Neuro-Nurturing® As a Child Grows
The Neuro-Nurturing® Model
The Neuro-Nurturing® Model provides insight into all needs for a developing child. When all needs are provided and nourished, the child thrives and a brain develops in the most healthy ways.
The design of the model is circular because the overlapping connection of each element complements one another. Each aspect of development influences and affects other aspects fostering optimal overall development. As shown through the model, Neuro-Nurturing® provides the realization that all aspects of development are necessary.
The foundational needs of safety, security, loving experiences, care-giver responsiveness, adequate amounts of sleep, health nutrition, a lack of chaos and safe opportunities to learn through movement, imaginative play with hands-on and sensory exploration and lots of time in nature are all critical to developing a brain well.
They will therefore continually adapt to what they are exposed to most frequently and their brain will physically wire based on these experiences.
“The experiences of early life have the profound ability to shape the infant, child, adolescent, and ultimately the adult. Each child has his or her own unique genetic potential, yet this potential is expressed differentially depending upon the nature, timing, and patterns of developmental experience.” – Bruce D. Perry
Environments that are chaotic, unpredictable, threatening and highly stressful can leave a direct influence on the developing brain. Impacting learning, self-perception, relationships, behavior, physical and mental health. Whereas, repeated experiences with a responsive and nurturing caregiver can contribute to buffering the impact of adverse experiences especially in infancy.
“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it's our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.” - L.R. Knost
Within a 'brain nurturing' setting, experiences will touch on multiple aspects depicted in the Neuro-Nurturing® model. Valuable brain connections are made in numerous ways.
It is through these supports that children test new experiences, then naturally relate it to existing knowledge and ultimately store the new information. Through this process they begin to feel confident in their abilities and develop a very healthy self-perception. To support this, adults need to allow (not force) enough time for children to try things repeatedly at their own pace through play. Repeated experiences create strong neural connections for crucial brain pathways.
Children naturally want to explore, spin, yell, pretend, run, pour, skip, create, splash, imagine, hear stories, pound, throw, squish, hop, enjoy music, receive hugs, and figure out the world. They continually seek what their growing brains need.
Understanding adults just need to provide plenty of wonderful opportunities for all of this to occur, while realizing that the children are beautifully reminding them of their valuable and important part of guiding the child to retaining the beautiful and unique brilliance the children already are.
We've created a special packets for each age to help you easily create these needed brain development enhancing experiences in everyday life.
The children are cannot wait for all the beneficial and fun experiences that will happen.
With these easy and essential resources you will be providing just what they need.
Find them here