From a very young age, human beings know that the brain allows them to develop the mental capacities and physical functions necessary to relate to the environment that surrounds them. But to know how the brain performs its functions, how to stimulate it and keep it healthy, it is necessary to be clear about how the brain of children works.
Throughout this article, the brain of children and its development characteristics will be shown.
Brain of Children: Neurodevelopment & How It Works
In order for personal and educational growth to progress properly, it is essential that the parenting school and child education in general be aware of how brain development occurs. Only by keeping this in mind can it be stimulated in the right way. In addition, the development of new skills and abilities will be encouraged.
The development of the infant brain begins from pregnancy. During this stage, known as neuronal proliferation, millions of neurons are generated. Migration occurs as the second stage of childhood neurodevelopment. This is the movement of neurons to the outside of the brain.
Next, in the organization stage, the neurons form groups according to their function. This stage begins to develop in pregnancy, but strengthens throughout growth. It will be in charge of performing functions such as thought, reasoning and language.
The last stage of this first process is myelination. In this the substance that covers the connection between neurons is produced. This enables information to be transmitted more efficiently. With this clear, it can be said that at birth, the child’s brain is fully developed . At this point the brain has almost 85 million neurons. It is the connections of the brain that will be strengthened little by little. This will give rise to a new process that begins from birth, until adulthood. Process that we will talk about later.
What about the Hemispheres?
The first thing to keep in mind is that the brain is made up of two hemispheres: the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. The first one is in charge of the emotional and artistic part, in addition to the movements of the left side of the body. In additino, the second will facilitate the movement of the right side of the body and takes care of the rational, logical and verbal.
In the early stages of development, children do not have defined laterality . This means that there is no one hemisphere that totally dominates. For that there is the stimulation that parents and teachers will exert. To answer how to develop the left side of the brain, the child can be encouraged to create and imagine stories. Hand in hand with this, stimulation can be increased through play and fantasy or the practice of artistic activities.
On the other hand, to increase the development of the right hemisphere of the brain, memory games are included , such as number memory, logical reasoning exercises or mathematical operations .
From birth to adulthood: Stages to Understand How Children’s Brain Work
- From birth to 3 years. In this stage the parietal lobes and the motor system develop. This allows the child to obtain greater physical autonomy. In addition, the first great growth of neural connections occurs
- From 3 to 6 years. Here language and understanding of the medium are developed. Hand in hand with this, the child’s brain begins to eliminate connections. Then he replaces them with others based on new knowledge
- From 6 to 12 years old. In these years the previous processes are strengthened. In addition, executive functions, such as decision-making and organization, evolve; identity and self-esteem also begin to develop
- Adolescence. At this stage the typical hormonal changes of puberty occur. The development of the brain in the adolescent becomes more noticeable. This is because thought is manifested from the logical and the abstract . In addition, social relationships are expanded and the complexity of emotions grows.
Brain of Children: Learning Process
We want to provide the necessary information for parents and educators to offer quality education to children and young people. We already spoke about some considerations to understand how to efficiently convey an idea so that children learn to learn and stay motivated and interested in the process.
In the first years of life, the motivation to learn is intrinsic. Children are excited to go to school and curiosity is active in all fields of their lives. But as the individual grows, extrinsic motivation, such as rewards or external requests, becomes more necessary. This is where the strategies of parents and educators translate into efficient stimulation.
However, integrating technology into the learning process is key to motivation, but it will also encourage the student’s curiosity to delve into those topics that interest them. From this reading, investigative processes and even social relationships are promoted more efficiently.
Conclusion
By way of conclusion, it is worth noting that understanding how the brain of children works puts the spotlight on the need to understand this first stage of growth as the one that should be stimulated the most from all perspectives. Children are like a growing brain and it is the task of his environment and of the people with whom they develop to provide them with the necessary spaces so that he grows healthy and integrally.
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