Children’s brains develop rapidly from age birth through three. Brain development affects all areas of a kid’s development.
There are four main areas of development: language and communication, motor (physical), emotional and social, and cognitive. Brain development is part of cognitive development. Different cognitive skills are acquired as a kid meets certain developmental milestones, but a kid of any ability will gain from activities that promote active learning. Cognitive development describes how a kid’s intellect grows and includes thinking, knowledge, and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, as a parent, you can encourage your child’s cognitive development in memory, concentration, attention, and perception by incorporating simple activities into your everyday routine.
These skills affect all other development areas. The first three years of a kid’s life are critical for development and learning. Many parents ask how they can aid their kid’s brain in developing. The best way is to actively engage your child through everyday activities when they feel stressed.
Listening to Music
Listening to all genres of music encourages the fetus’ early brain development because music facilitates neuron connections in the brain. Experiencing and listening to music stimulates the fetus’ brain and aids with brain structure growth. New studies imply that babies recall the music they heeded in the womb for up to four (4) months after birth! So, listening to music while pregnant is a good idea for both mom and baby.
Play
Play is a beautiful way to help a baby or toddler’s brain develop. Play might be a game, talking, or singing to engage your child’s brain actively. “Peek-a-boo” and holding toys to watch help a baby’s brain develop. Talk to your baby about what you are doing. For toddlers, singing songs with actions, like “Wheels on the Bus,” encourage pretend play, color, and building with blocks and toys. These foster imagination and creativity.
Comfort
Babies can feel stress. Hold and cuddle your baby. Let them know you are there to comfort and help them when they feel stressed. Studies show that responsive, loving, and supportive care helps babies handle stress better than if care is inconsistent. According to research, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers need many different types of sensory stimulation for development. Skin contact or physical touch, like hugging and holding, are great ways to help your child grow a healthy brain and a strong body. Physicians have found that when children don’t receive physical contact, their physical growth and development can slow.
Read
Reading is one of the excellent ways to promote a child’s brain development. They are reading kick-starts language and communication skills even before they can recognize letters or words. They are hearing words and seeing pictures connect the two in a child’s mind. Repeating the same books further builds recognition between the words you speak and the images on the page. As a child grows, ask them to point to specific pictures on the page, like “Where is the dog?”In addition, reading provides children with a deep understanding of their world and fills their brains with background knowledge. They then use this acquired background knowledge to make sense of what they hear, see, and read, which aids their cognitive development.
Take advantage of this opportunity to bolster your understanding of how the mind works and become a better parent, educator, and administrator with the Three Dimensions of Learning. Sometimes kids need help to hit age-appropriate cognitive skill milestones. Since all kids are different and meet milestones at their own pace, failing to meet the mark at a certain age doesn’t necessarily mean a child has a learning disability. However, if you’re concerned about your child’s cognitive development, don’t ignore the warning signs or your gut instincts. Speak to your child’s pediatrician about your concerns.
The book, “Three Dimensions of Learning: A Blueprint for Learning from the Womb to the School” by Dr. Carolyn Nooks-Teague- is an informative guidebook designed to aid parents and educators in becoming more aware of how they can stifle or empower the future of their children. It follows the development of the whole kid from life inside the uterus to life in school. At every stage, the essence of addressing the child’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states is emphasized. This book can help address the needs of the child with PTSD as the author shares science-informed teaching strategies that demonstrate how the brain learns and how being aware of this can change a child’s life.
Alex Writes 