ECD & Brain Development

Review of the previous day!
Early childhood development

Globally, Early Childhood is defined as the period
of a child’s life from conception to age eight (0-8)
Development as the process of change in which a
child comes to master more and more complex
levels of movements, develops critical thinking
skills, is able to feel different objects and interact
with people and objects in their environment.
Early Childhood Development
ECD is the holistic development of children which
encompasses physical, cognitive, language, social
and emotional development from conception to age
eight by evolving strategies for supporting
children’s survival, growth, development and
learning from birth to entry in formal, informal and
non-formal primary educational settings.
Principles of Child development:
 Domains of children’s development-physical,
social, emotional and cognitive –are closely
related. Development in one domain influences
and is influenced by development in other
domains.
 Each child grows up biologically, emotionally,
and culturally in a unique way. However, there
are certain general patterns of development that
are the same.
 Both nature and nurture (genes and
environment) influence children’s development.
 Development is progressive and happens in

series of stages with later abilities, skills and
knowledge building on those already acquired.
 The quality of a child’s earliest environments and
the availability of appropriate experiences at the
right stages of development are crucial
determinants of the way each child’s brain
architecture develops.
 Brain development is most rapid in the early years
of life. When the quality of stimulation, support
and nurturance is deficient, child development is
seriously affected.
 The early childhood years provide the
foundation for all later learning and the
development of life skills.
 Interventions in the early years of childhood
offer an extraordinary opportunity to avoid or
moderate learning problems, and to bring
lasting benefits to individuals and society.
 Children are active learners, drawing on direct
physical and social experience as well as
culturally transmitted knowledge to construct their
own understandings of the world around them.
 Children develop and learn best in the context of a
community where they are safe and valued, their
physical needs are met, and they feel
psychologically secure.
 Play is an important vehicle for children’s
social, emotional, physical and cognitive
development.
 It develops quality warm, positive interactions
between children and adults.
 Increasing parental emotional availability to
children.
The Importance of Early Childhood
Care and Development
a. What are the challenges we are facing in this
century?
b. What skills are needed to face these
challenges?
c. How these skills can be inculcated in our
children?
d. What is the right age to inculcate such skills?
Brain Development
How do you think the brain develops?

Early childhood (conception-8 years) is
important stage of life. Here growth is
rapid and so is the brain development.
Brain Development
• Nature provides billions of nerve
cells
• Neurons send and receive electrical

messages between the brain and
body and also within the brain
Synapses…….
• Nutrition and caring environment are vital to brain
development
• Early experiences, environment, nutrition, adult

support and material are very important for young
children
Elements Supporting Children’s Brain
Development
• Experiences: like playing, talking and reading

increases child’s synapses for language
• Quality: Quality experiences and environment for
children are important in their brain development.
• Caring Environment: Positive environment leads
brain to release a chemical (endorphins) in blood that
supports the learning process
• Negative or fearful environment leads brain to release

a chemical (Cortisol)in blood, which raises anxiety
level and it shuts down learning process
Developmental Domains
Presentation by Participants
Three tenets of child centered approach
Individualization
Children Making Choices
Family Participation
Multiple Intelligence
Verbal / Linguistic
Mathematical/ Logical
Bodily / Kinesthetic
Visual / Spatial
Musical
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Naturalistic
Existential
Learning Styles
Visual learners
Auditory learners
Tactile learner

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Review of the previous day!

Early childhood development

 Development is progressive and happens in

How do you think the brain develops?

• Neurons send and receive electrical

• Early experiences, environment, nutrition, adult

• Experiences: like playing, talking and reading

• Negative or fearful environment leads brain to release

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