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:
 Raise awareness about the critical importance of
supporting early brain development;
 Provide resources to support caregivers in fostering
young children’s brain development and make any
moment a Brain Building moment
 Highlight Brain Building Zones – environments that
foster young children’s brain development
Workshop Goals
As a result of this workshop, participants will:
 Increase their understanding of young children’s brain architecture and the
elements that support their brain development
 Gain strategies to foster back-and-forth interactions with children
 Learn about brain-based learning and how to engage children in activities
that support brain development and learning
 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=LmVWOe1ky8s
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!
 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
 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-mbt070814.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, p25-37
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, p73
www.BrainBuildinginProgress.org
#IAmABrainBuilder
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Building by posting a picture or describing your favorite activity
using #IAmABrainBuilder
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other brain building ideas!
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I Am A Brain Builder
A Workshop for Parents
Thank you!