The child’s brain directs and arranges the growth and development of all aspects of the body. Thanks to breakthroughs in neuroscience and technology, scientists can now see the inside of the human brain, so we have learned a lot about the development of this key organ.
How a child’s brain grows up?
The baby’s brain at birth is only 1 / 4 the size of an adult, but by the age of 2, it has grown to 3 / 4 the size of an adult! By the age of five, a child’s brain will be very close to the size and capacity of an adult’s brain.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that when your children arrive at kindergarten, they will know what all adults know, because life experience is also very important
This development of the brain means that brain structures related to learning, memory, movement control and other brain functions have been established by the age of five. These structures and neural pathways that transmit information to each other will be used throughout a child’s life.
These connections, called synapses, are the basis of all actions, thoughts, memories, and feelings a person has.
Promote brain development in children
No two brains are exactly the same, not even identical twins. How the brain nerve cells connect depends on the use of the brain, the diversity and richness of the environment the brain faces, and genetic factors.
The first year of a baby’s life is the period when the key emotional structure of the brain is formed. It is most important to have a safe and predictable environment, including giving a lot of care to the baby and meeting his needs in time.
The key factors for the brain development of the baby in the first three years also include someone talking with him, playing with him, and having a varied environment that can stimulate him. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the baby has enough rest, because when the baby is resting, the brain can reorganize itself.
These very simple but crucial things can prepare for children’s future learning.
Form a solid connection
Surprisingly, a 2-year-old child has trillions of connections in his brain – twice as many as an adult. The brain makes connections to various inputs for adaptation and survival. But as time goes on, some connections will be used again and again, while others will give up halfway.
This normal process, called nerve pruning, explains why children are easiest to learn the exact accent of a language when they are very young. If the brain doesn’t touch that language often, some synapses will degenerate, and the brain can no longer understand or form certain sounds so easily. Nerve pruning also explains why routines and repetitions are important for children, because they promote learning and help the brain understand what’s important
Although brain development mostly occurs in the first three years of a baby’s life, kindergarten life will continue to promote the formation of a large number of neurons. It’s easy for a child to learn, especially when he is about 3-6 years old, not only regular subjects, but also social rules, complex nouns, how to play sports and games, sense of direction, how to play with gadgets, where to put things and so on.
However, the brain’s impulse control and judgment functions will develop later in school and be fully activated after puberty.
