The Origins of Thinking
The Senses
The Senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) are your child’s first introduction to the world.
Think about it. Everything your child does is new to them, which means everything is rich in valuable, sensory information. And that’s a great start in developing their understanding of what things are and how they work.
But more, sensory information is feeding the brain what it needs to learn how to process information. In other words, to think.
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It doesn't happen overnight, of course.
Step by step (gather.. analyze... apply... abstract), the brain is piecing together its own unique perception of our big, busy world. To give you an idea of what that looks like, here's a little story of a child's first experience with a raspberry...
Introduction to The Senses
Imagine how many sensations your child's brain is juggling every single day. With each the body, brain, and senses are going through this kind of analytical process adding to your child’s life library of knowledge a bit at a time. And that's what nature calls learning.
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My First Raspberry
The Senses are the scouts that feed the brain information about our physical world.
”Mommy gave me a raspberry.
She said I might like it.
Raspberries are small, round, red, and cool to the touch like strawberries.
I like strawberries.”
The body assists in the study of sensory information while the brain applies cognitive and emotional associations to aid its understanding.
“Raspberries have dimples that fit my fingers. They smell nice too. I think I’ll try one.
Hmmm. Raspberries are sweet like strawberries, but different.”
The brain forms opinions and makes decisions about what to do with this new information.
“Raspberries are good.
I think I'll have another."
New information integrates with known information (memory) to make inferences, draw conclusions, and shape perspectives.
“Small, round, red fruit is good."
The brain is learning how to think.
“Mommy has good ideas."
Learn More About the Senses...
Where Critical Thinking Begins
The senses hold the key to significant advances in your child's cognitive development.
The Age of Distraction
As a parent, chances are you’ve asked yourself, “Why don’t kids pay attention?” Fact is, they ARE!
Respect the Mess
Examining the benefits of all that mess!
The Seven Senses
Seven? Yes, seven. Meet the two senses we didn't learn about in school...
The Quest Chest
Turn your next treasure hunt into a multisensory quest for fun and learning. Ages 3+.
20-30 minute activity.
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