Making Connections for Brain Development    by Shirley Ferkingstad, Resource Center Manager

Did you know that when you talk to a child you are stimulating brain connections?

    Here at FamilyWorks we talk about connections a lot—connecting to your community, connecting with each other, connecting with resources—but one of the most powerful things we do here is to create an environment which helps children learn during their critical brain building years—and learning is all about the connections that are created between the synapses of their brains. 

    A newborn brain has about 100 billion brain cells and at birth is about one quarter the size of an adult’s—the brain grows to about 80% of adult size by age three and 90% by age five.  A brain cell is like a tiny tree sapling and gradually it sprouts hundreds of long, branching dendrites—brain growth is due to the growth of these dendrites.  Brain cells communicate through specialized connections called synapses—they are the connecting points between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of another.  So, very simplistically, learning is about growing dendrites and the number and organization of connections in the brain influence everything from the ability to recognize letters of the alphabet to the capacity to manage complex social relationships. 

    As the Resource Center Manager, I am proud of all the things we do here to facilitate the growth of children (and dendrites!).  We help build the foundation of healthy brain development by providing food and the services of WIC  (for more info, see the link below).  We provide playgroups that offer rich opportunities for children to interact with other children and adults.  In playgroups, children are exposed to an abundance of interesting toys, books, music, and dramatic play opportunities and “rich experiences really do produce rich brains”.

     Playgroups are designed so that parents and caregivers can network with other parents, have the opportunity to see how lots of different children are developing, and build a repertoire of songs, books, and activities to do at home. Because we know that parents and caregivers are powerful and important teachers and models, we provide classes and workshops where they can get information, share experiences, and hopefully reduce stress (which can have a negative effect on brain growth).

    I have always been interested in how we learn and I find the field of brain research fascinating so I thought I might share this article that I read recently from the University of Maine (see the link below).  

    And, take heart, according to Dr. Marian Diamond, who does brain research at Berkeley, even old brains can grow dendrites!

What We Know About How Children Learn:

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4356.htm

Our friends/partners at Foundation for Early Learning recommend these website:

I-Labs: http://ilabs.washington.edu/. I-Labs  believes that scientific study of the developing mind and brain is the next great research frontier. Their research has helped to advance early learning through their innovative research. I-Labs directors Dr. Patricia K. Kuhl and Dr. Andrew N. Meltzoff have also authored the book Scientist in the Crib about early brain development.   

Ready Set Grow: http://www.kcts9.org/programs/productions/readysetgrow. Ready Set Grow was a KCTS special on early learning. Lots of good information and resources on the website.

Getting School Ready: www.gettingschoolready.org, Preparing for Kindergarten is a great way to grow neurons.

Zero to Three: http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=key_brain. Excellent information on birth to three years, including brain info.

Finally, your local library is one of the best sources to help strengthen and grow a young mind. The library offers positive connections, access to music, books, and activities appropriately geared towards young children and families.

Additional websites:

http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/brain.html

Information about WIC:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/WIC-Fact-Sheet.pdf