10 Neuroscientific facts behind child care for non-scientists

In this blog, I summarise 10 neuroscience facts I’ve learned about early child development, and how to help young brains flourish and become resilient.

What do parents who also happen to be scientists (like me) do when faced with a subject they know nothing about but affects their lives directly? We research!

However, I found very little information about early child development that was evidence-based enough to satisfy me, and at the same time simple and easy to understand.

So, I decided to write myself the article I was looking for!

It was recently published in Dr Sarah MacKay´s blog, Your Brain Health: Growing resilient children. 10 neuroscience facts all parents and teachers should know.

Here I summarise it for you.

Fact 1: During the first years of life children’s brain grows faster than at any other period

Early brain development is essential because it sets the foundations for emotion, memory and decision-making in adulthood.

The brain develops by having experiences.

Help developing brains by giving children:

• time,
• and the freedom to explore the world.

Fact 2: Sensitive periods are critical for learning and refining cognitive functions like thinking and planning

Each set of skills matures at its own time and during short intervals.

These short sensitive periods for achieving brain milestones are mainly active during early childhood and the brain not only uses but absolutely requires sensory experiences to remodel and refine the neural circuits.

Child care practices help developing brains when the adult:

• observes the child,
• recognises a sensitive period (the child has a new interest and dedicates full attention to it)
• and provides according to the child’s interests.

Fact 3: Executive functions develop alongside maturation of the prefrontal cortex

The pre-frontal cortex is the area of the brain behind the forehead.

Some executive functions are self-control, attention, problem-solving, planning, reasoning, creativity and flexibility. These functions develop exponentially in the pre-school years.

Child care practices help developing brains by:

• conducting activities with social, emotional and physical ingredients like martial arts, dance, theatre or circus groups.

Fact 4: Stress affects brain development and executive functions

While positive stress (like meeting a new adult, or a new environment) is an important and necessary aspect of healthy development, chronic toxic stress caused by extreme situations (like poverty, abuse or severe maternal depression) adversely affects the healthy development of the brain.

One primary stress source in children and young adults during the school years is the focus on achieving high grades and qualifications. Children worry about not being smart enough and not succeeding in school or life.

Child care practices help developing brains when the adult:

• encourages an effort-mentality to approach goals,
• encourages curiosity and independent learning as opposed to grades,
• and teaches and corrects from a loving and calm perspective.

Fact 5: Mirror neurons help a child learn by imitation

Watching an activity has almost the same effect on the brain as doing it.

The brain learns by watching: it is part of the preparation to act.

Child care practices help developing brains when:

• children have role models from whom to learn,
• and have opportunities to watch others performing a task.

Fact 6: Working memory lays the foundation for more complex functions like language

Working memory is a temporary note in the brain, like the instructions for baking a cake that you forget afterwards.

It is the ability to process new information that a child needs for performing a task, like following a series of steps.

Child care practices help developing brains when the adult:

• gives the child short instructions,
• and time to follow them on her own.

Fact 7: Cognition and physical activity are closely connected

Learning is not only a brain activity, is a whole-body task.

Child care practices help developing brains:

• when children and babies are free to move,
• and the adult understands that the need to move, run and jump is part of a child’s normal development.

Fact 8: Each brain is unique

Even identical twins have differences. Experiences, nutrition, relationships and genes shape the mind of a child.

Child care practices help developing brains when the adult:

• guides each child according to her needs and interests,
• avoids comparisons.

Fact 9: Emotions and relationships shape the growing brain

Emotional well-being and social skills provide a strong foundation for developing cognitive abilities.

Emotional, cognitive and physical capacities that develop in the early childhood years are the essential foundation for success in later adult life.

Child care practices help developing brains when the adult:

• pays attention to all emotions,
• corrects the behaviour, not the feelings.

Fact 10: Creativity is the result of network brain work

Brains become creative when allowed to explore.

From a neuroscience perspective, the creative process is the result of many parts of the brain working together as a network. For example, similar areas of the brain get activated during musical training and mathematical processing. Early musical experiences are also a support for language development.

Child care practices help developing brains when adults:

• let the child do by herself what she can do alone,
• do not take away from a child the pleasure of discovering how the world works.

To summarise

Growing a human brain is rather like constructing a home. It starts with laying the foundations, framing the rooms, wiring the electrical system and continues with distinctive features that give the house its individuality. The foundation of a home may not be visible when you look at a house, but every part of the house depends upon it.

Just like a good foundation supports a secure and robust home, the first years of a child’s life shape her personality and cognitive, emotional and social skills.

It is in our hands to understand and nurture growing minds. Research in neuroscience, cognitive development and education are providing more evidence on the importance of the first few years in a little person’s life.

We can learn from the current knowledge about a child early years and know that observation and respect from a loving and caring perspective are vital to understanding and supporting children’s growing minds. They are also the framework for healthier and happier human relationships.