to the growing amount of research released, numerous economists are promoting the cost benefits of early brain development.

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

Following is the Week #18 BRAIN insight to share:

BRAIN

Brains Require All Investing Now

A BRAIN Insight to share ~ Week #18

A child's primary need is to know they are loved ~

This is only learned through consistent nurturing interactions!

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!!

for the age of your choice, in the name of the person making the recommendation each week!!

The WINNER for WEEK #18:

Sunnybank Community Preschool & Kindergarten, Brisbane

A brain development packet for the age of their choice will be donated in the name of : Robyn Lane

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 INSIGHT & FAMILY ACTIVITY IDEA

2011-07-12T18:14:00.001-05:00

BRAIN FACT:

Providing fun activities that includes many senses and movement are stimulating to the brain.

Family Brain Activity:

COUNTING ON NATURE

While outdoors say a number, for example, say, "Three." . Have each family member point out, go to, find, or touch that number of similar items.
For example: Three trees, three flowers, three pine cones, three shells, etc.

For additional information, EarlyChildhood NEWS has provided the following article: Optimizing Brain and Early Motor Development Through Movement by Carl Gabbard Ed. D, and Luis Rodrigues

BRAIN INITIATIVE - WEEK #17

2011-07-11T13:26:00.000-05:00

How many people do you think we can reach in July?!!!

It is due to you that there are additional children every month who, receive more loving interactions, have playtime increased everyday, are read to, live with more routine and predictability, are provided with more nutritious foods, and have the chance to spend more time outdoors.

I continuously hear of the various ways people are sharing the insights. We are making an impact!

Following is the Week #16 BRAIN insight to share:

BRAIN

Brains Require All Investing Now

A BRAIN Insight to share ~ Week #17

Imaginative play develops the thinking areas of the brain.

This leads to a greater ability to self regulate.

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!!

for the age of your choice, in the name of the person making the recommendation each week!!

The WINNER for WEEK #17:

Children's Connections Inc.

A brain development packet for the age of their choice will be donated in the name of :

Katie Pfeiffer

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.