Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/bodies-in-motion/5021748/
Recent advancements in brain imaging technology have expanded our understandings about the astoundingly rapid growth of neural pathways and synapses that happens during the first three years of life. Staying informed about new views on brain development has been of great interest to the early childhood community, since these views help to accentuate the importance of the early years in a child’s life. In a previous article we argued that with the ‘secure base’ of an attentive, responsive caretaker, the very young child can focus on taking in and exploring the world around her. To enable the caretaker to focus on her direct interactions with the child, the infant-toddler environment, should first be organized to make the caretaker’s work as easy as possible (www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2010/organizing-editing-and-inspiring).
In this article we want to suggest that a particular focus on movement, through the scientific ‘lens,’ offers a fresh perspective in regards to how the design of the environment impacts the developing child. In a provocative TED talk, British neuroscientist Daniel Wopert suggests that we should be asking ourselves not “how does the brain function?” but “why?” According to Wopert, the only reason we have brains is to perform adaptable and complex movement. He argues that how ...