Why Early Childhood Education Is Important?

According to Education Sciences, 0 to 7 years is the most critical period in the development of a child’s cognitive abilities. Children are born geniuses and possess extraordinary mental capabilities. The more information you provide, the more knowledge they will absorb and acquire. However, this phase of rapid-learning diminishes as a child grows older. Leave their minds untaught or untrained, some of their remarkable skills are likely to become dormant and eventually fade with time. This is precisely where the importance of effective early childhood education lies. 

What is the purpose of early childhood education?

The aim of early childhood education is not merely limited to preparation for academic training. Instead, it focuses on the overall social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of a child, and lays a solid foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. With effective early childhood education, societies can nurture entire generations of compassionate and responsible children.

The most significant aspect of early childhood education is the development of a positive relationship between the child and the parent. Remember, parents are a child’s first teacher, and therefore remain an integral part of the learning process. With a steady relationship and proper guidance, children become more comfortable with their learning environment. In other words, a positive upbringing can influence a child’s brain development and his or her future education. 

Left brain versus right brain:

To help your child learn effectively, you must first understand how the brain works. Our brain is the most complex organ of our body. It has two hemispheres—the left and right brain, Both have their own distinctive characteristics or traits. Meaning, even though the brain functions as a whole, each side learns differently. The left brain is all about verbal, rational learning and works on logical reasoning. While on the other hand, the right brain is creative and emotional and learns through intuitive absorption. 

During the early childhood education years, the brain develops from right to left. Due to this reason, the right-brain is dominant between the ages of 0-3. It is essential to make use of this time and encourage abstract thinking in your child.

Most of the education systems today are left-brain focused and measure success based on competency. But, when the right brain associates with kids learning, it establishes a ‘new’ brain synergy. The bestselling book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain affirms this concept. It suggests that right-brain development helps you see things differently, regardless of how your brain has been wired. 

What is right brain education?

Right Brain Education is an accelerated developmental program designed for children in the age group of 0 to7 years. During this phase, the right brain functions at a higher velocity compared to the left brain. Therefore, when you input a lot of information to the brain, at a faster rate, you stimulate the right brain. This approach when implemented correctly, improves:

• Memory and concentration,
• Grasping power,
• Analytical skills,
• Creativity and imagination,
• And Emotional intelligence

Right brain activities for kids

Here are some interesting right brain educational activities to help your kid unleash their creativity:

1. Flashcards

When you are solving a day-to-day problem related to your daily tasks, verbalize it. For example, baking a batch of cupcakes…Ask your little one what else she would like as a topping or flavor or color or taste. Watch her give you awesome ideas.

Flashcards are fantastic visual tools that can help children understand and absorb new information quickly. They also help increase your child’s brain capacity. 

While using flashcards for kids, please keep the following in mind:

• Flashcards must be precise and unambiguous; they must display only one item or subject per card. 
• The picture must be accurate with a clean, distraction-free background. 
• Use or make large big cards that are at least A5 in size.
• Choose flashcards based on your child’s interests. For instance, if he or she likes animals, try flashcards on different species of wildlife. 
• As the name suggests, you have to show or flash the cards quickly—approximately two cards per second. 
• You can use three sets of cards around three times a day, for 15-20 seconds.
• Do not show the same flashcards repeatedly over. Kids learn fast, so keep changing the learning materials.
• A happy environment is necessary for fun learning. Make sure you and your child are in a positive mood while performing the activities.

2. DIY activities

Fun activities like memory games, color matching, puzzles using open-ended toys are great right-brain activities that you can perform with minimal supplies in the comfort of your home. These extracurricular activities drive kids to be more creative and pursue their interests outside the academic context. Another great idea is to encourage your kids to utilize their non-dominant hand for simple daily activities. The right brain controls the left side of your body, and such tasks will challenge the child to be more creative.

3. Right brain educational programs

If you are hard-pressed for time and find planning the activities and preparing the flashcards on your own a bit tedious, online/offline workshops are a great alternate option. Several workshops provide age-appropriate right brain education in India.

Last month a friend introduced us to Tickle Right. On learning more I discovered it is a leading right brain education platform in India. Tickle Right makes for the perfect choice that can help your children unleash their creativity. Once every week, the platform offers both online and offline education for children between the ages of 1.5 to 7 years. Their online learning tutorials are convenient and easy for anyone to attend from any corner of the world. Each session comprises 25 to 30 tailor-made right-brain activities performed in a short span of time—ideal for the child’s brain development. 

Through these classes, our kid’s early childhood education has been taking baby steps towards developing a combination of the following abilities and characteristics:

• Photographic memory
• Enhanced creativity
• Speed listening
• Speed reading
• Musical appreciation
• High-speed mass memorization
• Empathy
• Heightened intuitiveness

The key feature of their program is the strengthening of the parent-child bond, which is the base for any effective early childhood education experience. I sat through each session. I was encouraged to participate with our little one while attending Tickle Right sessions. 

The company’s philosophy is straightforward: “At Tickle Right, our empathy-oriented, right brain development program, parents accompany their tiny tots to class. They participate in interesting activities and have fun together. The best part? No session is complete without the 3Ls: Learning, Laughter, and Love!“

Conclusion:

Early childhood education is a critical period in any person’s overall mental development. Therefore, it is crucial that at an early age children are provided with caring and valuable relationships. It is also important that these bonds are filled with positive affirmations that can lead them to a happier future. 

Remember that every child is different, while some children excel at math, some others do well in languages. For that reason, the right quality of early childhood education will help us discover these hidden talents much earlier in life. Learning is a never-ending journey; it is therefore up to the parents to make sure their children enjoy every bit of it.

Always remember that every child is unique. Some children excel at math and some in language. Proper effective early childhood education helps us unearth their hidden talents and through positive reinforcement and stimulation, our young ones can realize their potential to the fullest. Right Brain Education is one of the most preferred extracurricular activity. It also helps us impart the most valuable lesson to our tiny tykes –  Learning is a never-ending journey; and when you make it fun and interesting, it leaves an indelible impression.