| Did you know that up to 80% of your child's brain | | | | report that exposing their babies to smooth music |
| potential develops before age three? | | | | during the early years has helped in their intellectual |
| Your baby's first three years is a period of amazing | | | | development. The "Mozart effect" has proved those |
| brain growth. It's in this once-in-a-lifetime event that | | | | children with exposure to classical music attain a |
| millions of brain cells will be created. | | | | higher IQ than those who lack this stimulation. Try |
| However, research has proven that our intellectual | | | | playing a classical music stimulation CD and watch |
| skills not only rely on brain cells, but ultimately depend | | | | your child react! |
| on the existence of connections between these cells. | | | | Sight: Vision in babies is limited and is the last sense |
| The more connections created in early development - | | | | to fully develop. As a result, they tend to prefer high |
| the more power the brain will have to process | | | | contrast colors, particularly red and black. To best |
| information and effectively solve problems in the | | | | stimulate your child's vision, create flashcards by |
| future. | | | | drawing and coloring various sharp pattern pictures |
| Developmental studies indicate that | | | | (geometric forms). Introduce these cards during |
| Sensory-stimulation is an effective exercise for | | | | play-time and watch how your child responds to this |
| increasing the number of brain cell connections infants | | | | visual stimulation. |
| and toddlers. Sensory stimulation refers to the impact | | | | Vestibular Activity: Rock your baby while listening to |
| the environment has on our minds and bodies as we | | | | his/her lullaby. You may also want to try simple |
| receive information through our sensory organs. | | | | hand-eye coordination games and other activities that |
| These sensory activities can be delivered through | | | | require motor skills (fine and gross). |
| soothing activities that involve touch, sound, sight, | | | | Smell: Smell is one of the most powerful senses. |
| vestibular activity and smell (aroma-therapy). Some | | | | Learn to stimulate this sense by using various |
| of the most popular exercises include the following: | | | | aromatherapy candles. Each child has a unique |
| | | | sensory-profile, so learn to experiment with smell until |
| Touch: Let your child experience the touch of various | | | | you find the right scent. |
| cloth textures while you massage him/her after a | | | | Remember that sensory stimulation is about exposing |
| bath. | | | | your child to DIFFERENT stimuli. Therefore, don't feel |
| Sound: Sound is a powerful channel. Many parents | | | | afraid to vary and experiments with activities. |