Celebrate this Father’s Day by taking some simple steps to ensure your children get the best start possible in life. More than 80 percent of neuron connectivity in the brain is completed by age 3, with 90 percent completed by age 5. Developing brains are strengthened through verbal engagement with caring adults, such as talking, reading, and singing, especially when they occur on a consistent basis.
Here are some easy, effective and fun activities that dads can do with their kids to stimulate brain growth and build attachments with young children.
Play some tunes.
Music improves a child’s emotional, intellectual and physical development, and studies have shown that it can even have a positive impact before a child is born.
So channel your inner Legend, Shelton, Bublé or Juanes and do some karaoke at home. You also can create your own garage band with your children by making some instruments from empty plastic bottles or cardboard boxes.
Make story time a daily event.
Reading to your children on a regular basis throughout the first years of their lives will build their vocabularies and language skills even before they can talk.
You also can play music for your children and ask them what images or scenes come to mind and use that as the basis for creating stories.
Tell them about your day.
Research has shown that by the time they turn four, children who are talked to by their parents or caregivers will have heard 30 million more words than those who aren’t.
Plan a family outing.
Take a trip to the local museum or visit your neighborhood library. You can establish an early, positive connection to natural history, art, or science at the museum, and your local library offers free activities in an air-conditioned space, along with lots of great books to read to your children.
The point to remember is to talk, read, and sing regularly to your child. The positive impact it will have on your baby and the bond it will form will last a lifetime.
More tips and information are available online at first5california.com.
