Movement Activities Build Brains

Movement activities (especially rocking, spinning and hanging upside down) helps to develop the important large area behind the brain stem. This area helps the balance mechanisms in the inner ear.

This area behind the brain stem also interacts with the fontal level in the brain responsible for language skills, music, attention and social interaction.

This large part of the brain (the cerebellum) has a growth spurt in the first two years of an infant's life.

The reason children love to spin and hang up side down (and adults don't) is because the brain can seek activities it needs to help it develop at different stages.

Many TV and computer programs encourage intelligence through TV screens to try to enhance brain development. If more focus is on movement activities, active play, hands on play, working from the bottom of the body upwards, the brain will take care of itself.

Evidence suggests that movement activities help to open avenues between the hemispheres in the brain.

Movement Activities

Most infants LOVE physical activity so you can take advantage of this and provide them with lots of movement experiences.

Some great movement activities:

• Take your child to playgroup and play gyms where there are tunnels to crawl through, balance boards and safe equipment to climb.
• Dance together;
• Incorporate lots of hands-on experiences throughout your day to promote active learning;
• Encourage aerobic, rhythmic exercise such as jogging, going for walks and swimming.
• Invent dances together for different animals such as birds, insects and jungle animals. Dance to different types of music.
• Try not to overwork the pram or stroller if your infant has started to walk. Brain stimulation is inhibited for an infant who passively sees the world go past without interaction.
• Allow your child to toddler, investigate and explore to allow their brain to make connections in different areas. These connections will later help with math skills and reading comprehension.