Children are born with a brain that is ready to learn. It’s true, 85 percent of their intellect, personality, and skills are developed within the first five years of a their life; growing more rapidly during that time than in any other period. As you can see, those first five years are crucial to setting the stage for learning for the rest of their lives!
In honor of Brain Awareness Week, we want to highlight some interesting facts surrounding the brain and early learning–to further support the importance of development during those early years.
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In the first few years of life, 700 new neural connections are formed every second. These connections are the foundation for all of their learning.
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During preschool years, a child’s brain begins to maximize efficiency by determining what connections to keep and which to eliminate.
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By the time children are three, their brains are twice as active as those of adults. Activity drops during adolescence.
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From ages two to five, a child’s brain greatly benefits from having books read to them, solving simple puzzles, singing favorite songs, and experimenting with pre-writing and pre-reading skills.
Development in the early years is vital to lifelong learning. That’s why Waterford is committed to the academic success of every child.