I Am A Brain Builder Supporting Young Childrens

I Am A Brain Builder Supporting Young Children’s Brain Development Written by Sunindiya Bhalla Project Manager, Brain Building in Progress Initiative

The Brain Building in Progress Campaign Early brain development creates the foundation for a child’s academic, social and emotional wellbeing and success. Investing in our youngest citizens has an impact on future economic prosperity of everyone in Massachusetts • Launched in 2012 as a partnership between United Way and MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) • Goals are to: ü Raise awareness about the critical importance of supporting early brain development; ü Provide resources to support caregivers in fostering young children’s brain development and make any moment a Brain Building moment ü Highlight Brain Building Zones – environments that foster young children’s brain development

Workshop Goals As a result of this workshop, participants will: ü Increase their understanding of young children’s brain architecture and the elements that support their brain development ü Gain strategies to foster back-and-forth interactions with children ü Learn about brain-based learning and how to engage children in activities that support brain development and learning ü Learn more about the Brain Building in Progress initiative: • Accessing Brain Building resources • Finding Brain Building activities and environments • Becoming engaged in Brain Building in Progress

The More We Know… Let’s start with a quiz! …The More We’ll Help Children Grow!

Let’s Talk About Numbers!

Let’s Talk About Numbers!

Architecture of the Developing Brain

How A Child’s Brain Works From Parenting from the Inside Out by Dr. Dan Siegel and Mary Hartzell

What is Brain Building? You ask a question. A child answers. You keep the conversation and interaction going. That’s Brain Building. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Lm. VWOe 1 ky 8 s

Disruptions to Brain Building: Types of Stress

Let’s Build Brains!

Talking Is Teaching 18 months 30 million words

Reading To Builds Brains EVIEW (by asking questions) XPAND (on what the child says) SK (what, where, when, who, why questions) ISCUSS (what you have read) HARE (life experiences that relate to the book)

Brain Building Starts at Birth! ü Research has found that infants as young as six months can understand words, and infants as young as seven months are practicing words in their head ü It’s important to talk to babies, make eye contact, play simple games like peek-a-boo, and most importantly, read books together! http: //www. eurekalert. org/pub_releases/2014 -07/uow-mbt 070814. php

Brain Building Starts at Birth!

Brain Building at Home Creating an environment that supports back-andforth interactions

Respond with a question Nico, age 3, is at the home improvement store with his mom. He sees a big machine and asks his mom, “What dat? ” She replies, “That’s a forklift” and asks, “What is it doing? ” He replies, “Boxes go up!”

Encourage exploration Leah, age 18 months, has a toy cash register and is getting frustrated trying to figure out how to open the drawer. She holds is out to her babysitter, who asks, “Are you asking for help? ”. She points to the big, red button on the cash register and says, “Why don’t you try pushing that and seeing what it does”?

Offer an experience Mateo, age 6 months, is sitting in his high chair while his dad prepares his dinner. Dad sees him looking at and reaching for a bright green dish towel on the counter. His dad says, “Do you want this towel”? He rubs it on Mateo’s cheek and says, “Is it soft”? and then gives it to him to hold.

Let’s Practice! Gabriella, age 4, is at her grandmother’s house and finds a cloth doll on guest room bed. Owen, age 2. 5, brings a picture book over to his mom. Leah, age 9 months, gets a new toy, plastic blocks in different shapes and a bucket with a shape-sorting lid Practice the back-and-forth interaction • What might the child do or say? • How can a caregiver respond?

Make any moment a Brain Building moment!

6 Ingredients For A Learning-Ready Brain Math: Set the table – count things, learn words, and repeat the pattern Language: Practice letters, shapes, and numbers in some sand or flour From Brain-Based Early Learning Activities Creativity: Make musical instruments out of things at home; decorate them and put them to a song

6 Ingredients For A Learning-Ready Brain Social/Emotional: Practice making faces that show feelings Gross motor (movement): Play/sing Head, Shoulders Knees & Toes Science: Practice animal poses and make animal sounds

Brain-Based Learning

Making Brain Connections • Language – combine language with creativity to connect both sides of the brain! • Math – build strong brain connections through music! • Science – children are natural scientists! Let them make predictions, experiment, and observe! • Art – playing, singing, dancing, and drawing are all forms of art! • Motor skills – connect movement with learning! Children are more likely to remember a story if they hear it, clap out syllables, or draw their own pictures • Social-Emotional Development – help children develop healthy relationships and explore their environments! From Brain-Based Early Learning Activities, p 25 -37

Let’s Practice! Activity: What’s in the bag? Put a few different items in a pillowcase or bag and ask children to reach in and feel without looking. Guiding Questions • What materials do you need? • What questions can you ask? • How is this activity supporting brain development? Now share or come up with your own activity! Bag O’Wonder, from Brain-Based Early Learning Activities, p 73

www. Brain. Buildingin. Progress. org

#IAm. ABrain. Builder ü Share your Brain Building moment! Tell us how you are Brain Building by posting a picture or describing your favorite activity using #IAm. ABrain. Builder ü Follow us to learn more about Brain Building in Progress and get other brain building ideas! We’re on Twitter @Mass. Early. Ed. Care and @Speak. United Like us on Facebook

I Am A Brain Builder A Workshop for Parents Thank you!