Babies are born with billions of brain cells and trillions more form during the first few years of life. The more brain nerve cells, or neurons, that are stimulated during those formative years, the greater the network of connections in the brain that will help with learning and memory, according to studies such as 1999's "The Early Years Study: Reversing the Real Brain Drain" by Margaret McCain and J. Fraser Mustard. And stimulating those neurons doesn't take a Herculean effort when dealing with infants and toddlers.
Hand Games
Author and Syracuse University professor of child development Alice Sterling Honig, Ph.D., suggests that games such as patty-cake and peekaboo trigger brain stimulation because babies seem to respond well to "simple sequential games." Honig also advises activities where babies are touched, even if it's just stroking an arm or rubbing a tummy during a diaper change. She says research has shown that children who are not touched often as babies actually have smaller brains than those who receive that kind of affection.
New Games
Because exposing children to new activities and stimuli can help strengthen old neural connections and form new ones, according to the North Dakota State University Extension Service, introducing at least one new activity each day is a good goal for you and your infant. The activities can be as simple as turning the pages of a book, petting a cat or dog, holding a spoon or rolling a ball on the floor.
Speak "Parentese"
It may be instinctual, but adults and children often tend to speak to babies in a high-pitch, sing-song voice. As it turns out, that's just the right approach to take to get those brain synapses firing away. Dr. Honig says that the sounds and inflection in "parentese" stimulate the parts of the brain that are important for understanding speech and producing language. Dr. Kathy Silva, an educational psychology professor at Oxford University in England, adds that up to age 1, children respond to the "intonation and warmth in the voice," while after age 1 the actual words and their meanings start to get more attention.
Reading Stories
Even if you don't use the "parentese" voice, it's still important that infants hear a human voice up close. A "Time" magazine story from Aug. 6, 2007, explained that research has found that babies who watch television, even if it's educational programs or DVDs, have slower language development than those who do not watch TV. Researchers say that reading books and just talking with babies in the car, in the kitchen, saying goodnight, while shopping, while playing and any time you have an opportunity are much better activities for brain and language development than sitting a child in front of a television.
Make Music
Babies tend to respond enthusiastically to music. Just watch babies "dance" to music that has a steady rhythm to it. Dr. Silva, of Oxford University, suggests playing music you like and singing simple songs that have some repetition, like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or "The Wheels on the Bus." Young children like the security and comfort of familiar songs and stories. Dr. Silva also advises letting your child play the xylophone or similar instruments to help him recognize sounds.
References
- University of Maine Cooperative Extension Publications: What We Know About How Children Learn
- Parent & Child: 20 Ways to Increase Your Baby's Brain Power
- North Dakota State University Extension Service: Keys to Enhancing Brain Development in Young Children
- The Fraser Mustard Chair in Childhood Development: Why Are the Early Years So Important?
- Time: Baby Einsteins, Not So Smart After All
