Building Healthy Brains

The human brain is an amazing thing. During the first few years of life, it grows at an incredible rate. Early childhood providers work to encourage and promote healthy brain development. There are several ways we do this at Westside. One way is through creative arts. Children regularly participate in art activities. Some of these include;

-painting,

-drawing,

-playdough and clay,

-listening to music,

-having conversations ,

-writing,

-taking on roles through dramatic play, etc.

Research has shown that children are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, if they have regular participation in art activities like these during the early years.

Visual learning, language development, vocabulary building, and motor skills are some areas of development focused on during these activities. Children are given the tools and an environment to encourage growth.

As children's brains build quickly during these early years, creative experiences are extremely critical as they encourage positive relationships which support rapid blooming synapses. These synapses lead to the formation of well-rounded personalities, good attachment, self-esteem and better mental health.

Adverse experiences in the early years can have a profound effect on how children are wired emotionally. If young children are denied a high-quality early learning experience (cultural, economics, societal, etc.), these synapses that handle imagination, auditory and linguistic learning, and physical and creative thinking skills will end up being pruned. In turn, making it very difficult for these synapses to reconnect further down the road and into adulthood.