10 Easy Ways to Unleash Your Kid's Brain Power!

Do you know that a baby is born with all the brain cells he needs when he becomes an adult?

Do you know that a baby creates 700 neural connections every second in the first 1,000 days of his life?

A study conducted by Dr. Jim Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics, show that early stimulation of brain function during childhood plays a critical role in a child's social and economic success. Furthermore, the neural pathways and networks that are forged during the first 1,000 days will have lasting impacts on the person's social, emotional and mental capabilities --- very important factors which dictate the kind of lifestyle, job and social interactions he will have in the future.

For parents who want nothing but the best for their children, Dr. Heckman's research show that preschool experiences and early interactions with peers and adults provide the highest return in capital investment. The benefits of which decreases dramatically after school due to aging and several other reasons.

From an economic standpoint, these words ring true. Early childhood stimulation of brain function develops fluid abilities such as memory, reasoning, speed of thought and problem solving prowess. All of which are interrelated and foreshadows high-level brain function which is key to a happy, successful life.

In this Slideshare story deck, CakeHR is proud to present 10 easy, practical ways to develop your kid's brain power. Here you will learn about the importance of play, songs and interactive toys in early childhood brain stimulation. You will also learn that the way your respond to your child's needs and cries will have a direct effect on the development of his cognitive and emotional abilities.

Transcript

1. BRAIN POWER! Unleash Your Kid's BRAIN POWER! 10 Ways to Stimulate Your Kid's Brain Function in His First 1000 Days 10 Ways to Stimulate Your Kid's Brain Function in His First 1000 Days A B C @CakeHR
2. “When you asked me what I did in school today and I say, ‘I just played.’ Please don’t misunderstand me. For you see, I am learning as I play. I am learning to enjoy and be successful in my work. Today I am child and my work is play.” - Anita Wadley
3. Early brain stimulation helps unlock the brain's full potential and resilience. Through play, children develop intellectual, social and emotional skills which are important in career development and self growth.
4. A BABY FORMS 700 NEW NEURAL CONNECTIONS EVERY SECOND IN THE FIRST 1000 DAYS OF HIS LIFE. BRAIN FACT
5. “Early brain function stimulation during childhood is crucial for social and economic success” - Jim Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics
6. RATES OF RETURN TO HUMAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT Preschool School Post-School Opportunity cost of funds AGE RATE OF ROI IN HUMAN CAPITAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS SCHOOLING JOB TRAINING R R Dr. Heckman's research shows (see graph) that the first 1000 days of a child provides the highest return in human capital investment. Thanks to preschool experiences and early interactions with peers and adults!
7. THE AVERAGE HUMAN BRAIN IS MADE UP OF 100 BILLION NEURONS AND TRILLIONS OF NEURAL CONNECTIONS. ITS COMPUTING POWER IS UNMATCHED BY ANY SUPERCOMPUTERS IN THE WORLD. BRAIN FACT
8. FLUID ABILITIES The Foundation of Adult Cognitive Functions MEMORY PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY REASONING SPEED OF THOUGHT
9. FLUID ABILITIES FORESHADOW HIGH-LEVEL BRAIN FUNCTION. IT ALLOWS AN INDIVIDUAL TO ACQUIRE NEW KNOWLEDGE, MAKE SOUND DECISIONS AND SOLVE PROBLEMS.
10. 10 Ways to Stimulate Brain Function “A baby's brain is dependent on the response and responsiveness of adults” - Dr. Jack Shonko , Director, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
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12. GIVE YOUR BABY A HEALTHY START Stay healthy when you are pregnant. Stay away from drugs and habits that can harm your baby's brain. Studies show that smoking during pregnancy leads to lower reading scores . 1
13. HAVE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS Are you familiar of “parentese”? For instance, when you say “Cute baby!”, draw out each syllable in a high-pitched voice and delightful tone. This will stimulate the area of the brain that understands speech. 2
14. Sequential games that involve the hands are very e ective. Examples are “Peekaboo”, “This Little Piggy” and “Patty-cake”. PLAY GAMES 3
15. Choose books that have colorful and large pictures. Be attentive and share your baby's delight in pointing and making noises. For toddlers, simplify story lines and encourage them to talk about books. READ BOOKS 4
16. Toys that allow the baby to interact and explore foster early brain development. Stackable blocks or wind-up jack-in-the-box are good starters. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOYS 5
17. Stress interferes with brain development. Decrease your baby's stress with gentle massages –- which also enhance feelings of being loved and emotional security. MASSAGE YOUR BABY 6
18. Music enhance brain function. Sing songs like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Ten Little Indians”. The hand play and body motions in these songs also help your baby integrate sounds with motor actions. SING SONGS 7
19. When your baby cries, soothe and cuddle him. This builds positive connections at the limbic area of the brain which handles emotions. BABY’S CRYING? RESPOND PROMPTLY 8
20. For instance, when someone is sad or crying, grab the opportunity to teach your baby about feelings, kindness, caring and sharing. Empathetic responses like these build positive emotional and social skills. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TEACHABLE MOMENTS 9
21. Babies are very sensitive. As a parent, express genuine joy and interest in your baby. Use your body language, attentiveness to babbling, caresses, smiles and shining eyes to say “I Love You” to your little one. EXPRESS GENUINE INTEREST & JOY 10
22. THE BRAIN SENDS MORE MESSAGES TO THE BODY THAN ALL PHONES IN THE WORLD COMBINED. SOME OF THESE MESSAGES FLY AT SPEEDS OF 150 MILES PER HOUR! BRAIN FACT READ FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://cake.hr/blog/brain-function-and-the-first-1000-days/ READ FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://cake.hr/blog/brain-function-and-the-first-1000-days/
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